With recent new developments in battery technologies (e.g. devices may now be able to create their own power), Rick Raile wants to bring advanced battery technology to our state. He feels strongly that we could realize economic gains by attracting these high tech vendors to start up their business in Utah.

Above: Rick Raile. Candidate Utah House District 25. Republican.
Guest of La Societe Deux Magots (LSDM), at Wasatch Bagel, 20 Sep 2010.

House District 25 embraces a large portion of Salt Lake City, including the Federal Heights neighborhood, as well as the I-80 corridor to the Snyderville Basin area of Summit County. Jerry and McD, both Old Ranch Road (Snyderville Basin) residents were in attendance today.

Rick has a high tech, engineering background. For 10 years he worked for Utah based company E Systems which, among others, builds components for the aircraft industry, including landing gear for Boeing aircraft. McD, a retired Boeing Vice President and plant manager was present at the meeting and confirmed E Systems to be an excellent company. Rick has also worked for Otis Engineering and Halliburton.

Rick is now the owner of his own business, Continental Trading. Continental Trading has developed and manufactured an award winning chocolate and is working on a marinade with Turkish collaboration. Rick speaks Turkish.

Rick entered politics via his participation on the Emigration Canyon Council, where he has been a representative for six years.
Rick’s campaign rests on a desire to energize technology business in Utah. He notes Utah’s unique positioning as a state with high quality research institutions, a high proportion of college educated, multilingual speakers, and solid work ethic. More can be done, he believes, by the state to entice business formation in Utah. McD, who has located a Boeing plant to Utah, agreed with this assessment and noted that Utah had yet to fully capitalize on this advantage.

Insurance man asked Rick about his position on property tax equalization schemes to fund education. Rick noted that Utah was among the “leaders” in such programs, but he acknowledged that much spending of these redistributed tax dollars was wasted. Rick said that capitalization on Utah’s inherent advantages for tech based business development would boost the states economic performance and reduce the need to shift tax revenues for education from producing counties to “receiving” counties

Rick and LSDM talked about the broader problem of education quality in Utah. Utah is lowest amongst all states in education funding per pupil. Utah education money is, however, fairly efficient as Utah students perform near the middle in test scores. Utah students’ rate of obtaining college degrees is in the top third of states.

Notwithstanding, to ensure competitiveness going forward, Utah’s educational performance must improve greatly. This, said Rick, could not be achieved by increasing the tax burden on the population. Rather, state must boost economic performance to provide tax revenues to improve educational performance.

Rick said the need to boost educational performance could be understood from an anecdote emanating from his own experience. E-System once had a Utah employment base of 500 employees. That number is now down to fifty employees. E System, he said, could get its manufacturing done at a higher quality and less expensively in the Philippines, where they had moved their manufacturing facilities, than in Utah.

Rick noted that the state has a serious problem with sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) amongst young people. In some school districts, he said, STDs was more prevalent than the flu. He believes the state should be working with organizations like Planned Parenthood to fund programs leading to the reduction of STDs.

LSDM thanks Rick Raile for speaking at its meeting today, and appreciates greatly his commitment to enter public service.

Attendance:

The Commodore
Insurance Man
The Flower Lady
The Bishop
McD
Jerry
G-Man
Warehouse Man

Governor Gary Herbert and GOP Candidate Rick Raile

Melvin Nimer, President of Utah Log Cabin Republicans
Rick Raile, Candidate House District 25
R. Clark Cooper, National Executive Director Log Cabin Republicans in Washington D.C.

In order from left to right - Melvin Nimer, Rick Raile, R. Clark Cooper

Making plans with Congressional Candidate Morgan Philpot to walk District 25

Congressional Candidate Morgan Philpot