Erin Mendenhall’s Vision for a Stronger Salt Lake City 46 policy proposals and commitments

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1 TABLE OF CONTENTS

Improve air quality for Salt Lake City families...... 3

Expand the city’s supply of safe and affordable housing...... 7

Address Salt Lake City’s growing homelessness crisis...... 10

Protect residents from Inland Port harm...... 13

Repair the city’s roads and access to transportation options...... 17

Expand access to educational opportunities...... 21

Create a sustainable tech ecosystem in Salt Lake City...... 24

Expand the city’s urban forest...... 29

2 POLICY PLAN Improve air quality for Salt Lake City families Air quality is the single-biggest threat to livability in our city

At her core, Erin Mendenhall is a clean-air advocate. Erin was compelled to get to work cleaning up our air when her first child was born during an inversion and she learned that the cumulative impact of a lifetime of exposure to Salt Lake City’s air pollution could take two years off a person’s life. No one will work harder as mayor to improve the quality of the air we breathe here in Salt Lake City than Erin Mendenhall. As mayor, improving our air quality will be Erin’s top priority.

Air quality and climate change are existential threats to our city, but our carbon-reduction goals are not aggressive enough for the realities of the crisis. Erin will work aggressively to expedite our carbon reductions on multiple fronts, getting collaborative and creative with solutions. There are many steps the city can take to reduce carbon output, but we need more stakeholders invested in this conversation. Salt Lake City isn’t in a bubble; our airshed reaches far beyond our city limits and we cannot address this alone.

Erin will work with Salt Lake City residents, business owners, state, county and religious leaders, as well as leaders of other cities in our airshed to identify bold solutions and lead changes that will improve our air quality. 3 A CAREER OF RESULTS

Erin has dedicated her life to making this city better for children and for everyone who breathes its air. In 2009, she co-founded the nonprofit, Breathe Utah, which works to improve the air we breathe through education, collaboration, and policy. To date, Breathe Utah has educated over 80,000 students in grades pre-K through 12th in schools throughout the state about air quality science, health impacts, and what we can do to improve our air.

As the policy director for Breathe Utah, Erin worked with Republican and Democrat state lawmakers, including then-State Senator Ben McAdams, to improve state legislation regarding air quality and expanding the state’s core curriculum to include air quality science and driving impacts in drivers’ education.

She has been appointed to serve on our state’s Air Quality Board since 2014 and has been its chair since 2018.

On the City Council: • Erin expanded our bus routes to give Salt Lake City residents a less expensive option for getting out of their cars and around the city. She worked hard to make the system more geographically equitable and as a result, three new circulator bus routes came online in August 2019; • Erin has also worked to expand our unique system of bike and pedestrian trails, including the McClelland Trail connecting the 9th and 9th and Sugar House neighborhoods, the 9-Line Trail that will connect from the Surplus Canal to Emigration Canyon, and the Folsom Trail connecting the Jordan River Parkway Trail to Downtown Salt Lake City. These trails will offer residents more access to opportunities, and help be a part of solutions that clean our air, support adjacent businesses, and save on resident’s transportation costs; • Erin has worked through the city budget each year to ensure the Urban Forestry division had sufficient funding to at least replace all dead and dying trees. She increased urban forestry staff by 30 percent in the most recent budget to ensure the department could more fully serve residents’ requests. • Erin successfully helped push the city to reduce its contract with Rocky Mountain Power from 25 years to five years, to create an opportunity for the city to better negotiate for a faster transition to 100 percent renewable sources.

POLICY COMMITMENTS

As mayor, Erin will:

Get 100 percent renewable energy from Rocky Mountain Power ahead of schedule This transition must happen faster than the 2030 date currently planned. With aggressive negotiation and strategic planning with Rocky Mountain Power, Erin will fight to expedite this process so that our city is powered by 100 percent renewable energy by 2023.

Plant 1,000 trees each year on the West Side to take pollution out of the air The West Side of Salt Lake City is disproportionately affected by our poor air quality and with the Inland Port threatening to worsen the situation, Erin has committed to a bold plan to protect residents while fighting a polluting port.

A single large tree is capable of removing 10 pounds of air pollution in a year, absorbing the carbon dioxide of a car driven 500 miles over a year and generating 260 pounds of oxygen in a year. Facing an alarming disparity in the geographic distribution of the city’s urban forest, Erin will plant 1,000 trees on the West Side of our city each year as mayor. This, in addition to the normal replacement of 1,200 trees citywide each year.

To pay for the surge in tree-plantings, Erin will pursue local, national and non-profit grants partnering with 4 local philanthropies, businesses, and others to make the greening of the West Side a true community project. The 4,000 trees planted on the West side in her first four budgets as mayor would grow to: • Take 40,000 pounds of pollution of the air each year; • Generate more than 1 million pounds of new oxygen each year; • Save approximately $172,000 in combined annual heating and cooling costs; and • Have the combined cooling effect of 40,000 room-sized air conditioners chilling our neighborhoods.

Expand public transit options for city residents Great cities provide multiple convenient and safe options for residents or commuters to move in and about the city.

To help curb greenhouse gas emissions and to deal with increasing population density, we need to make it more convenient and affordable for residents and commuters to make the decision to leave their cars at home whenever possible and take public transportation, use our sidewalks, and ride bicycles. Erin will continue expanding our city’s bus routes, upgrading bus stops, and start moving Salt Lake City toward an all-electric bus fleet.

Salt Lake City can further reduce traffic on our roads by investing in bike and pedestrian infrastructure citywide, including greater investment in our urban trails that connect our urban neighborhoods and business districts. We must create opportunities for every resident, no matter what part of the city they live in or how much money they make, to be part of cleaning our air, reducing city traffic, and creating a culture of active and cost-effective transportation.

Scooters can be an effective micro-transportation option, but the protection of the public’s safety demands stronger enforcement of laws against operating scooters and bicycles on sidewalks, especially downtown. As mayor, Erin will work with scooter and bike-rental companies to ensure our sidewalks are safe for pedestrians and our streets are safer for people on wheels.

Increase UTA ridership The Utah Transit Authority estimates that two out of five riders use a discounted pass that was provided by their employer or college, saving these riders about $1,000 a year in transportation costs. As our population grows and businesses move into Salt Lake City, our roads will only become more congested with traffic. Erin will work to expand discount transit pass opportunities to startup and mid-sized businesses to increase accessibility to the entire Salt Lake City workforce. Currently, only very large employers, like Zions Bank, Goldman Sachs, and the Church of the Latter Day Saints, are able to purchase discounted transit passes at bulk- discount rates for their employees.

To further incentivize UTA ridership, Erin will build partnerships with the county and others who host sporting, entertainment, religious and cultural events to allow event tickets to double as UTA tickets. University of Utah athletics have proven it to be a viable concept and Erin will apply it more widely to make it more convenient for people to leave their cars at home while taking advantage of our city’s rich culture.

