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Salt Lake County Sheriff, County Council Members Endorse Biskupski for Mayor

Whittney Evans

Several Salt Lake County elected officials spoke out in support of Salt Lake City Mayor Candidate Jackie Biskupski Tuesday. They say Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker’s campaign is unfairly attacking her personal attributes.

In a recent ad for Ralph Becker, Salt Lake County Mayor Ben McAdams says he’s not sure Biskupski has the leadership or vision to be a partner to him.

Sheriff Jim Winder says he disagrees with that statement and pointed to Jackie’s role in unifying emergency services when she was working for the county.

“She took it on,” Winder says. “We got a million dollar grant. She put the parties together. She dealt with significantly technical issues that were not normally within her *** and it resulted in a successful project completion. She certainly has leadership abilities and vision.”

Winder adds, he disagrees with how Salt Lake City is dealing with homelessness and crime.

Salt Lake County Councilman Sam Granato says she listens and is inclusive.

“One of the important things to me being a small business owner is her vision for economic development and reaching out to business,” Granato says. “And I don’t see that with the present mayor.”

Biskupski has said the current administration has created too much red tape and fees for small businesses to succeed.

In addition to Salt Lake County Mayor Ben McAdams, Becker has the support of Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill and the majority of the Salt Lake City Council. Becker says part of running for office is comparing the candidates' vision and leadership styles

Whittney Evans grew up southern Ohio and has worked in public radio since 2005. She has a communications degree from Morehead State University in Morehead, Kentucky, where she learned the ropes of reporting, producing and hosting. Whittney moved to Utah in 2009 where she became a reporter, producer and morning host at KCPW. Her reporting ranges from the hyper-local issues affecting Salt Lake City residents, to state-wide issues of national interest. Outside of work, she enjoys playing the guitar and getting to know the breathtaking landscape of the Mountain West.
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