JEFF LEFEVRE CANDIDATE STATEMENT
Ogden City is facing a critical time in its history, as several disturbing trends continue to prevail:
- Citizens lack disposable income to spend on goods and services.
- The growing trend among citizens with more discretionary income it to spend their money in Layton and Salt Lake City.
- 28.4% of Ogden’s inner-city residents live in poverty…a rate more than 3 times higher than all of Utah.
- The best and brightest residents and college graduates must seek employment opportunities in Salt Lake and Provo because of the lack of high-paying jobs and employers.
- Key employers include manufacturers and contractors—two volatile industries that may be victimized by outsourcing or a construction downturn.
- Over a three-year period, 80% of inner-city rental properties were cited for zoning or inspection violations. Deteriorating housing and rental properties are prevalent.
- Neighborhoods are surrounded by crime and drugs as police must contend with more than 50 known gangs and over a thousand known gang members.
- More than half of all violent crimes in Ogden are committed by juveniles.
- Poor educational attainment, low literacy rates, and language barriers keep unemployment high.
Despite the challenges, Ogden possesses key infrastructure that could be leveraged to turn things around. It all starts with a qualified, educated city government to envision a realistic future and execute the benchmarks necessary to realize its goals.
As a candidate for City Council, I bring more than six years of professional expertise in marketing and public relations programs for government, education, public safety, and technology companies and organizations. In my current employment, I develop business proposals and strategies for some of the world’s most admired companies.
These professional opportunities have allowed me to interface with public safety officials, educators and innovators, and business leaders across the nation. I look forward to utilizing this experience and expertise to meet the challenges faced by the Ogden community. To lend support, provide feedback, or learn more, email me at jeff901@earthlink.net. Thank you and kindest regards to all the candidates.