Reduce carbon emissions from buildings Buildings will outpace cars as the primary cause of pollution in the coming decade. The burning of fossil fuels to generate electricity for buildings is what accounts for 39 percent of CO2 emissions in the United States. Greener buildings will mean cleaner air. In order to build cleaner buildings, the city must work to restore residential solar incentives with deeper subsidies for low-income residents and create and update incentive programs for existing commercial property and building owners to make upgrades, including for solar energy adoption. Erin will strengthen our environmental standards for earning low-interest Redevelopment Agency loans, ensuring that future buildings will be more efficient, environmentally clean, and sustainable.

5 Expand snow blower and lawn mower exchange The most vulnerable time for our airshed is in the winter months, which is also the time when we fire up snow blowers to clear our driveways, sidewalks, and parking areas just after a storm system clears out an inversion. Operating a typical gas-powered snow blower for one hour emits as much pollution as driving a car about 280 miles. Similarly, gas-powered lawn mowers contribute to summer ozone levels, using a gas-powered mower for one hour is equivalent to driving eleven new cars for the same time. Recognizing this problem, the state created an exchange program for residents to trade-in their polluting, gas-powered blowers and mowers for clean, electric blowers and mowers at a discounted price.

Both programs are so popular that most interested residents cannot participate. As mayor, Erin will work with the Department of Environmental Quality to expand these programs and/or create off-shoot programs for residents of Salt Lake City. With a relatively small investment, we can take big steps to cleaning our air precisely when our airshed most needs a break.

Expand electric vehicle ports Salt Lake City currently has 300 electric vehicle ports which offer free charging for electric vehicles. These charging ports make it possible for those with electric cars to commute to Salt Lake City without worrying about needing to charge their vehicles. Salt Lake City needs to be proactive in supporting this type of green investment through grants, as we become more tech-based and see more electric cars available on the market. As mayor, Erin will find creative ways and financing to increase the number of electric vehicle charging stations around our city.

6 POLICY PLAN Expand the city’s supply of safe and affordable housing Every Salt Lake City resident deserves a safe, affordable home

Where we live affects educational opportunities for our children, health outcomes for families, and whether or not we have easy access to the most basic needs, such as food and transportation. Homeowners and renters living on fixed incomes or earning low wages are being squeezed out of our neighborhoods, and too many young people who grow up here can’t afford to stay here, creating a massive drain on our economy.

Addressing our affordable housing crisis will help the city address economic inequities across communities. Although the city government does not control the housing market, Salt Lake City has already invested time and energy in identifying ways to address our affordable housing crisis, and we need to build on that momentum. Erin will ensure that the Mayor’s office works closely with the Council and city departments to put policies in place that will remove barriers to sustainable development, increase the number and quality of housing units being built in our city.

A RECORD OF RESULTS

• On the City Council, Erin scoured the city budget to find $21 million to fund a Redevelopment Agency initiative for innovative public-private partnerships to create new affordable housing units. That work has so far resulted in 1,500 new affordable housing units being created, with hundreds more units underway and half of the original funding still to be invested. • Erin also helped create an ongoing revenue stream to support the Housing Trust Fund to get people into homes and keep them there. These funds are vital to addressing the housing shortage in our city. They increase the amount of affordable housing the city is able to build and maintain, and they are also used to provide safe housing to individuals and families experiencing homelessness. 7 POLICY COMMITMENTS

As mayor, Erin will:

Expand the RDA’s public-private partnership program to incentivize the construction of new housing The Redevelopment Agency is an important partner in addressing the affordable housing shortage. Erin is committed to continue her work with the RDA and housing developers to push for more affordable housing. Erin’s work to secure $21 million in funds for the RDA has led to great outcomes and she is committed to continuing her work with the RDA and developers to further expand the city’s stock of affordable housing.

Preserve Salt Lake City’s current affordable housing with low-interest loans for building maintenance, preventing displacement of current renters Affordable housing is difficult to build and even harder to maintain. As the city works to increase funding and resource allocation to build the affordable housing that our city needs, Erin will advocate for funding to preserve the housing stock that we currently have and keep more of our neighbors in their homes.

Salt Lake City has a large number of rental units that are older and starting to deteriorate. When meeting with landlords and property owners, maintaining quality affordable housing is a significant challenge. Many older apartments have problems such as outdated HVAC systems, black mold, standing water, and other hazards common to rental units. Creating a low-interest loan program for landlords and property owners to utilize when repairs are needed but the funds aren’t there. This will help landlords maintain apartments that are safe for their residents. A preservation fund will also help ensure that as we try to find solutions to building more affordable housing, we aren’t increase the shortage of safe, stable, affordable places for people to live.

Work with homebuilders to identify creative solutions for developing housing that is accessible, sustainable, and affordable President Trump’s trade wars have driven up the cost of building materials and the private market is struggling to build as many affordable housing units as are needed. That means more low-income households are competing for a limited supply of affordable homes. We need complementary solutions that expand access to federal subsidies, stretch subsidy programs further, and open more neighborhoods to affordable housing options. Erin will collaborate with homebuilders and developers to diversify the types of affordable housing being produced and reduce barriers to getting housing on the ground.

Salt Lake City has a 7,467-unit deficit of deeply affordable housing units citywide, and while building these units is incredibly important to our city, buildings are quickly becoming the leading cause of carbon emissions. Erin will work with community partners and city leaders to develop incentives for developers and homebuilders who use solar and renewable technology.

Improve city-wide zoning codes to allow for more housing types and economically diverse communities Restrictive zoning codes and outdated land-use regulations can suppress housing supply, drive up housing costs, and widen racial and economic disparities. Salt Lake City zoning has denied some communities equal access to opportunity. By leveraging smart zoning reforms and easing building restrictions, we can unleash housing supply to help meet the needs of current and future residents.

Even with these efforts, the city should consider an inclusionary zoning policy that would that would require a minimum amount of affordable housing in new multi-family projects.

Changes in zoning allow developers to build housing that will address the shortage for those in the missing middle, diversification of housing stock and pricing, and ensure that affordable housing isn’t being built on one side of our city. Housing options need to meet the spectrum of needs of the community ­— from single-room occupancy to single-family and in between. 8

Should Salt Lake City win the 2030 Olympics, ensure the Olympic Village housing is converted to affordable housing for the community The Olympics can be an exciting time for a city and if we plan correctly, we can get the best outcome for our residents in terms of community benefit. Should Salt Lake City win the bid for the 2030 Olympics, Erin is committed to working with the Olympic Committee, the Salt Lake City Housing Authority, and community partners to designate Olympic village housing as affordable housing after the Olympics. All housing built for the Olympic athletes and staff will be deed-restricted and designated specifically as affordable housing following the Olympics.

Lower transportation costs to make it more affordable to live in more parts of the city The average Utah family spends 30 to 50 percent of its monthly budget on housing — and another 20 percent on transportation. Access to affordable transportation is just as important as access to housing, especially in a tight housing market. When a family is forced to leave the city to find housing they can afford, their transportation costs may increase due to commute length or lack of public transit. Erin will work to improve public transit in Salt Lake City by increasing bus routes and shared mobility options to underserved neighborhoods, expanding access to the HIVE pass program, and improving infrastructure along bus lines.

