Developer cash flows into Eagle Mountain races

EAGLE MOUNTAIN — There are two political truths in Eagle Mountain: No. 1: Money is the key to winning an election. No. 2: Developers are the key to getting money.

That's why every elected official from the city's past two elections — excluding the current, council-appointed mayor — accepted substantial amounts of campaign money from developers, construction companies and real estate groups. They wanted to win — and did.

But the ongoing tradition of getting big campaign bucks from the development industry may soon change as some residents are beginning to blame the city's history of political problems on a too-close connection with the industry. Some candidates are even refusing campaign contributions from developers as a part of their election platform.

Utah law doesn't limit from whom candidates can receive campaign money, but political analysts say candidates should be wary of accepting funds that may have invisible strings attached to them. Accepting a majority of funds from one source can also have an unwitting impact on elected officials, says Kirk Jowers, director of the Hinckley Institute of Politics.

In 2005, 57 percent of the winning officials' campaign funds came from the development industry. Two years earlier, city leaders received 56 percent of their campaign funds from the special interest group. In both elections, 31 percent and 45 percent, respectively, of the overall amount of the developers' winning contributions came from one developer, John Walden.

"It certainly makes an impact on the elected officials, regardless of whether there's any bad intent," Jowers said. "The vast majority of campaign contributions have nothing to do with untoward motives. The problem comes when there are so few contributors and a contribution can have such a huge impact on a candidate's election. There probably is nothing stated, nothing promised, but simple human nature will certainly make you more sympathetic to someone who has provided one-third to one-half of your war chest."

All of the city's current council accepted donations from developers at some point during their campaigns because the city has a limited commercial base. In 2005, about 52 percent of Councilwoman Heather Jackson's campaign money came from construction companies and entities interested in development. Jackson is running for mayor.