In politics it is important to follow the money. Knowing who donates to a campaign can provide clues as to where that candidate’s loyalties might lie once they are elected.

Being a numbers guy myself, I did some checking. The state website www.disclosures.utah.gov, provides financial reports of all state and federal candidates as well as Political Action Committees (PACs).

One PAC that caught my eye was “Utah Voters for Better Elections.” They have donated over $25,000 in the primary election to one Weber County candidate: Toby Mileski, running for Clerk/Auditor. According to the filings, the two main officers of this PAC are lobbyists for Ranked Choice Voting.

I checked the websites of both for Weber County Clerk/Auditor candidates. As of today, Mr. Mileski’s website has no mention of who has given him money. Mr. Ricky Hatch’s website has a detailed list of 54 donors with an average donation amount of $350.

I appreciate Mr. Hatch’s transparency and openness about who has contributed to his campaign. As for Mr. Mileski, all I know is that he’s received at least $25,000 from lobbyists. Regardless of how I feel about ranked choice voting, I’m really not a fan of dark money and lack of transparency.

After “following the money” in the Clerk/Auditor race, the choice to me is clear: I’m voting for Ricky Hatch.

Charles Ulrich

South Ogden

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