Create incentives for companies to hire local, hire union, and pay better There is a growing disparity between wages and rents in Salt Lake City. Forty-nine percent of renters and 20 percent of homeowners are cost-burdened in their housing, paying between 50 and 70 percent of their income on housing and transportation costs. Another 24 percent of renters pay an even higher percentage just to live here. A key component to addressing Salt Lake City’s affordable housing crisis is increasing wages.

In order to afford a two-bedroom apartment in Salt Lake City, an individual needs to make $20.67 per hour. Erin will work with local Chambers of Commerce, labor unions, and local businesses to develop a plan that will focus on bringing good-paying jobs into Salt Lake City so that residents are able to work and live in their city.

9 POLICY PLAN Address Salt Lake City’s growing homelessness crisis Salt Lakers experiencing homelessness are still our neighbors and deserve our compassion and support

The number of people experiencing homelessness in Salt Lake City is on the rise for the first time in years, but finding solutions to address homelessness isn’t a conversation that Salt Lake City can have alone: we must partner with the county, the state of Utah, and work with other towns and cities around the state.

Salt Lake City has taken a more dynamic approach through partnerships with the county health department and state than it has previously, collectively committing tens of millions of dollars to pilot programs to help people reach detox, help people be able to make down payments on homes, and to help even more pay rent. Erin will continue with programs that have the strongest outcomes for our taxpayer dollars and help people resolve homelessness in the most efficient and effective way possible.

The new homeless resource center model naturally creates challenges that we must be ready to address. The three new homeless resource centers have strict caps on the number of beds: 200 for each of the Salt Lake City homeless resource centers and 300 at the South Salt Lake center. When 10 the resource centers are at capacity, Salt Lake City needs to be prepared to move people off of the streets, to somewhere that is safe and stable. It’s imperative that we continue working together to support the shelter- resistant population and keep our neighbors housed whenever possible.

A RECORD OF RESULTS

On the City Council, Erin: • Created the city’s first women’s homeless shelter, providing 200 beds and assistance to help people transition into stable work and safe housing; and • When the mayor rejected funding for Rape Recovery Center, Erin found the money for them and rolled them into our general fund, so they no longer have to compete with other non-profits and now have on- going annual funding.

POLICY COMMITMENTS

The imminent reduction in beds for the city’s homeless population because of the closure of the Road Home may leave hundreds of Salt Lakers without a safe place to sleep. Whether they have a home or not, these people are our neighbors and we need to work to help them. We have a responsibility to ensure that homelessness is rare, one-time, and brief.

As mayor, Erin will:

Work with stakeholders to develop a plan for the winter months Engage the state, county, downtown businesses, and residents on a plan for accommodating homeless residents in the winter and when the shelters are full, creating a seasonal, low-barrier emergency shelter with community partners.

Expand Downtown Ambassadors and Park Ranger programs The Downtown Ambassador and Park Ranger programs were created to provide support and resources for people experiencing homelessness or have similar needs. Erin will expand on our partnership with Volunteers for America and properly fund the Downtown Ambassadors and Park Ranger programs to prevent evictions and homelessness by connecting more at-risk people with supportive services. Ambassadors act as the eyes and ears for our homeless population, ensuring these community members are aware of service providers, and how and where to take advantage of hot meals or a bed, should they choose. Ambassadors are not security officers or police officers: they carry no weapons and are there purely and simply to help.

With the new shelter resource model and the closing of the Road Home, people experiencing homelessness are living across our city rather than concentrated around Pioneer Park. As mayor, Erin will work to expand these two programs, increasing the number of Ambassadors and Park Rangers across the city providing support and resource to the most vulnerable and ensuring neighborhood safety.

Work to reduce no-fault evictions by strengthening tenants’ rights ordinances, increasing landlord compliance related to fair treatment of tenants Preventing homelessness is a critical element to addressing this growing crisis. Evictions are a leading cause of housing in stability and it’s time that Salt Lake City gets proactive in reducing no-fault evictions and providing education to renters and landlords. Salt Lake City has dedicated funding to the Building an Equitable City program to allow advocates to provide short-term rental assistance, eviction mediation in the courtroom, and education for renters about Utah Renter Laws in order to prevent eviction. Erin will work to continue this funding and support community organizations that are working to empower renters with education. 11

Increase the number of SRO housing units In 1978, Salt Lake City had 800 single-room occupancy (SRO) housing units — a great housing option for, among others, people experiencing homelessness because it allows them to exit the street or shelter and be in safe, stable housing. Now, due to changes in zoning and redevelopment, Salt Lake City only has 50 SRO housing units available, which doesn’t provide many options for someone who is experiencing homelessness to find a safe place to sleep and store their belongings.

In April 2019, the City Council was preparing to vote and pass an ordinance that would allow for more single room occupancy housing units in specific areas in Salt Lake City. However, the city decided to postpone a vote and take time to review the city’s zoning ordinances to ensure that affordable housing types are not continued to be concentrated in areas of poverty. As mayor, Erin will conduct a thorough review of zoning codes and ordinances to ensure that plans for SROs or ADUs are equitably located throughout the city and that we have enough SROs and alternative types of housing.

12 POLICY PLAN Protect residents from Inland Port harm as much as possible Erin will work for the best possible outcome for city residents

The state’s Inland Port is not only a threat to public health in Salt Lake City, but to the city’s long-term legal rights and protections. When state leaders snuck through legislation to steal the city’s tax revenue and land-use authority to plow the way to building an inland port, they created a real long-term threat to the city that must be resisted.

Erin Mendenhall is an air-quality activist and is deeply concerned about what the port will mean to the city over the long term. She supports the city’s lawsuit over the Inland Port and hopes we succeed, but the nature of the suit means it is essentially impossible for it to result in the Port being stopped altogether. Even if it could, however, Erin does not believe the city can take the chance of putting all its eggs in one basket. While the litigation proceeds, we need to work every angle in pursuit of the best possible outcome.

13 NOT A QUESTION OF SUPPORT OR OPPOSITION TIMELINE

The notion of an Inland Port has been discussed by Salt Erin does not support the construction of Lake City and Utah leaders for decades, but the sequence this Inland Port, but that has never been of events that has put the city government in the current the question put before the City Council. predicament generally began in 2016. Because the land on which it is being built August 2016 is privately owned and because the state Feeling pressure from state leaders threatening to build an government’s intent to see the port built Inland Port in Salt Lake City without the city government’s includes willingness to legislate around the involvement, the City Council approved the mayor’s Salt Lake City government to do it, the City Northwest Quadrant Master Plan, which included a port very Council’s permission was never needed. different than the one now planned by the state. December 3, 2016 The question before the City Council has Mayor Biskupski published an op-ed in the Salt Lake Tribune always essentially been: does the city want laying out her plan to create an inland port in the Northwest to play any role in making the Inland Port Quadrant that would be subject to city rules and standards. development work through Salt Lake January 31, 2018 City public processes? Does the city want Mayor Biskupski signed contracts with local property owners to have any influence on environmental guaranteeing their rights to develop their properties as they standards? Does the city want to try to see fit in compliance with the city’s zoning laws. recover any of the tax revenue from our February 20, 2018 Northwest Quadrant area stolen by the The City Council held a public hearing on the plan for an state government? Inland Port subject to city rules and standards.

