Petition drive kicks off over stadium funds

House Minority Leader Ralph Becker, D-Salt Lake City, was part of the "yes" votes last month but clarified in debates that "it comes with a lot of trepidation because our public has not been with us."

He complimented the referendum process Tuesday and said he wasn't surprised a petition had been filed.

"It's understandable that members of the public are going to be concerned and upset," Becker said. "I really feel that if we as state legislators and state decisionmakers had a more open and transparent decision-making process, then a lot of the concerns that are very legitimate and appropriate concerns of the public, we may not have seen such a strong reaction to the decision that was made."

Greg Zenger, a real-estate agent from Holladay who stood outside Sandy's planning commission last week and handed out political cartoons that satirized the deal and "fat cats" involved, applauded Swedlund and friends.

"I'm just hoping they can jump through all the difficult hoops to get it done," he said. "This isn't a Sandy issue, this is a state issue."

Sandy officials, however, said they are not worried.

"Power to them," said city spokeswoman Trina Klinger, "but I don't think there's a whole lot of concern right now."

Swedlund is hoping a grass-roots movement will help garner the signatures needed. The petition organizers have set up a Web site, getrealutah.org, that should be up and running in a matter of days, and until then, Swedlund is asking people to contact him through his e-mail, brad_swedlund@yahoo.com.

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E-mail: astowell@desnews.com