Steve Olsen
Candidate for: State Senate district 20

Political party: Democrat
Birth date: 11 November 1956 
Birth place: Salt Lake City
Current city of residence: Plain City, Weber County
Family members: Teri (wife), daughters Jen and Bonnie, son Chris, four grandchildren
Current occupation: Principal Engineer, Autoliv Inc.
Education: BS Applied Mathematics, Weber State University
Hobbies/Interests: Family, home improvement, Scouting, music, foreign languages (Russian, Lithuanian, Swedish), classic cars

1. Using 150 to 200 words, please state your reasons for running for office. What compels you to take on this responsibility?
    
   There is clear evidence that excessive power and political imbalance in the Legislature has led to a system where problems are approached with a narrow partisan perspective, and where the voice of the people is largely ignored. But that’s not all. As I observe the work on Capitol Hill, I see little evidence of basic root cause analysis, benchmarking, or any other systematic approach to problem solving.
   
   What results from this environment is confusing, piecemeal legislation like the education omnibus bill. Educators and local school board members I’ve talked to say this micromanagement by the Legislature is a major barrier to improving public education. Or consider the residents of northern Ogden Valley, who are being forced by developers into a new township they don’t want because of a law that specifically forbids local government from having a say in the process. I want to change this partisan, disjointed approach and start addressing important issues in our state based on the wishes of the people, input from stakeholders, careful team-based systematic analysis, evidence of what works, and basic common sense.
    
2. What do you consider to be the top three issues currently facing Utah? Please list them in order of priority to you (with #1 the most important) and explain why they are important to you and to Utah.
    
   a) A long-term plan for K-12 education that addresses funding, class size reduction, elimination of unnecessary legislative micromanagement of local school boards and administrators, and the looming teacher shortage.
   b) Reform of our health care delivery system, which not only leaves many Utahns without access, but is one of the main root causes of America’s declining economic competitiveness because of exploding costs to our employers.
   c) Strengthening Utah’s middle class by providing opportunities for all Utah’s citizens to participate in the American dream. A strong middle class is an important key to Utah’s economic future.
    
3. What do you plan to do to address your top three issues?
    
   I do not claim to have magic policy answers; that is not my strength. I’m an engineer who is a recognized expert in team-based root cause analysis and problem solving. I’ve spent almost thirty years practicing and teaching in this field. Using these problem solving skills, I believe I can help find the best solutions based on input from all the stakeholders. And make no mistake – my most important goal is to actively seek out and listen to the collective wisdom and good sense of my neighbors in western Weber County.
    
4. What are your most important accomplishments that would make you the most qualified candidate for office?
    
   See answer to #3 above. I believe my skills as a professional problem solver would be a unique asset in the Senate. I have had significant leadership opportunities through church service, Scouting and various other volunteer capacities. Finally, my run for U.S. Congress in the 1st District in 2006 was a growing experience that taught me a great deal about how our system of representative government works.
    
5. What skills, talents, and strengths do you have that enhance your ability to be an effective office holder?
    
   I am known as an individual who is skilled in group dynamics; in asking the right kind of questions, organizing ideas and guiding discussions that result in maximum creativity. I am especially recognized for the ability to take a situation where there exists high levels of disagreement, even animosity, and turning that diversity of opinion into a team strength.
    
6. Why do you belong to your political party? 
    
   One of my missions in life is to help convince my fellow Utahns that the core Western values of myself and other Utah Democrats are not the social wedge issues that Republicans in Utah have tried to paint us with. I am a Democrat because I believe the strength of the American economy and our hope for the future lies in a strong middle class, where all citizens are given the opportunity to fully utilize their talents, where both risk-taking and hard work are rewarded, and where we value and respect diversity among our citizens.