March 7, 2018 Creating a master plan, executing zoning The Utah Legislature passed a bill to cut Salt Lake City out changes, and creating a development of the development of the Inland Port. Among many other agreement with property owners were things, the bill: intentional steps that Mayor Biskupski and • Prevented us from stopping damage to air quality; the City Council took to ensure the city kept • Took 100 percent of tax revenue generated in the its rightful place in supervising land-use inland port area — stealing future funding for our development in the area. schools, roads, public safety, and housing; • Forced city taxpayers to pay for police and fire coverage for the Inland Port area; and From Day One, Erin has worked to • Denied the city’s mayor a seat on the Inland Port protect the city from the Inland Port. As Authority and watered down the city’s power. a subsidiary of the state, the City Council has never had enough statutory leverage March 2018 to stop its construction. Erin has worked Mayor Biskupski abandoned Inland Port negotiations with the state. hard to get the best possible outcome for the city and will continue to make the tough April 2018 decisions it takes to protect city residents. With plans for the port proceeding without us, City Council Chair Erin Mendenhall re-opened negotiations with the state on behalf of Salt Lake City taxpayers to ensure they were represented in discussions. A RECORD OF RESULTS July 18, 2018 When Mayor Biskupski walked away from The State Legislature passed a bevy of improvements negotiated by Erin and the City Council. negotiations with the state over the Inland Port, leaving Salt Lake City residents and March 11, 2019 taxpayers exposed and without a voice at The city filed a lawsuit against the State of Utah over its theft the table, Erin stepped up to negotiate on of city tax revenue and land-use authority. the city’s behalf. Because she did, the city Today won a number of significant concessions The state and Inland Port Authority are proceeding with their and made real progress on a wide array of plans to build the Inland Port in Salt Lake City. The mayor’s priorities. Among the improvements for office still refuses to participate in negotiations. which Erin successfully negotiated is: 14 • A reduction in the size of the port area to remove already developed areas, allowing the city to recover its tax base for those areas; • A reduction in the size of the port area to remove environmentally-sensitive wetlands; • Compensation to the city for police, fire, and other city services provided inside the port area; • Changes to the appeals process to require compliance with state and federal environmental regulations, disclosure of impacts on air quality, surface water, and groundwater, disclosure of impacts on abutting property owners and migratory birds, and a plan to mitigate these environmental impacts; • The performance of a baseline air-quality analysis; • The performance of a baseline water inventory and analysis of projected water needs for the port area; • An assessment of the port’s impact on air quality, including a projection of the number of trucks on the freeway system, impact on rail traffic, impact on air miles, and the presentation of options for mitigating each; • The performance of an environmental element inventory to inform where and what type of development can safely be done; • The identification of other impacts on local communities, including localized air emissions, light pollution, noise, and vibrations, and the presentation of of options for mitigating each; • The requirement of an environmental sustainability plan inside the Inland Port’s business plan; • The permanent inclusion of the City Council member representing District 1 on the Inland Port Authority Board, ensuring the city’s West Side would never again be un-represented in future Port deliberations; and • The allocation of 10 percent of the property tax increment collected by the Inland Port Authority to affordable housing projects in Salt Lake City and administered by the city’s Redevelopment Authority.

In the time since HB 2001 was passed, Erin has had to make tough choices to protect that progress and prevent those gains from being rolled back. Some of those choices were unpopular, but they were necessary to protect the progress that had been made and ensure the city could continue trying to get a better outcome from the Inland Port situation.

POLICY COMMITMENTS

The pending request for summary judgment on the city’s lawsuit against the state makes it difficult to plot an exact course of action on the Port next year. Although Erin hopes the judgment is granted in the city’s favor, it is critical that the city prepares for all possibilities and continues working to win the best possible outcome.

As mayor, Erin plans to:

Continue current litigation against the state over violation of city’s rights If the motion for summary judgment is not granted and the city’s lawsuit against the state is not yet resolved when the new mayor’s term begins, Erin will continue the lawsuit and take appropriate action to see it through.

Immediately engage key city and county government stakeholders to chart an aggressive legal path forward Erin will immediately convene the city government’s top attorneys and experts, Salt Lake City Council, as well as other key policymakers to regroup, assess available options, and chart a strategy for protecting the city from the impacts of the Inland Port. Since the city’s case is better made with county and municipal partners, Erin will meet with County Mayor Jenny Wilson, elected leaders from other cities, and members of the Salt Lake County Council to discuss opportunities for the City and County to work together to shape the direction of the Inland Port.

15 Resume negotiations with state leaders ahead of new legislation to modify the Inland Port During her first week in office, Erin will notify the governor, lieutenant governor, speaker, and Senate president of the city’s intent to reopen negotiations over the legislative framework creating the Inland Port. Erin will continually push Salt Lake City’s representatives and allies on Capitol Hill to make the adoption of legislative improvements a priority.

Plant 1,000 trees on the West Side to take pollution out of the air The West Side of Salt Lake City is disproportionately affected by our poor air quality and with the Inland Port threatening to worsen the situation, Erin has committed to a bold plan to protect residents.

A single large tree is capable of removing 10 pounds of air pollution in a year, absorbing the carbon dioxide of a car driven 500 miles over a year and generating 260 pounds of oxygen in a year. Facing an alarming disparity in the geographic distribution of the city’s urban forest, Erin will plant 1,000 trees on the West Side of our city each year as mayor.

To pay for the surge in tree-plantings, Erin will pursue national and non-profit grants partnering with local philanthropies, businesses, and others to make the greening of the West Side a true community project. The 4,000 trees planted on the West side in her first four budgets as mayor would grow to: • Take 40,000 pounds of pollution of the air each year; • Generate more than 1 million pounds of new oxygen each year; • Save a combined $172,000 in annual heating and cooling costs; and • Have the combined cooling effect of 40,000 room-sized air conditioners chilling our neighborhoods.

16 POLICY PLAN Repair the city’s roads and expand access to transportation options Erin will make it easier and more affordable to get around our city

Transportation is critical to quality of life for residents across Salt Lake City, both economically and physically. Whether it’s because of dangerous potholes, limited reach and frequency of public transit, or unsafe bike lanes, traveling through our city shouldn’t feel like navigating an obstacle course. Getting around Salt Lake City should be easy and affordable.

With dramatic population growth all along the Wasatch Front and major economic growth in Salt Lake City, we cannot afford to wait for incremental improvements to our public transit system. For the sake of our air, our economy, and our residents’ cost of living, we need a dramatic shift in the availability and affordability of public transit.

