District 6 City Council Challengers Pledge to Fight Big-Box Shops

None by KCPW

(KCPW News) Big-box stores, beware.

The four candidates running for Dave Buhler's seat on the Salt Lake City Council say they oppose mega-retail development on the east side.

In recent months, District 6 has been a battleground for Walmart and other out-of-town businesses that residents say threaten the University of Utah, Foothill and Sugar House.

District 6 candidate Roger McConkie is a litigator and first-time candidate for Salt Lake City Council. McConkie says if elected, he will use the development on 15-hundred South and 15-hundred East as a model for future projects in Salt Lake. The one-block stretch 15-minutes from downtown is packed with boutiques, a café and an independent bookstore.

Another candidate, J.T. Martin, says he learned firsthand the importance of local business. He's the owner of Emigration Market, an east side landmark. He says he has given 250 neighborhood kids their first jobs.

Then there's William Huckins.

Huckins bears the distinction, he says, of never having shopped at a Walmart.

Candidate Ellen Reddick is president of Vest Pocket Business Coalition, an advocacy group representing independent Utah businesses. The key to a livable city, she says, is coordinating with developers, business owners and Salt Lake residents to plan development responsibly. Hear the full District 6 debate on the Midday Metro page of KCPW.org.

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