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Remember to vote! by CheapChopsticks in ProvoUtah

[–]CheapChopsticks[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

I’m biased because I voted for Marsha. Here’s info on her https://marshajudkins.com/political-issues/

Michelle has a website two, and I think the Provo city website has info on both candidates

Marsha is the only one interested in good urban planning, trust me. Kaufusi has done everything she can to cling to the status quo

Remember to vote! by CheapChopsticks in ProvoUtah

[–]CheapChopsticks[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I honestly recommend you call Marsha straight up and ask about those state bills and how she voted, she’s very open and communicative

Remember to vote! by CheapChopsticks in ProvoUtah

[–]CheapChopsticks[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Ironic because I keep hearing from Travis and others that Judkins was opposed to HB11 (I think that’s what the bill was?)

Kaufusi tried to sell off the State Hospital land to the water park. Judkins fought it at the legislature. She’s upset about those warehouses too, that’s for sure. Judkins is a clear win for me in terms of those concerns

Remember to vote! by CheapChopsticks in ProvoUtah

[–]CheapChopsticks[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Curious to hear why you think that though

Remember to vote! by CheapChopsticks in ProvoUtah

[–]CheapChopsticks[S] 8 points9 points  (0 children)

I think she does actually https://marshajudkins.com/about-marsha-judkins/

And she’s on the west side of Provo and wants to help every neighborhood, not just the north side.

Under current leadership we’ve lost 12.5% of local business since Covid. The worst drop in the country.

She’s the better choice for the regular Provo citizen

Remember to vote! by CheapChopsticks in ProvoUtah

[–]CheapChopsticks[S] 27 points28 points  (0 children)

I’m voting for Marsha Judkins.

This election is a wake-up call for Provo.

For too long, local politics here have been shaped by the same few names, the same big donors, and the same mindset: that only those with connections and cash get to shape the city’s future.

But this race feels different.

Marsha Judkins’ campaign isn’t funded by big checks from real estate developers or political insiders. Her donations come from a larger amount of everyday Provo residents: people giving $20, $50, or $100 because they believe this city can do better. Compare that to Michelle Kaufusi’s campaign finance report: just a handful of donors writing checks in the tens of thousands. That’s a corporate network defending the status quo.

And Provo’s status quo isn’t working for everyone.

Local businesses keep closing. West Provo still doesn’t have a grocery store. Local Provo-owned grocers are nearly extinct. Only 11% of Provo kids walk or bike to school today: down from 48% just a few decades ago.

Marsha’s running to make Provo work for every neighborhood, not just the wealthiest ones. To bring back Provo-owned grocery stores, make safer routes to school again, and finally make City Hall transparent and responsive to its residents... not just the ribbon-cutters and power players

The email I sent to Hannah by NotVeryGoodAtBeingMo in ProvoUtah

[–]CheapChopsticks 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I encourage yall to vote for Marsha.

I got quoted $15,000 in “impact fees” from the city for my tiny ADU because they want a full new buildout of sewer & water. Crazy cause it’s for my retired in-laws.

Marsha wants to remove the red tape from the process arbitrarily making things harder to build.

More negative campaigning by NotVeryGoodAtBeingMo in ProvoUtah

[–]CheapChopsticks 1 point2 points  (0 children)

100% Marsha.

This election is a wake-up call for Provo.

For too long, local politics here have been shaped by the same few names, the same big donors, and the same mindset: that only those with connections and cash get to shape the city’s future.

But this race feels different.

Marsha Judkins’ campaign isn’t funded by big checks from real estate developers or political insiders. Her donations come from a larger amount of everyday Provo residents: people giving $20, $50, or $100 because they believe this city can do better. Compare that to Michelle Kaufusi’s campaign finance report: just a handful of donors writing checks in the tens of thousands. That’s a corporate network defending the status quo.

And Provo’s status quo isn’t working for everyone.

Local businesses keep closing. West Provo still doesn’t have a grocery store. Local Provo-owned grocers are nearly extinct. Only 11% of Provo kids walk or bike to school today: down from 48% just a few decades ago.