Compounding the urgency: Too many of our neighbors face rising rents and economic insecurity. Transportation is the second largest category on a household budget, equating to an average 20 percent of monthly expenses. We need to lower that cost for Salt Lake City residents. 17 Fixing our roads and prioritizing infrastructure makes environmental, social, and business sense for Salt Lake City. As mayor, Erin will also make transit more convenient and affordable for residents or commuters, helping them leave their cars at home and take public transportation, walk, or use bikes or scooters more frequently.

A RECORD OF RESULTS

As a city councilwoman, Erin has focused on improving roads, transportation and city infrastructure. During her six years of service to the city, Erin: • Doubled the number of workers fixing our city’s streets. They’re out on our roads now and by next year, we’ll have fixed twice the miles of roadway as we did last year; • Led the charge for the $87 million bond for the Funding Our Future initiative; • Expanded bus routes to give Salt Lake City residents a less expensive option for getting around the city, to make the system more geographically equitable, and to get more cars off our crowded streets. Three new routes came online in August 2019; • Worked to expand our unique system of bike and pedestrian trails, particularly the McClelland Trail, Folsom Trail, 9-Line and three pedestrian bridges to present more residents opportunities to help be a part of solutions that clean our air and save on their transportation bills; and • Secured the County Transportation Option to bring in millions annually for road maintenance.

GROWTH SHOULD PAY FOR GROWTH

Taxpayer dollars are an important tool for growing our city, but they should not be all that is paying for all the growth our city is facing. Without assistance from other types of funding such as impact fees or federal funding, our taxpayer dollars are stretched too thin. Erin will work aggressively to increase outside funding streams like federal grants and county transportation grants for infrastructure, so we can repair our roads and grow mobility options.

As mayor, Erin will:

Invest Impact Fees back into our community When developers build projects in Salt Lake City, they pay “impact fees” to help defray the city’s costs for the additional parks, roads, and city services needed because of the project. The city has a period of six years to invest those fees before they expire. During the current administration, $3.2 million in impact fees have been returned to developers because the administration lacked a plan to invest them. This is a huge missed opportunity. The City Council even allocated funding so the administration to update the required Impact Fee Facility Plan, but the administration still has not completed the work and dollars continue to be returned to developers.

The city needs a mayor who will work to invest impact fees back into our community, where they belong. As mayor, Erin will prioritize updates to the impact fee process and work with the City Council to ensure we are using those dollars wisely.

Create the first strategic plan for transportation infrastructure in decades Salt Lake City has not produced Transportation Master Plan for more than two decades. We need a plan that keeps up with the robust commercial and residential growth that both the city and region are experiencing. Such an update could bolster the city’s recent Transit Master Plan, leveraging mutual priorities to expand our multi-modal transportation needs. Undertaking any new master-planning process requires financial and talent resources, extensive community and stakeholder outreach, and a political willingness to not only adopt, but implement the plan. As mayor, Erin will build and begin implementing a new transportation master plan that ensures today’s investments build a better future. 18

Aggressively pursue federal grants for road projects When the city is able to partner effectively with the federal government, we can invest grant dollars into road improvement projects and leave taxpayer dollars to be spent on other priorities. Salt Lake City loses out on federal grant funding because we aren’t using the tools we have to win federal dollars at our nation’s capital. As mayor, Erin will use those tools to advocate aggressively for federal funding that will help us build Salt Lake City and implement our transportation needs.

Access new county funding for road improvements New Salt Lake County Transportation Sales Tax dollars are an incredible opportunity for cities like Salt Lake, with strong transit and bicycle master plans, to receive grants for building projects. The city recently received over 3 million dollars from this grant to build out sections of the 9-Line Trail, greatly leveraging our own local investment. As mayor, Erin will ensure that Salt Lake City is taking every opportunity to submit strong applications for future grants that will help us implement our master plans.

IMPROVE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION

As mayor, Erin will:

As chair of the City Council, Erin targeted our new routes for expansion based on equity, not only on ridership. As mayor, Erin will work with city resources and partnerships to expand our circulator bus system and will continue to focus new routes and shared mobility options in areas of the city that have traditionally not received adequate investment.

Better bus infrastructure for all residents Salt Lake City has many public transit stops in dire need of upgrade. Too many bus stops lack adequate seating, cover from the weather, shade from the summer sun, accommodation for those with mobility challenges, or even trash cans. As Mayor, Erin will ensure that the city is taking the lead on cultivating an environment that encourages people to use public transit. If the number of public transit users is going to increase, the city has a responsibility to change the culture of transit use, which starts with ensuring that riders are safe and can get to their destination without being impacted by weather or accessibility challenges.

Expand access to the Hive Pass Public transportation is a great way to move to, from, and around Salt Lake City, yet there are many barriers to increasing ridership. Public transportation is expensive and when faced with the choice of paying for transit or driving to work, many Salt Lake residents chose to drive to save time and money. Salt Lake City not only needs to continue subsidizing the cost of public transit for residents through the Hive pass, we need to increase awareness and expand our public education efforts. Erin will work to increase education and awareness to all Salt Lake residents about the Hive pass program to encourage more transit users and create cleaner air.

The city also needs to work with businesses and develop partners in transit. There are 200,000 people commuting in and out of the city to work each week, providing the city an opportunity to partner with businesses to extend the Hive pass to commuters. As mayor, Erin will work with the UTA and businesses to get more commuters out of their cars and using public transportation.

Move toward electric busses As our city grows and the need to clean our airshed only intensifies with a changing climate, we must be bold and chart the most prudent course. This means moving to an electric bus system sooner than later, and that work must begin now. We have an opportunity to begin taking steps now to add electric busses to our fleet and moving toward an all-electric bus system.

19 BETTER BIKE AND PEDESTRIAN FRIENDLY INFRASTRUCTURE

Salt Lake City is often criticized for not being very walkable, yet we have so many opportunities to increase access to trails, walkable and bikeable pathways, and alleyways. Expanding urban trails and alleyways goes beyond walkability — this infrastructure helps make it more affordable and accessible to move around the city. Salt Lake City is experiencing rapid growth and we need a mayor who can find creative ways to increase all types of non-automobile transit throughout the city. Better roadways, trails and alleyways are a great place to start.

As mayor, Erin will:

Increase urban trails and alleyways Urban trails such as the Jordan River Parkway or the McClelland Trail offer residents more options for commuting and exercise, as well as a unique way to see our city. Developing urban trails makes Salt Lake City more walkable and helps to highlight our unique beauty.

Our alleyways are an underutilized community-connectivity asset and should be a priority as we grow as they create pedestrian and bike thoroughfares away from cars. Alleyway improvements don’t necessarily mean a big price tag; other mid-sized cities have taken creative and collaborative approaches to beautify these oft-forgotten arteries. As mayor, Erin will explore ways to increase trail connections and improve alleyways that will allow residents in all areas to engage in active transportation as we build a healthy and vibrant Salt Lake City.

