Allen M Christensen

Personal life, education, and career

Christensen attended Brigham Young University, Utah State University and Weber State University. He received his DDS degree from the University of the Pacific. He then did his dental residency at Primary Children’s Hospital and University of Oregon Health Sciences Center in 1978. He took two years off from his education to serve a Spanish-speaking LDS mission. He has worked at his private dental practice in Ogden his entire career. He has also worked with the Commission on Aging, the Pandemic Flu Taskforce, and Baby Watch Oral Health.

Christensen married Janis Henrikson in Manti, Utah, in 1971. They have six children: Aaron, Joel, Seth, Micah, Rachel, and Clay.

Background

Political career

Senator Christensen started his political career as a North Ogden City Councilman, where he served for two four-year terms. He then decided to run for Senate because of the influence of his friends former Senators Gladwell and Montgomery. He was elected in 2004 and represents district 19. Christensen is currently up for election and has no challengers in the primary. Christensen is affiliated with the following caucuses:

Legislative career

Throughout his political career, Senator Christensen has won the Taxpayers Friend Award from Utah Taxpayers Association, Wildlife Advocate of the Year from Utah Department of Wildlife, Legislator of the Year from Utah Medical Association and Advocate of the Year from Ambulatory Surgical Centers.

In 2016, Christensen served on the following committees:

Election

Senator Christensen is currently up for reelection.

Education

"Public and Higher Education needs to remain our number one budget priority. We have made great strides in education funding over the past four years and we need to continue to do so. I believe our teachers are heroes and they deserve to make a decent living.

Our responsibility does not stop there, however. We also need to explore new methods of providing our young students with an excellent education. Money, alone, will not get the job done."

Taxes

"Citizens of Utah have been taxed too often and much too liberally. Too many programs crowd the budget and many people have come to feel entitled to their piece of the pie. Government was never meant to provide so much to so many. I sincerely believe we need to return to our historic belief in personal responsibility. That said, there are some things only government can do for a society. In those areas we need to be efficient, compassionate, and effective."

Human dignity

"The principle of personal responsibility also factors into this equation. Taking charge of one's own life cultivates personal pride and dignity. A citizen in the most humble of circumstances will enjoy that dignity if he chooses to live and value such a life. At times, however, a hand up is necessary. When all other sources have been tried, then our society should help out. Government, however, should never take over a person's life."

Immigration

"I am pleased that Utah is looking at this problem in a very serious yet careful way. We passed fairly sweeping legislation to deal with the issue but delayed the implementation date by one year. We are using this time to scrutinize the myriad aspects of the problem and make sure the new law is the right way to go. A task force of legislators is currently engaged in this legislative equivalent of measuring twice, cutting once.

People on both sides of the issue are very emotional and vocal about their opinions and what they see as the ‘absolute truth’. The task force is hearing some very compelling testimony from both sides and learning the real facts about the problem, including just what can and cannot be done at the state level. I will support the recommendations of the task force."

Health care reform

"Our health care system touches the lives of every resident of this state. We need reform but when we tweak the system on one side then the other side complains. All sides must come together in the spirit of creativity and compromise or the current system will end in disaster. We are speeding down a dead end street, and universal health coverage with government being the single payer, and thus the controller is, of course, the inevitable crash point if we don't act soon. I believe the appropriate role of Government is mediator with a club standing in the middle and ready to force a compromise, if necessary. When that is accomplished, government should back off, let the solution work and be as little involved as possible."

Appropriate government

"I have always believed that government only does a few things very well. My close proximity over the past years hasn't changed my opinion very much. My job as state senator is to keep government out of your lives just as much as it is to appropriately apply and manage government solutions."

Integrity

"The legislative process is at best a complicated affair. A legislator without integrity is on a hopelessly downward spiral. I have personally found that by far the majority of decisions made in the legislative process are made for the right reasons and in accordance with that individual's true feelings. Occasionally ‘politics’ enters into the process, but not as often as many want to believe. Personal integrity is an absolute must in a legislator. I'm not perfect, but I do strive to represent you with integrity. If you ever percieve [sic] otherwise, you need to let me know."

Experience

"Prior public service and a lifetime worth of career experience has taught me to look critically at issues and not just accept face value. Some people, between putting their spin on an issue and using statistics to ‘prove’ a point, can seem very solid and persuasive at first blush. A good legislator must read between the lines and consult the experts before arriving at a decision. I’ve also learned not to fear making a decision, even when some around you disagree."

Other

In the 2010 session of the Utah state legislature, he proposed legislation that would allow wolves in Utah be "destroyed or removed from the state". According to legal analysis of the bill, it would likely only be enforceable in areas of the state where the wolves are not protected by federal statute.