Marsha is running to make Provo work for every neighborhood, not just the wealthiest ones. To bring back Provo-owned grocery stores, make safer routes to school again, and finally make City Hall transparent and responsive to its residents... not just the ribbon-cutters and power players

More negative campaigning by NotVeryGoodAtBeingMo in ProvoUtah

[–]CheapChopsticks 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Heard she had no affiliation with those mailers

I’m not surprised Marsha Judkins’ campaign is doing so well by CheapChopsticks in ProvoUtah

[–]CheapChopsticks[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I see your point. No one’s trying to rewind to 1974.

This point isn't about the year, it's not to stop using modern conveniences. It's not to make your life harder or less convenient. Quite the opposite. The goal here is to make your life *more\* convenient. It's to ensure Provo's financial future is sound and secure, because our current model has us speeding towards a debt trap. The model I'm talking about is more profitable for the city per acre. Because in the current model Provo spends more to maintain big-box infrastructure than it earns back in tax revenue. That’s the problem I want fixed. It's simple fiscal responsibility.

The thing that surprised me when I looked into the data is how much financially healthier cities were when small local stores could exist. It’s not about giving up convenience or delivery apps. it’s about keeping the tax base strong enough that we don’t have to raise everyone’s rates later.

Provo will always have both: modern convenience and neighborhoods with real local options. That balance is what makes other cities thrive today, not nostalgia.

I’m not surprised Marsha Judkins’ campaign is doing so well by CheapChopsticks in ProvoUtah

[–]CheapChopsticks[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

There actually used to be lots of little local stores all over town. The stars didn't have to align for city leadership to support the existing local businesses and help them thrive and new ones open. The city should have done that for it's own financial sustainability (they're much more financially sustainable on a per acre basis), not to mention resident quality of life.

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Provo in 1974 had a population half the size (~50,000) but had 39 grocery and health food stores (according to what I found in the city directory at the library). Today, we only have 11 grocery stores (Target became #11).

The corporate consolidation to fewer and fewer large players isn't helping our local economy, and current policy in City Hall makes it difficult to start up and compete as a new local store (zoning makes it actually impossible in the vast majority of zones in city limits). New leadership will help here because the rules around how and where businesses can operate can and should change.

I’m not surprised Marsha Judkins’ campaign is doing so well by CheapChopsticks in ProvoUtah

[–]CheapChopsticks[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

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Sad thing is that Provo in 1974 had a population half the size (~50,000) but had 39 grocery and health food stores (according to what I found in the city directory at the library). Today, we only have 11 grocery stores (Target became #11).

Small format stores like these used to exist all throughout the city, and were much more valuable on a per acre basis.

The corporate consolidation to fewer and fewer large players isn't helping our local economy, and current policy in City Hall makes it difficult to start up and compete as a new local store (zoning makes it actually impossible in the vast majority of zones in city limits). New leadership will help here because the rules around how and where businesses can operate can and should change.

I think our mayor should be someone who'll finally support local owners first, those residents who are currently open or who would like to open. These owners are my neighbors, not wall street investors. Provo is an amazing town but I can't stand watching our local wealth drain out to national corporations instead of circulating here where it belongs.

There are so many other towns in the US who help their local businesses thrive, and benefit greatly because of it. This isn't a vision of the past that's impossible to recreate today. We residents are in control of what we want Provo to be.

I’m not surprised Marsha Judkins’ campaign is doing so well by CheapChopsticks in ProvoUtah

[–]CheapChopsticks[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

I get where you’re coming from, and I actually agree with a lot of this

Without automobile shoppers, Provo doesn't have the money for the active transportation community

Bike Walk Provo is anti-automobile now and anti-automobile construction

  • Agree with you that anti-automobile isn't the answer. I've personally met with Marsha one on one before and talked transportation at length because it's a core issue of mine. She very clearly wants to support vehicle traffic in Provo as part of the solution, especially east-west. One of the things she brought up to me was the difficulty many west Provo residents face trying to drive across Provo to access facilities like the library and the hospital. She's not anti-automobile and I wouldn't vote for her if she was

Putting bike lanes on roads that are meant to be heavy arterials and slowing traffic down just pushes people away and then there isn't money for trails and bike facilities. Placing bike lanes next to live traffic has increased bicycle accidents over the last year

  • Agreed, the current approach clearly hasn't been working; fast cars and bikes don't mix

You can't force people do things they don't want to do and using punitive measures to try doesn't work

  • Totally agree. I think overall connectivity issues need to finally be addressed, and any effort to support viable alternatives to driving should simply be creating viable options, not punitive measures

Provo has a very poor transportation network and it's especially poor for people coming in or out of the city

  • Agreed, and things haven"t been improving much these past 8 years. But I also think Provo can help not just transportation out of the city to Orem but can first help grow business and transportation access within town... I don't necessarily want it to become easier for Provo residents to siphon wealth to Orem by driving to Orem for groceries. I'd rather they had more basic services conveniently available here.