Further, our trail systems must be equitable and not limited to East Side communities. The expansion of trails in East Side neighborhoods have increased walkability, public transit ridership, and created more access to outdoor fun for residents in those neighborhoods. As mayor, Erin will build the Folsom Trail and work to expand the West Side’s 9-line, not only to connect the East and West sides of our city, but to provide equitable access to outdoor recreation, transit, and walkable communities.

Better access to bicycles and bike parking By introducing the Green Bike program, expanding the Hive Pass to include Green Bikes, and increasing the number of bike lanes throughout the city, Salt Lake has made major advancements to bicycle infrastructure. However, we still have work to do. Erin will ensure the Green Bike program is equitable and accessible across our city. The city also needs more safe places for cyclists to lock their bikes as they commute around the city. Salt Lake City can have better bike parking at transportation and economic hubs. As mayor, Erin, a regular bike rider, herself, will work to make it easier for businesses to request bike racks and shorten the time for permitting and installation.

Expand access to bicycles It’s one thing to make bike commuting more attractive with better infrastructure, but it’s another thing to help make biking more possible. The city can take an active role in helping low-income residents own and maintain safe, properly-functioning bicycles, with safety lights and helmets. As chair of the City Council, Erin worked closely with organizations helping people to afford commuting by bike, and as mayor, those partnerships will deepen. Erin will help residents of Salt Lake City play a more active role in our shared efforts to clean our air, reduce traffic, and create a culture of active and cost-effective transportation.

20 POLICY PLAN Expand access to educational opportunities Erin is deeply and personally invested in the success of our public schools

Although City Hall does not have direct authority over schools and education in our city, mayors have a responsibility to work to improve access to educational opportunities for our families and outcomes for our students. Mayors are also responsible for ensuring that all children have a safe environment to learn and grow — from neighborhood safety to transit access.

Erin sends her two school-age kids to public school so, like every public-school parent, has a deep and vested interest in ensuring those schools and neighborhoods are as strong and safe as they can be.

Erin is committed to ensuring that all Salt Lake City children get the best possible education every single day. When we protect kids, support families, stronger neighborhoods, and prepare our future leaders, we create a better quality of life for all our residents and stronger economic future. We are in this together.

AFTER-SCHOOL CARE SHORTAGE

Effective, high-quality after-school programs bring a wide range of benefits to youth, families and communities. They boost academic success, reduce risky behaviors, promote physical health, and provide a safe, structured environment for the children of working parents. They also support working families and strengthen our economy. 21 At the start of the 2019 school year, 1,700 students were participating in afterschool programs but more than 700 children who would normally be enrolled in after-school programs were put on waitlists and unable to enroll — stranding parents and short-changing students. The next mayor should work with the School District and City Council to address this problem.

POLICY COMMITMENTS

As mayor, Erin will:

Bring Salt Lake City to the education table Although the city does not fund education directly, there are opportunities to better participate in our public-school system. Improving the education and care our children receive, directly affects our city’s economy, need for services, and overall well being of residents. Erin will utilize her role as Mayor to increase communication with the School Board and actively participate in supporting educational policy in Salt Lake City.

Increase funding and support for after-school programs Salaries for after-school program staff in Salt Lake City are very low and have made it very difficult to hire and retain qualified staff. Understaffing prevents programs from enrolling enough children to reach capacity and forces many children onto waiting lists, making it difficult for families to plan work and life. Salt Lake City has the tools to address this problem and as mayor, Erin will explore funding options, including using future tax increment from RDA project areas to support after-school programs financially.

As Mayor, Erin will explore co-location of city programs at schools to reduce barriers to access. She will work to connect county and city-funded recreation and library programs with Youth City community partners to improve the diversity quality of available programming. Erin’s administration will help connect parents with after-school programming options and will bring together public and private transportation officials to explore ways to transport children to after-school and summer programs at no or low cost.

To help fund expanded programming, Erin will use the mayor’s office to advocate for state and federal dollars and she will convene philanthropic organizations and business leaders to develop a fundraising strategy to support more young people in programs across the city.

Expand Youth City program to address after-school care shortage Youth City is a city-subsidized after-school program that provides after-school and summer care and education for students grades 3 through 8. This program is currently located in five neighborhoods and provides hundreds of children with after-school activities ranging from academic work to nature hikes. As mayor, Erin will work to expand the Youth City programs through partnerships with more City Recreation centers and schools to expand the locations for the Youth City program and serve more neighborhoods.

Launch the Salt Lake City Reads campaign The Salt Lake City School Board has identified two goals for the district: increasing literacy rates and focusing on social and emotional learning. Reading builds literacy skills and opens children to new experiences. The Salt Lake City Reads program will build from other successful city-led initiatives across the country, and model the benefits of reading across the city. Through partnerships with Salt Lake City Libraries and the school district, Erin will work to introduce this year-round reading program.

Offer childcare to city employees Childcare is important not only for children, but it provides stability for families, especially parents who work outside of school hours. Accessing childcare is difficult for families across our city, including those who work inside our city government. As mayor, Erin will work to a program to provide childcare for 22 the children of city employees. Introducing childcare to Salt Lake City is could potentially benefit many city employees and possibly others in need of childcare services.

Work to close the opportunity gap Salt Lake City has a deep economic and racial divide that is rooted in a historic policies, while these policies no longer exist, they persist in shaping outcomes. This history has impacted every aspect of life for those who live in marginalized communities and it has a very real impact on the opportunity gap. The city has a responsibility to ensure that all residents have equal access to resources - a situation that is not the case today.

Teachers have the most power to help a student close the opportunity gap. We need to empower our teachers and work with them to ensure that they have what they need to be the best teachers possible. We also need to ensure that teachers can afford to live in our city. Although the city has no control over teacher salaries, we can help expand access to affordable housing and strengthening programs to help teachers buy homes in the communities where they work.

As mayor, Erin will fight for economic equity across the East and West sides of our city and work to close the opportunity gap. Focusing on economic equity across our city will help close opportunity gaps for students and their families, while expanding access to transportation, housing and other opportunities throughout the city.

Expand apprenticeship programs for young Salt Lakers Under Erin’s administration, Salt Lake City will work to partner with more companies committed to creating paid apprenticeship programs for students in our city the way she has as an RDA board member with Stadler Rail.

Apprenticeship programs provide students an opportunity to gain real job skills, earn while they learn, and receive recognized qualifications. These types of programs prepare youth for college or entrance into the workforce. The city’s partnership with Stadler Rail has enabled Salt Lake City School District to create a model for apprenticeships that can be used with more corporate partners. Existing programs in Salt Lake City could be enhanced to engage more youth, such as the Urban Forestry or public safety programs. Erin’s plan to build a sustainable tech ecosystem in Salt Lake City will also seek to create opportunities for apprenticeships with innovative high-tech companies.

