Sandy mayor race not a hot contest
12-year incumbent Dolan only faces one competitor thus far
Dolan thus far faces only one opponent: Drake Meyer, an accountant who said he is running because he doesn't think officials should be unopposed. The filing deadline for municipal elections is Monday at 5 p.m.
Dolan touts his biggest accomplishments in the past 12 years as the city's development — the South Towne Exposition Center, Jordan Commons, Costco, car dealerships, numerous restaurants and stores. Even Meyer — a candidate who said he's not versed in Sandy government or procedures and said that "if I win, it'll be a major upset for sure" — pointed to economic development as a sign of progression.
To Dolan, the money that retail brings to Sandy helps keep property taxes low and level of services high.
"In order to fund the city, you don't have many options," Dolan said. "We've lowered our property taxes 10 percent over the last seven or eight years, and that's through the sales tax increase."
Dolan estimated that his campaign account has about $40,000 in it — leftovers from various fund-raising events throughout his tenure. He has not specifically started raising money for this campaign; neither has Meyer, who said his only campaign activity has been to pay the registration fee.
Contributors to Dolan's campaign in 2001 included the Boyer Company, which donated $10,000 through various subdivisions of the company. The company wants to develop a former gravel pit at approximately 9400 South and 1000 East, and is fighting to keep a voter initiative about the development off the ballot in November.
Save Our Communities, which opposes the Boyer development and a zoning change that would allow it, won a recent Utah Supreme Court case in favor of holding a referendum on the zoning change. Boyer is petitioning the court for a rehearing of that case, which, if granted by the court, could delay or forestall the referendum.
Dolan supports Boyer's development, which is slated to include Wal-Mart, Lowe's, housing and office complexes. "I can only think of the pros," he said. "I can't imagine why we can't support one Wal-Mart."
E-mail: kswinyard@desnews.com
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