Getting to the truth

The Scottish philosopher Thomas Carlyle once said, “Let him who would be moved to convince others, be first moved to convince himself.”

That’s the approach we take at the Utah Association of Special Districts when it comes to helping our constituents understand complicated issues. Although we offer many benefits, working with legislators on pending bills is among the primary functions we have on behalf of the special service districts and affiliated organizations that make up our membership.

It’s a responsibility we take seriously. We are researching issues legislators will consider when they meet again in early 2017 that could affect how districts preserve your quality of life. If you’d like to do your own research, here are some tips for exploring whatever captures your interest, whether it’s the most effective way to operate your dishwasher or an upcoming ballot issue:

• Identify the subjects that capture your curiosity. Deep research begins with quality questions, and there’s nothing like trusting your intuition. From there, scan online dialogues to see what others are asking. If a recurring theme shows up, use it as a keyword to further exploration. Be a sponge. Reach far beyond the first files that show up on a Google search.
• Assume nothing. Everything you’ve done to this point should lead you to pose informed questions to trusted sources, including UASD. Whether you also present questions to your legislators or the sales associate at the local appliance store is beside the point. The goal here is to get the answers you’ll use to make the right decision.
• Evaluate whether you are convinced. That brings you to where we stand at UASD. As the Scottish philosopher Carlyle said, we support what we’re convinced is best for you and challenge what we believe might threaten the services you’ve come to expect from our member districts.

Our UASD Code of Ethical Conduct allows for nothing less.