23 POLICY PLAN Create a sustainable tech ecosystem in Salt Lake City We need to start attracting the innovative jobs of the future

As our city grows, we must do more to shape an economy that is diverse, resilient, and more broadly distributes good jobs, opportunity, and security. The tech sector is the fastest-growing and highest- paying industry in the state, accounting for one in seven jobs in 2018 and more than 16 percent of all worker earnings, generating upwards of $2.5 billion in state and local tax money.

Jobs in technology are the jobs of the future, but they are not simply going to materialize here. Utah’s capital city should be the state’s most welcoming to innovation and progress, yet extraordinary opportunities keep slipping through our fingers to the suburbs. Salt Lake City needs a mayor who will create the kind of climate that will attract and support entrepreneurs and businesses that help us meet the needs of our capital city.

We need to grow our city in a way that values diversity and sustainability, and improves the lives of all our residents, so we need to focus on bringing tech businesses into our city that want to be part of the city’s progress. New businesses will expand our city’s tax base, which creates a new opportunity to reinvest these dollars back into the community in meaningful ways that will improve the lives of Salt Lake residents. Sustainable growth means environmental, social, and financial long-term stability that supports the unique needs of the city it relies upon. Sustainable growth includes, among others: digital equity, low-emission and no-emission buildings, and wider access to convenient and affordable public transit and housing.

24 ERIN MENDENHALL’S PLAN FOR A SUSTAINABLE TECH ECOSYSTEM IN SALT LAKE CITY

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The University of Utah is graduating our future leaders, yet our city doesn’t have enough high-paying jobs to keep these young minds here. The Lassonde Entrepreneur Institute is a nationally ranked hub for student entrepreneurship and innovation at the University of Utah and an interdisciplinary division of the David Eccles School of Business. Growing our tech sector will help create the jobs that our community needs to keep our young people here.

As mayor, Erin will nurture a sustainable tech ecosystem in Salt Lake City into reality.

WHAT WE ALREADY KNOW

Although other major cities around the country have successfully built their own tech ecosystems, it has not yet been tried in Salt Lake City. Through her work on the City Council and with the National League of Cities, Erin has met with other municipal leaders and leaders in the technology sector to gain a better understanding of the economic, academic, political, and cultural elements necessary for growing a vibrant tech sector.

There are at least four areas of great interest to tech leaders in which Salt Lake City already excels: 1. A number of high-quality colleges and universities producing talented, educated workers in advanced fields. Salt Lake City is producing an army of innovative and highly-qualified college graduates. The University of Utah was ranked 9th for entrepreneurial studies by the Princeton Review, 19th among health care institutions worldwide for scientific research, and 33rd in the world last year in an index of universities earning utility patents. In 2017, the Millken Institute rated the University of Utah the best American university for the commercialization of technological innovations, saying the U had “quietly evolved into one of the most prestigious research universities in the United States with a strong emphasis on commercializing its research.” We need to make sure the innovations happening in Salt Lake turn into businesses and jobs in Salt Lake. 25 2. Our welcoming, urban, and socially progressive community confounds expectations and is valuable for attracting young tech entrepreneurs and talent. Thirty-three percent of the University of Utah’s incoming class are people of color — a diverse talent pool that will have access to a quality job market in a city that supports tech. The tech sector, in particular, attracts workers and investors from all around the world and it’s important that our local community not only reflects that diversity, but embraces it. 3. A high quality of life and a young, vibrant culture is also key to attracting the kinds of technology entrepreneurs and talent we need here, and Salt Lake City has a wonderfully exciting culture. Proximity to five national parks, Wasatch Front and back ski resorts, and trail systems within and adjacent to the city make this an attractive location for tech talent. 4. Our growing international airport is critical to companies doing business in an increasingly interconnected global economy. The new, modern airport will be more convenient for travelers, friendlier to the environment, and better equipped to handle the needs of a rapidly growing regional economy. As a Delta hub, Salt Lake City outcompetes other cities in the region for the most convenient travel opportunities.

There are also six areas we already know limit the interest of tech leaders in doing business in Salt Lake: 1. Salt Lake City has a reputation for being hostile to businesses — especially to startups — that must be changed. This will require a blend of steps to make it easier and more efficient to work with city government. The next mayor of Salt Lake City needs to send a clear and consistent message to business leaders that they — and their innovative, sustainable, good-paying jobs — are welcome here and that we are ready to work with them. 2. The poor quality of our air makes it less appealing for would-be employees to move to Salt Lake City, especially workers with families. Improving our air quality isn’t just a health issue — it’s an economic one too. As the CEO of one tech company told Erin last month: “Air quality is the No. 1 issue every out-of-state candidate brings up during the candidate-acquisition process, and when you are competing with Google or J&J to land a candidate, these things matter.” 3. The state of Utah’s reputation for the poor treatment of women is deterring women from moving to Salt Lake City to work here. In August, WalletHub rated Utah as the nation’s worst state for women’s quality for the second year in a row. A 2018 study by researchers at the University of Chicago found Utah to be the second most-sexist state in the country. There is no shortage of reasons why Utah needs to treat women better than it presently does, but this is certainly one of them. 4. The lack of affordable housing inventory in the city turns off business leaders worried about where their employees will live and the lengths of their commutes. Erin’s plan to expand affordable housing builds on the city’s own Affordable Housing Plan to grow inventory throughout the city and for all housing-size needs. 5. Salt Lake City’s transit system needs to keep growing to make it easier for employees to get to and from their offices. We will have to make it easier and more affordable for people to live and grow in Salt Lake City. Our city’s recent Transit Master Plan shows where future transit needs to go to make the system more convenient than driving. 6. A general lack of understanding of Salt Lake City’s academic credentials is holding us back. Not enough leaders outside our city appreciate the high caliber of research technology education offered by the colleges and universities in and around the city, the University of Utah and Westminster least of all. Partnership between Salt Lake City, local universities, and the business community is a path proven by cities around the country to set a vision for and help create a sustainable tech ecosystem.

Building a tech ecosystem and attracting the jobs of the future will require engaging Salt Lake City’s business, academic, scientific, and labor communities. It will take real steps to improve the way Salt Lake City operates, and partnering with business leaders in Silicon Valley and around the world about the opportunities Salt Lake City offers. We can do it, but only if we work together with the leadership of a mayor with the right experience and vision to lead the effort.

26 POLICY COMMITMENTS

As mayor, Erin will:

Convene a multidisciplinary task force to explore and guide possible actions The office of mayor will convene a task force with leaders from the tech sector, Silicon Slopes, the business community, surrounding universities, labor, and other communities to build strong partnerships and better understand the challenges and opportunities associated with nurturing a sustainable tech ecosystem in the city. The group will work to identify and recommend specific actions to be taken by the city government, universities, and other stakeholders, then monitor and advise progress of implementation.

Launch a targeted education campaign to promote Salt Lake City to innovators and business leaders It’s not enough to offer incredible amenities, we need to share those opportunities with the entrepreneurs and innovative leaders around the country and the world who could be attracted to doing business here in Salt Lake. The effort to create a sustainable tech ecosystem in Salt Lake City will most assuredly require an educational, marketing, and outreach campaign aimed at key business leaders, researchers, and technologists. The substance and scope of that effort will largely be shaped by the efforts of the task force.

