Election 2009: Murray race heats up over economic development

MURRAY — Third-term Mayor Dan Snarr points to his economic-development record as reason to re-elect him Tuesday, but challenger and incumbent City Councilwoman Krista Dunn says Murray neighborhoods need more attention.

Snarr, 60, as been full-time mayor since he was first elected in 1997. He points to low property taxes and well-maintained infrastructure as reasons to keep him in office. He is also proud of a weed-spraying initiative and new "green" technology at the city landfill.

Dunn, 49, has been on the City Council since 2000. She works with the Salt Lake City Police Department in grant funding. If elected, she wants to use redevelopment tax breaks to fund the repair of aging homes.

Dunn says that despite Snarr's success, he's been in office too long.

"People who come into a full-time elected position and stay for 16 years, that's just a little too much," she said. "You lose focus on what's not your priorities."

If elected, Dunn said she would cut city spending by increasing efficiency across the board. For example, she has proposed investing in a fuel-saving fleet of vehicles.

In City Council District 2, three decades of city experience is up against a career in small business in the race to replace councilman Robbie Robertson.

Gary Merrill, 58, currently works as an energy consultant but was employed by the city for 30 years. Familiarity with city process will prove valuable over the next few years, the Dunn supporter said.

Competitor Darren Stam, 52, is a self-employed draftsman. The entrepreneur calls his point of view well aligned with residents. If elected, he wants to fill empty buildings in the city with new businesses and would continue working on city volunteer boards.

In District 4, Argentina native Robert Orrigoni, 48, and Jared Shaver, 53, are battling over the seat that will be vacated by Patricia Griffiths.

Orrigoni has walked his district several times and wants more affordable housing in the city, he said. Orrigoni got into the race because of his professional work on the Board of Realtors.

Attempts to reach Shaver for comment on his campaign were unsuccessful.

e-mail: rpalmer@desnews.com