Issues & Priorities
Fighting for Rural Utah
Rural Utahns face real, everyday challenges. Here's where we stand and what we're doing about it.
Common-Sense Solutions for Rural Communities
From the Uinta Basin to the Escalante Canyons, rural Utahns share common struggles — and common hopes. The Utah Democratic Rural Caucus is committed to policies that make a real difference in people's lives, not just talking points.
Putting Money Back in Rural Families' Pockets
Groceries, fuel, utilities, and everyday goods cost more when you live far from the city. Rural Utahns deserve relief.
Rural families pay more for nearly everything — from groceries to internet service to healthcare. Distance from urban centers means higher prices, fewer options, and less competition. We're fighting to change that.
We support expanding broadband access so rural businesses can compete, investing in rural infrastructure to lower transportation costs, and protecting programmes that help working families make ends meet.
We oppose policies that cut support for rural communities while giving tax breaks to corporations and the wealthy. Rural Utah's economy depends on working people, and our policies should reflect that.
Our Priorities
- Expand rural broadband and reduce the digital divide
- Invest in rural roads, bridges, and infrastructure
- Protect SNAP, WIC, and other family support programs
- Support local businesses and rural economic development
No One Should Drive Hours for Basic Care
Rural hospitals are closing. Doctors are scarce. We're fighting to make sure every Utahn can access the care they need.
Too many rural Utahns are driving two or three hours for basic medical care — or going without it entirely. Rural hospital closures, physician shortages, and gaps in mental health services are a crisis that demands urgent action.
We support fully expanding Medicaid to cover more working Utahns, investing in rural clinics and telehealth infrastructure, and creating incentives for doctors and nurses to practice in underserved communities.
We also believe mental health care is healthcare. Rural communities have been hit hard by the mental health crisis, and we're committed to expanding access to counselling, addiction treatment, and crisis services.
Our Priorities
- Protect and expand Medicaid coverage
- Fund rural clinics and critical access hospitals
- Expand telehealth services for remote communities
- Increase mental health and addiction treatment access
Homes for the People Who Built These Communities
Young families are being priced out of rural Utah. We support local housing solutions that keep communities whole.
Rural Utah is facing a housing crisis of its own. Young people who grew up here can't afford to stay. Working families are being squeezed out by rising rents and a lack of affordable options. Communities are losing the next generation.
We support funding for affordable housing development in rural communities, incentives for local builders, and programs that help first-time buyers get into homes. We believe housing policy should be shaped by local needs, not one-size-fits-all mandates from Salt Lake City.
We also support protecting agricultural land from unchecked development, so that the farms and ranches that define rural Utah remain viable for future generations.
Our Priorities
- Fund affordable housing in rural communities
- Support first-time homebuyer programmes
- Protect agricultural land from overdevelopment
- Empower local governments to set housing priorities
Government That Answers to the People
Rural Utahns deserve elected officials who are transparent, honest, and answerable to their communities — not to lobbyists.
Too often, rural communities feel like an afterthought in state and federal policy. Decisions are made in Salt Lake City or Washington by people who have never set foot in a small Utah town. We're fighting to change who has a seat at the table.
We support strong ethics rules for elected officials, transparency in government spending, and meaningful public participation in decisions that affect rural communities. We believe every Utahn deserves to know how their tax dollars are being spent.
We hold our own candidates and elected officials to the same standard. We expect Democrats to show up, listen, and be accountable to the people they represent — not just at election time, but every day.
Our Priorities
- Strengthen ethics and transparency laws
- Ensure rural voices in state budget decisions
- Require meaningful public comment on rural-impacting policy
- Hold elected officials accountable between elections
Communities Know Their Own Needs Best
Rural towns and counties should have the power to make decisions for themselves, without interference from outside.
Rural Utah is not a monolith. A ranching community in Garfield County has different needs than a mining town in Carbon County or a farming community in Box Elder. We believe local governments and communities should have the authority to make decisions that fit their own circumstances.
We support protecting local zoning authority, defending rural water rights, and ensuring that state and federal agencies work with rural communities rather than imposing decisions on them. We oppose preemption laws that strip local governments of their power.
We also believe in the importance of public lands to rural Utah's economy and identity. We support balanced management that protects access for hunting, fishing, grazing, and recreation while preserving these lands for future generations.
Our Priorities
- Protect local zoning and land-use authority
- Defend rural water rights
- Ensure rural input on public lands management
- Oppose state preemption of local government powers
All Our Priorities at a Glance
Stand With Rural Utah
These aren't just policy positions — they're the issues your neighbors are living every day. Join us and help make change happen.
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