Focus outreach on businesses that will invest back in our city Not all jobs are created equal and the city should not pursue every new job creator with the same fervor. As mayor, Erin will recruit and embrace businesses aligned with our city’s commitment to sustainable development, good pay, union labor, and fair treatment of workers. Erin will prioritize businesses that help increase the city’s tax base, allowing the city to increase funding and partnerships for affordable housing, implementation of the Transit Master Plan, and improvements to our air quality.

It is just as important that the businesses that come to our city help create equitable communities. While growth is important for our city’s future, it’s critical that growth is equitable and accessible to residents across our city. Tech is the future of our economy; by getting in at the ground level and creating intentional partnerships we can ensure that growth in our city benefits everyone.

Make Salt Lake City friendlier to entrepreneurs and innovators Salt Lake City has a lot to offer the small business and entrepreneurial community, yet we lose a lot of businesses to the suburbs. We need to make it easier for businesses to get started in Salt Lake City by updating and improving the city’s permitting processes and explore grant programs to assist low-income entrepreneurs in business creation. As mayor, Erin will conduct an in-depth review of Salt Lake City’s codes and regulations to ensure that we are making it easy for entrepreneurs — especially innovative researchers from local universities — to grow their business here in our city.

Create apprenticeship programs for youth Apprenticeship programs make it possible for young workers to get the kind of on-the-job experience it takes to work and grow in a number of industries. Communities that have a robust culture of apprenticeship have a competitive advantage because they offer a continual pipeline of qualified workers for businesses in their city. We will build that pipeline with educators and tech businesses already in the city, and expand those apprenticeship programs through partnerships as the tech ecosystem begins to form. Erin will ensure that apprenticeship programs promote equity in education and access to opportunities across the city — based not on a student’s geographic location, but on their desire to learn and work in the tech sector. Salt Lake City’s Youth City program and the Salt Lake City School District are excellent opportunities to build collaboration for education and support with the tech industry.

27 Bring in tech as a partner in growth Salt Lake City is on course to double its population in the next 30 years. As we plan for that growth, we have an exciting opportunity to invite the growing tech sector be our partners in growth. The tech industry shares many of the same concerns as our residents: air quality, affordability, transportation, and diversity. Employers in the tech industry tell us their workers want to live and work in a city with the best possible air quality, diversity that is celebrated, convenient and affordable transit options, and housing within a vibrant cultural and business community.

The incredible Platform for Open Wireless Data-driven Experimental Research (POWDER) — a partnership between the University of Utah, Salt Lake City, and the Utah Education and Telehealth Network — is deploying experimental, next-generation 5G wireless networking throughout the city and is a great example of how the tech sector can be an active partner in growing our city. As we expand our tech industry, we have the opportunity to bring innovative businesses to our city that are serious about helping find solutions to our air quality problem, including ways to help their employees use public transit and telecommute.

Expand the city’s transit system and allow more businesses to purchase bulk fares for employees Erin is committed to expanding Salt Lake City’s public transportation system and making it more geographically equitable so residents in every neighborhood can access all the economic opportunities the city has to offer. Erin will work with UTA to begin the transition to an all-electric fleet as soon as possible to further reduce emissions. Her administration will work to expand discount transit pass opportunities to startup and mid-sized businesses to increase accessibility to the entire Salt Lake City workforce. Currently, only very large employers, like Zions Bank, Goldman Sachs, and the Church of the Latter Day Saints, are able to purchase discounted transit passes at bulk-discount rates for their employees.

Promote digital equity The long-term needs of our economy require that we fully address digital equity within our city. Access to digital information systems is necessary for full participation in our society, democracy, and the economy. There is simply no excuse for parts of the city to have less opportunity to connect to the internet than others, or for any of our residents to miss out on opportunities to improve their digital literacy. Erin will build on Mayor Biskupski’s digital inclusion plan and incorporate it into the city’s master plan. Erin will work within City Hall and with our future partners in the tech sector to ensure every neighborhood has equal access to the modern digital economy we build in Salt Lake City.

28 POLICY PLAN Expand the city’s urban forest Erin will plant 1,000 trees a year on the city’s West Side to clean our air

It is well documented that Salt Lake City’s air quality problem disproportionately affects West Side communities, and given the high likelihood of additional pollution originating in the Northwest Quadrant if the state’s Inland Port is built, the city needs to do everything it can to protect itself and its residents. We need to take more control of the quality of our air.

We need to reduce the amount of pollution we put into the air by getting to all-renewable energy from Rocky Mountain Power faster, expanding access to public transit options, getting more cars off the road, and transitioning to electric vehicles.

We also need to increase the amount of pollution we take out of the air. A single large tree is capable of removing 10 pounds of air pollution in a year. That same large tree can absorb the carbon dioxide of a car driven 500 miles, and generate 260 pounds of oxygen annually.

A look at a map of city-owned trees tells reveals a staggering inequity and an obvious path forward. The Salt Lake City Department of Parks and Public Lands has determined there is space in the city for at least 25,000 new trees across the city. It’s not hard to figure out where the majority would go.

As mayor, Erin Mendenhall will plant at least 1,000 new trees on the city’s West Side per year starting with her first budget, in addition to the annual replacement of around 1,200 trees citywide. Last year, the city removed 1,179 dead or hazardous trees and planted only 1,174 new trees.

Mendenhall will also promote the expanded planting of trees on privately owned property, campaigning to educate residents on the profound value trees offer not just for the air above them, but the property below. 29 Since air does not respect municipal boundaries, Mendenhall will explore partnerships with other mayors in the valley to encourage similar tree-planting surges in those communities to improve regional air quality.

More trees mean less air pollution, more oxygen being generated, lower heating costs in the winter, and lower air-conditioning bills in the summer. Trees have also been proven to increase property values, lower crime rates, and generally beautify neighborhoods.

The current administration tried to cut funding for the urban forestry program, and this year — as it has in previous years — the City Council added funding to make sure it could continue its maintenance and replacement program. Erin even added funding so the department could hire two additional employees to help the department keep up with the workload.

To help pay for the new trees, Mendenhall’s administration will urgently begin pursuit of federal and non- profit grants. It will also partner with local philanthropies, businesses, and other partners to make the greening of the West side a true community project.

The trees we plant now will be a true investment in Salt Lake City’s future. They are a small step — alongside expanded access to economic opportunity, a more diverse and sustainable array of housing options, and better transit and transportation options — toward a more equitable future on the West side.

The 4,000 trees planted on the West side by the end of Mendenhall’s first term as mayor will grow to take 40,000 pounds of pollution out of the air and generate 1,040,000 pounds of new oxygen every year. They could also save West side residents a combined $172,000 in annual heating and cooling costs, while having the combined cooling effect of 40,000 room-sized air conditioners chilling our neighborhoods each year.

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