Land Use Issues, State Budget, and why I'm running

Our children are our future. Let's set them up for success!

Dear Delegate,

Thank you so much for your thoughtful questions. Here are a few of my thoughts regarding each:

1. Q: What do you think about opening federal or state lands around national parks and forests for residential development?

        A:  I believe in responsible land use, not blanket development bans or free-for-alls. I think there's still more than enough acreage available to build on in Utah without opening federal or state lands immediately on or around national parks for residential development. Here's my three-principle approach for federal/state lands near national parks and forests.

1. Local Control First: 

   1. - Oppose top-down federal lockups (like Biden’s 2023 Bears Ears expansion), but also reject reckless sell-offs that could harm Utah’s tourism economy ($12 billion/year) and water sources.

   2. - Support transferring select state trust lands to counties for targeted development—if locals approve. Example: The 2022 Utah Recreation and Tourism Initiative swapped state parcels near Moab for developable land farther from parks.

2.  Smart Growth Buffers: 

   1.  Ban subdivisions within 1 mile of park boundaries (like Zion’s current rule) to prevent sprawl.

   2.  Fast-track housing on degraded/former mining lands (e.g., old Rio Tinto sites near Saratoga Springs) instead of pristine areas.

3.  Water-Proofing Development

   
   

   - No new approvals without 50-year water plans (per my algae bloom mitigation policy, which I won't go into here). Utah Lake’s shores—already stressed by algae—can’t handle unchecked growth. 

   
   

4. Side notes relevant to Utah Lake: It just so happens that I am professionally an expert in lake management, environmental nutrient mitigation, and algae bloom control strategies. I was quite literally the first person to use Lanthanum chemistry to remediate eutrophic water bodies and prevent hazardous algae blooms. This technology and algae bloom intervention strategy is now being used all over the United States, and even right here in Utah, through my company Broads Fork Aquatic Consulting.

   
   

5. Please watch this video about Kitsap Lake, which was successfully remediated with the technology that I personally pioneered. 

   1. https://eutrophix.com/2022/04/03/case-study-restoring-water-quality-at-kitsap-lake

      
      

6. This strategy can absolutely be used to address the algae bloom problems in Utah Lake. I have a close professional relationship with Sepro and Eutrophix and I can absolutely envision them getting involved in creating a reasonable solution for Utah Lake through a public-private partnership, under the watchful eye of the Utah Lake Authority. 

   
   

2. What about the Republican Party appeals to you? What are you running on the Utah Republican Party ticket?  

    A. Here are a few reasons why I am running on the republican ticket: 

1. As a life-long conservative born and raised here in Utah, the URP Values Align with Mine

2. The GOP is the Party of Practical Solutions (or at least, has that intention)

3. I believe in the party's core principles - but not blind loyalty. 

Federal Note: While I respect President Trump's policies on the economy, judiciary, and many other issues, my mission is to represent HD 51 first - whether that means working with him or pushing back when needed. 

3. To balance the budget would you rather cut beloved programs, raise taxes or lower taxes and let our children worry about it?

     A.   As a Republican, I reject this false dichotomy. Utah proves we can balance budgets without raising taxes or kicking the can to our kids. Here's my three-step approach:

1. First, Cut Waste - Not 'Beloved Programs'

Utah's state budget is $30.8 billion (FY26). Even a 1% efficiency gain saves $308 million. I'll audit:

- Duplicative administrative bloat (for example, 7 school districts near HD 51 could share HR/finance staff)

- Non-essential services (like Utah's $4M/year state vehicle fleet)

2. Grow the Pie Through Smart Tax Policy

- Keep Utah's 4.5% flat tax - the #1 reason our economy outpaces California's

- Close hundreds of millions of dollars per year in corporate loopholes (like out-of-state online retailers dodging taxes)

3. Reform Entitlements Before They Crash

Medicaid now consumes somewhere around 20 percent of our state budget. I'll support Utah's successful work requirement waivers that meaningfully reduced rolls without cutting care.

The Utah Model Works:

                   Since 2019, we've:

                          ✓ Cut taxes twice

                          ✓ Added $1B to education

                          ✓ Maintained AAA credit rating

My Pledge is to protect taxpayers like you - not to protect bureaucracies that waste your money, nor the corporate/special interests who are entirely too cozied up with the state government. For the reasons articulated above, I am humbly and respectfully asking for your vote and your support in the upcoming special election.

Sincerely,

Gregory G Page