Issues Questions and answers 2nd amendment and other rights

Where do you stand on the 2nd Amendment

I was asked to speak at a 2nd Amendment rights rally at the Utah Capitol February 8, 2020.

In the past I have been endorsed by the NRA-Political Victory Fund. I am a strong supporter of our right to protect ourselves.

I quoted this section from our Utah State Constitution:

 Article I, Section 6.  [Right to bear arms.]      The individual right of the people to keep and bear arms for security and defense of self, family, others, property, or the state, as well as for other lawful purposes shall not be infringed; but nothing herein shall prevent the Legislature from defining the lawful use of arms.

Notice the Legislature can define the lawful use of arms, but it can't take away the right of the people to keep and bear arms for security and defense. I spoke opposing the "Red Flag" laws being proposed.

I have strongly condemned the Salt Lake County Mayor's decision for an “operational change” to close the gun show background check "loopholes" at gun shows at county facilities.

I am running to replace the Republican incumbent who voted to support the county mayor, when the county council voted 5 vs 4 on February 11, 2020, a few days after the rally.

https://www.deseret.com/utah/2020/2/17/21136549/utah-gun-control-background-checks-gun-shows-salt-lake-county

If you are a defender of  property rights, then why did you publicly oppose and speak against the Olympia Hills Project before the Salt Lake County Council vote?

A good explanation is at:
https://fredcox4utah.blogspot.com/2020/02/olympia-hills-project-too-fast-or-is.html

I proposed a compromise which was not voted on. I also believe it was wrong for the county to vote on this when the decision should have been up to a city annexing the property.

Check back for more updates.

Government Mandated Shutdown

I was asked to speak for a few minutes at the business revival meeting at Vineyard today. Sometime between 3 and 4. The event starts at noon.

They already have a bunch of speakers. I spoke to Eric who is leading this celebration. He knows I don't agree with him on everything.

I do believe the government has overstepped the constitutional authority we gave them. I also believe in following the law and getting laws changed. We need to rescue the small businesses. The economy and food and farmers and everything has been hit hard. We need to save this country from socialism and the last 2 months have not helped.

Many people have been traumatised by earthquakes and deaths in addition to this Coved-19 virus. If that means someone is going to feel better if I wear a mask or if I am going to feel better in some situations to wear a mask, that needs to be OK. I have one or two I can wear.

Our governor and mayors and health dept officials need to know that many of us find the past several weeks of government mandated shutdown not acceptable. They can not be repeated.

We need to work on principle. Businesses should be able to keep their staff and customers safe and be able to be open. This next "phase" is where we needed to be seven weeks ago.

A couple of weeks ago, when the Governor had this idea of telling people crossing into Utah they needed to fill out papers, I said this:

Most people in this state feel that a mayor or governor shutting down private businesses generally or by category and requiring papers to travel is an abuse of power and is not constitutional. Period.

We have shut down a restaurant for norovirus or other reasons before. This is not the same. There is no reason each and every business can't figure out a way to stay safe and stay open. I have been working from home generally. That doesn't work to go visit a building.

Most people are doing their best to wash hands and keep distances. That is a good thing for now.

The last thing we need is the government taking over everything.

Be civil. Be caring. Be safe. Be free.

update, a copy of the introduction and actual remarks is at: https://youtu.be/QNcL5--h-m8

Balance in transportation funding

I saw this opinion in the Desert News today.

Some background
Utah uses 2 main ways to fund transportation. The gas tax and Transportation related sales tax, including sales tax on new cars, tires, etc. The 2nd method is not direct, it is through an earmark on sales tax roughly based on 17% of sales tax being transportation related.

In the now repealed 2019 SB 2001 which was the bill we ran the referendum petitions against, the 4th item of concern was removing transportation related sales tax from funding transportation so the Legislature could use the $600 Million somewhere else. It is also why they were taking $680 Million out of the education fund with SB 2001 which was the 3rd issue we had with the bill.

All of this is based on the same section of the Utah Constitution, with the education part of it being proposed to be amended by voters this fall.

Article XIII, Section 5
(5) All revenue from taxes on intangible property or from a tax on income shall be used to support the systems of public education and higher education as defined in Article X, Section 2.
(6) Proceeds from fees, taxes, and other charges related to the operation of motor vehicles on public highways and proceeds from an excise tax on liquid motor fuel used to propel those motor vehicles shall be used for:
(a) statutory refunds and adjustments and costs of collection and administration;
(b) the construction, maintenance, and repair of State and local roads, including payment for property taken for or damaged by rights-of-way and for associated administrative costs;
(c) driver education;
(d) enforcement of state motor vehicle and traffic laws; and
(e) the payment of the principal of and interest on any obligation of the State or a city or county, issued for any of the purposes set forth in Subsection (6)(b) and to which any of the fees, taxes, or other charges described in this Subsection (6) have been pledged, including any paid to the State or a city or county, as provided by statute.

