Preceded by Gary Herbert Political party Republican Party Education Weber State University Succeeded by Spencer Cox Occupation Real Estate Developer Party Utah Republican Party | Preceded by Terry R. Spencer Name Greg Bell Resigned October 16, 2013 Succeeded by Stuart Adams Spouse JoLynn Bell | |
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Born October 16, 1948 (age 75)
Ogden, Utah ( 1948-10-16 ) Role Former Lieutenant Governor of Utah Previous office Lieutenant Governor of Utah (2009–2013) Children Eliza Bell, Davis Bell, Andrea Bell, Ryan Bell, Christian Bell, Braden Bell | ||
Gregory S. Bell (born October 16, 1948) is an American politician, land-use attorney, and was the seventh Lieutenant Governor of the US state of Utah. A Republican, he was a member of the Utah State Senate, representing the state's 22nd senate district in Davis County. Bell was appointed Lieutenant Governor on September 1, 2009. He was elected to half a term November 2, 2010 and then elected to a full term November 6, 2012.
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Early life and career
Bell was born on October 16, 1948 in Ogden, Utah. He graduated from Weber State University in 1972 with a BA., and from the University of Utah College of Law in 1975 with a J.D. Bell is married to JoLynn and is the father of six children including sons Braden, Ryan, Davis, and Christian, and daughters Andrea and Eliza. Bell was employed as Vice President of United Savings from 1977 to 1981, Utah. He founded Gregory Bell and Associates law firm from 1981 to 1984, when it merged with Kirton & McConkie Law firm in 1984, where he was a partner. He left Kirton & McConkie in 1997 when he became partner in Raddon/Bell Properties, a real estate development company. Bell was self-employed in real estate development until 2008, when he joined the old-line Salt Lake law firm Fabian & Clendenin.
Bell was elected to the Farmington City Council in 1990 and subsequently elected Mayor of Farmington, Utah, in 1994. Bell then served as Mayor of Farmington until 2002. He was elected to the Utah Senate in Utah's 22nd Senate district in 2002.
He was elected to Senate Leadership as Asst. Majority Whip by his colleagues for 2008–09, serving on the Joint Leadership, Executive Appropriations, and Legislative Management Committees.
Electoral results
Bell was first elected to the Utah State Senate in district 22 in the 2002 General Election held on Tuesday, November 5, 2002 with approximately 87% of the vote. His opponent was Green Party candidate David L. Rowland who obtained approximately 13% of the vote. Bell was up for re-election in the 2006 General Election held on Tuesday, November 7, 2006 and defeated Democratic Party candidate Dave Rowland by a margin of 71% to 23%. Also running in 2006 was Constitution Party candidate Sheryl Fluckiger who obtained approximately 6% of the vote.
Political views
A leader in ethics reform, his SB 156 passed in the 2008 General Session, which lowers the disclosure threshold on gifts and meals. Bell generally supports increased funding for public education. In terms of Criminal Justice issues Bell has been a strong advocate for inmate education and counseling. He supported passage of a constitutional amendment which would allow the legislature to limit extensive post-conviction litigation by convicted criminals of the technical elements of their trials. Bell has been a sharp critic of state policies which essentially force cities and towns to rely on increasing their retail sales tax base and thus cater to sprawl-inducing, auto-dependent retail development which warps traditional land use and development. See his article: Sales Tax and Land Use: "Are Cities Being Driven to the Mall?", Gregory Bell, The Hinckley Journal of Politics (2007, Volume 8), p. 69.
Organizations
In 2001, Greg Bell succeeded Jon Huntsman, Jr. as Chair of Envision Utah, a position he held from 2001 to 2003. Envision Utah is a public/private partnership that "work[s] toward quality growth within the Greater Wasatch Area of Utah" and to develop a "vision to protect Utah's environment, economic strength, and quality of life for generations to come." Bell also served on the Board of Trustees of the Coalition for Utah's Future. He formerly served as President of the Farmington Bay District of the Boy Scouts of America. He served as Chair of the Real property Section of the Utah State Bar.
Resignation
On September 16, 2013 Bell announced he would resign his position as Utah's Lieutenant Governor, citing his "family's long-term financial needs." Bell indicated that his resignation would take effect after Utah Governor Gary Herbert nominated, and the Utah State Senate confirmed, his replacement. Herbert nominated Spencer Cox to replace Bell on October 8.