As 2025 comes to a close, I can’t help but reflect on what we’ve accomplished together in the face of a year that has presented both challenges and progress.
Our senate district includes parts of Salt Lake City, Millcreek, Cottonwood Heights, Murray, and all of Holladay — collectively Senate District 14 (SD14). (For the cartographers among us, here’s a link to the exact boundaries.)
I’m proud to be part of a vibrant, engaged community that shows up for one another, fights for truth and transparency, stands against injustice, and works together to make our community better.
As I reflect on 2025, these are the moments I’m most proud of:
- Our SD14 community showed up in higher numbers to speak out against the GOP’s partisan gerrymandering of congressional maps. We submitted comments, attended town halls, and testified in committee hearings, and turned out more than any other senate district in the state.
- Following the repeal of HB267, which prohibits public employees from collective bargaining, more than 150 community members turned out in cold, rainy weather to attending a petition signing event in SD14. Many took additional petitions home. Several others had already signed. Collectively, we contributed to a broader effort that helped secure the legislative repeal of HB267 earlier this month.
- Following the repeal of HB267, which prohibits public employees from collective bargaining, a signing event was held in our community, and in cold, rainy weather, over 150 of you showed up to sign the petition. Several took additional petitions home to collect more signatures. Several others had already signed. Collectively, we contributed to a broader effort that helped secure the legislative repeal of HB267 earlier this month.
- After Republicans passed a bill aimed at banning Pride flags from public schools and government buildings, our Salt Lake City mayor and city council responded by adopting three new city flags celebrating LGBTQ+ inclusion, trans visibility, and Juneteenth. What a beautiful move of solidarity.
- When ICE detained a man in Millcreek, and then made false statements about the stop, Millcreek officers arrived and deescalated the situation. Later, our Millcreek mayor Jeff Silvestrini stood up and demanded an investigation into the incident and accountability for the dishonest actions of ICE. This is real, courageous leadership.
- Relatedly, the Murray Public Safety Advisory Board voted to reject any partnership with ICE, stating instead that their focus is on “providing police services fairly and equally for all within our community,”
- Earlier this year, Holladay City transitioned from 2-stroke lawn equipment to a fully electric fleet, reducing harmful emissions and helping clean our air.
- And for the first time, Cottonwood Heights elected its first female, first Democratic mayor. This is particularly important given the ongoing fight to protect Little Cottonwood Canyon.
This is a community I’m proud to belong to.
As we close out the year, I want to give a sincere thank you for staying engaged with legislative developments, for your advocacy, for the conversations you have with friends and family, and for the community you help create. I’m honored to stand with you in the fight for good governance and a more inclusive, compassionate Utah.
I hope you have a beautiful close to 2025. Here’s to more friendship, progress, and joy in 2026. 🥂
With gratitude,
Stephanie