This opinion in the Desert News is trying to take transportation funding the other direction. We need balance. This isn't it.

https://www.deseret.com/opinion/2020/4/23/21231760/gas-prices-utah-oil-crisis-coronavirus-economy-oklahoma-tax

Led the fight to pass the 2019 Utah Tax Referendum

While Aimee Winder Newton and Jeff Burmingham and Jon Huntsman as Utah governor candidates were very helpful showing public support of the 2019 Utah Tax Referendum, Jeff Burmingham in his current campaign flyer claiming he led the fight to pass the referendum to stop the 2019 Utah tax reform package is total rubbish. Why does he think he is more important than Aimee who not only also showed up to the press conference, she personally helped as a referendum packet witness many times over. 

Who were the referendum leaders: there were 5 original Referendum sponsors, Fred C, Jeff W, Gina C, Darcy V, Judy R. along with regional coordinators Lloyd, Lisa and Matt, and county coordinators, local and store coordinators, and other key people, such as Marci working with businesses such as Harmons, along with hundreds if not thousands of volunteers that helped get 170,000 signatures in 29 counties.

Q and A 2020 HB 3009 Local Government Emergency Response

Hi Fred

...

Have you read HB 3009? If so please give me your impressions.

Thanks

Answer

When I read the bill, I noticed it was putting checks and balances on the existing [potential] abuse of executive powers, of the Governor, County and City Mayors.

I have felt like current emergency laws needed that. Some have assumed that the bill was meant to add to existing powers. It was not. It could be amended to be more clear.

I believe some of the existing emergency powers are unconstitutional. Is a judge going to rule that way? Good luck with that. Is the Utah Legislature going to vote to repeal those powers? I am not sure they have the votes. If with a 2/3 vote they can add checks and balances to those powers, that is at least a step in the right direction. 

Over a week ago I had said this, and also had sent it to Governor. I posted it in a group with tens of thousands of people, liberal and conservative. The reaction was 95% positive. The comments, close to 1000 before they removed the comments were hardly civil. I am happy the country, state and county is starting to go this way. I hope I was helping in this process.

"Most people in this state feel that a mayor or governor shutting down private businesses generally or by category and requiring papers to travel is an abuse of power and is not constitutional. Period. We have shut down a restaurant for norovirus or other reasons before. This is not the same. There is no reason each and every business can't figure out a way to stay safe and stay open. I have been working from home generally. That doesn't work to go visit a building. Most people are doing their best to wash hands and keep distances. That is a good thing for now. The last thing we need is the government taking over everything. Be civil. Be caring. Be safe. Be free."

For more on HB 3009, this has valid points.

https://libertasutah.org/justice-and-due-process/hb-3009-restricting-local-governments-in-issuing-shutdown-orders

An opposing view also raises concerns. The sponsor has put the bill on hold for now.

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10219163194363779&id=1025123423

Fred C Cox

for SLco District 2

PS, Rep. Watkins has a floor amendment to remove the most controversial line. The bill is still stuck in Rules.

https://le.utah.gov/~2020S3/bills/static/HB3009.html

Convention Videos

Round One Video
https://youtu.be/FyLoBV41kIA

Round Two Video
https://youtu.be/PPBpT8l0d6k

We need to reverse Salt Lake County Mayor Wilson on Gun Rights

Perhaps today we can take a step in undoing this. 

https://www.deseret.com/utah/2019/12/16/21024564/salt-lake-county-to-require-background-checks-for-gun-show-sales-at-county-facilities


This was an attempt at the legislature
https://www.deseret.com/utah/2020/2/17/21136549/utah-gun-control-background-checks-gun-shows-salt-lake-county

This was an attempt at the county council level, but it shows support of the Mayor
https://www.sltrib.com/news/politics/2020/02/11/salt-lake-county-opposes/


"Members of the Republican majority Salt Lake County Council voted 5-4 Tuesday to signal their opposition to the legislation amid concerns from several council members about its penalties for noncompliant communities and the ramifications for local decision-making."


What the article didn't say was which members of the county council voted with the mayor.

Clearly if the county council is 5 v 4 Republican, at least one GOP member voted with the mayor.

That would be in the incumbent for Salt Lake County Council District 2.

The good news I am running for Salt Lake County Council District 2 and the incumbent is not.

The Mayor is not a dictator, or should not be. She didn't consult with the council on this decision. She didn't on her stay home order. We need a council that can stand up to the county mayor when she is wrong.

Vote for Fred C. Cox for Salt Lake County Council District 2