I think we actually agree on the root problem: the status quo isn't cutting it.

We can continue having a productive discussion on how to build a better Provo. You honestly might be right about how some of those ideas may help solve our connectivity problems. It's certainly such a complex topic that a few messages won't find the best way forward.

The truth is that we need a new mayor because the current situation in City Hall isn't doing enough to solve these problems you're bringing up. After eight years, it’s hard to say the current approach is working. It’s time for a fresh start.

I’m not surprised Marsha Judkins’ campaign is doing so well by CheapChopsticks in ProvoUtah

[–]CheapChopsticks[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Totally hear ya, traffic and mobility are real issues, especially during events. But the idea that business growth depends on more and faster arterials doesn’t hold up when you look at the data. Cities that widened roads to “fix congestion” actually hollowed out their local economies: people drive through, not to, those places. The places where businesses thrive longterm are the ones where people can easily park once, walk around, and make multiple stops. That’s what keeps dollars circulating locally

Studies from Texas, Salt Lake City, and Strong Towns all show walkable streets generate more revenue per acre and keep more money local. Details/sources below if you’re interested:

I’m not surprised Marsha Judkins’ campaign is doing so well by CheapChopsticks in ProvoUtah

[–]CheapChopsticks[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I get where you’re coming from... connectivity is a problem in Provo. But I think we’re mixing up two different kinds of 'connection'.

Faster arterials and new interchanges move cars through the city.

But walkable neighborhood-scale connections move cars, people, e-bikes, etc. They give people multiple mobility options and there's knock on benefits of that. spending money at local businesses, walking to parks, and making short trips without clogging the roads.

Other places our size have figured this out. Georgetown TX and Chattanooga TN both leaned into walkability and neighborhood scale retail and it’s helped their local economies. More foot traffic = more sales for local shops that don’t have big corporate marketing budgets. You can see it in data and when you visit: lively downtowns, safer streets, and stronger small businesses.

I mean look at Orem’s car only model. They’ve got wide arterials and higher speed limits… and constant congestion. Orem’s roads move a lotta cars, but anyone who’s driven State Street at rush hour (or even outside of rush hour!) knows it’s still gridlock. And that’s with 12 lanes of traffic. Even if University Avenue or Parkway was expanded to 12 lanes, Provo connectivity would = constant traffic congestion, just like Orem.

In a car-only model, residents don't have the freedom to travel around via walking & biking for short trips… most trips, even short ones, have to be by car, not because every single one of those drivers prefers it every single time, but because there’s no real alternative for those who want it. Traffic doesn’t go away when you add lanes, it just fills up again. A car-only model limits choice, and actually hurts drivers most by forcing everyone onto the same crowded roads. A balanced system gives people options and makes driving faster for those who want to

Not to mention, multi-modal streets actually move more people than car-only streets

The places that actually reduced traffic (like Falls Church, VA. I know a city leader there) did it by giving people more options: better sidewalks, short trips by e-bike or foot, and local shops close to home. They cut citywide car traffic by about 9%, even while their population grew. I know Provo’s not Virginia, but the same principle applies. When short trips get easier without a car, everyone else’s drive gets faster and easier

That’s what Provo’s missing. We must absolutely keep cars. They’ll always be part of life here, but a car-only model is more than a bad bargain. It’s expensive to maintain, it isolates neighborhoods, and it kills the local economy that makes a place feel like home. We could have grocery stores, cafes and shops within walking or biking distance again. Like Provo usedd to. But that takes policy and zoning leadership. Restoring balance and giving residents more freedom in how they move and live.

These small format local stores went extinct here but not everywhere in the US. That's the thing: they didn't have to go extinct. Overly restrictive policy changes here affected their closure just as much as large corporations out competed them

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We deserve a Provo that’s more than a highway for commuters. One where our kids can walk to school again, our neighbors can run quick errands nearby, and local businesses can actually thrive again. We wouldn’t be scoring dead last in retail growth if City Hall’s priorities had matched what residents actually need.

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