Imagine a community where every family, every neighbor and every small business owner had a fair chance to be heard in shaping Ogden’s future. A place where our elections prioritize the voices of everyday residents over the influence of a small number of large donors. Isn’t that the kind of Ogden we all want?

Here’s where we face a challenge:

Right now, there is a proposal before our City Council to double the campaign donation limits for city elections, which could lead to wealthier individuals and larger organizations having even more influence in our local elections. This would make it harder for everyday citizens to feel their concerns are being heard. This is happening on the heels of last year’s election that saw candidates raising record amounts of money from big donors.

The issue:

• By doubling donation limits, the influence of a small number of donors could outweigh the voices of local families and residents even more than they already do.
• Larger donations can shift the focus away from the everyday needs of our community — fairness, families and shared goals.

Let’s think of Ogden as a community where everyone’s voice matters. Just as in a family, decisions should be made by considering all viewpoints, not just those with the most financial resources. It’s important that we maintain a balanced and fair process for everyone.

Mayor Nadolski has indicated interest in not only reviewing these new donation limits, but has gone so far as to publicly state that he is “OK (with) cutting it in half.” Could this be an opportunity to build a stronger and more united community?

Lowering donation limits could:

• Ensure that all candidates have a fair shot, making grassroots campaigns more viable.
• Build trust in our election process by limiting the influence of large, hard-to-trace donations.
• Promote fairness and encourage a broad range of candidates to run for office.

By lowering limits, we’re not just safeguarding our elections — we’re ensuring our community values are reflected in the process. We want to be sure that everyone’s vote counts, no matter their financial means.

Additionally, the current proposal suggests allowing donations under $50 to be anonymous. While this might seem minor, it opens the door to untraceable funds. Imagine a candidate claiming they’ve received a thousand $50 donations with no way to verify them. That would be $50,000 from unknown sources. Should we trust such a system?

Let’s think about Ogden’s future. How do we ensure our elections are built on fairness and transparency? How do we make sure they reflect the interests of families, small businesses and neighbors?

What kind of Ogden could we create if we came together to ask for lower campaign donation limits?

• We would create a system where more of our community is heard.
• We would build elections that reflect our shared values of fairness, community and trust.

Let’s imagine a city where the power truly belongs to every Ogden resident, not just to the biggest donors. I encourage you to join me in supporting efforts to lower donation limits and keep our elections, and thus our government, fair for all.

Heath Satow is an Ogden resident.