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Hillary StirlingHillary StirlingMY BACKGROUND

    I'm a married mother of two teens living in Pleasant Grove.  I'm a gardener at heart, so when I needed a job way back in my college days, I decided to work grounds crew, and that's where I met my husband.  (Turns out it was a perfect place to find a fellow gardener!) I have a BA in English from BYU and an AS in Paralegal Studies from UVU. I put those degrees to use as a part-time paralegal, and I put the rest of my experience to use as a full-time mother.

    When I was growing up, my family moved around a lot. I never really lived somewhere that had a hometown feel. My husband grew up in PG, and it was only natural that he'd want to move back, so when the opportunity presented itself, we bought a home here - and not just any home.  We are the third generation on the title of our house, and I fell in LOVE!  From the Purple Turtle to Cravings, from Strawberry Days to autumn hikes up Battle Creek Canyon, Pleasant Grove became the hometown I always wanted and didn't think existed anymore.  I know a lot has changed here over the years, but I am amazed at how welcoming and homey Pleasant Grove has remained through it all.

 

MY MOTIVATION

    For more than seven years, I simply enjoyed living here, but last year, Pleasant Grove had to ask itself some really tough questions about how we were going to pay for our roads, in part because state funding wasn't keeping up with our needs. As I got involved in that conversation, it opened my eyes to how challenges on the state level can create difficulties on the local level.  It inspired me to get involved.     

    As I've attended city council meetings in both Pleasant Grove and American Fork, I've had the opportunity to hear the struggles and concerns residents face in both towns, and they are strikingly similar. The needs in our district overlap more often than not.

 

MY PHILOSOPHY

    We need everyday citizens to be more engaged on every level of government.  Too often, career politicians are so busy doing the work of the party that they forget to do the work of the people.  I want to first and foremost do the work of the people, and I want to do it the way my people - from both Pleasant Grove and American Fork - work.  As a rule, my friends and neighbors are willing to jump in and help, they're down-to-earth, and they're wise with their resources. I want to bring those attributes to bear on the challenges we face as a state. 

    That's one of many reasons I felt drawn to the United Utah Party. Our slogan is "Practical, not Partisan."  Another reason I chose to run with United Utah is that our messy process of democracy only works when we can converse and learn from each other. The leadership of both the Republican and Democratic Parties have both gone to their respective fringes and have stopped listening to each other. The result is the work of the people - our work - is not getting done. I intend to be the kind of bridge-builder and listener who will facilitate our work getting accomplished.