By Commissioner John Crofts
The following reflects my observations as a Davis County Commissioner and represents my views based on the facts as I understand them and my own professional judgment.
During Davis County’s recent Truth and Taxation hearing, many residents voiced sharp and heartfelt concerns about rising taxes and county spending. While some comments were pointed, they reflected genuine frustration from voters who feel financially stretched and unheard.
After the meeting, Commissioner Bob Stevenson told me that “my supporters”—specifically Republicans who opposed the tax increase—“didn’t understand” the issue, and that it was my responsibility to communicate with them.
I respectfully disagreed.
The residents who spoke were not “my supporters.” They were Davis County residents, many of whom actively supported and campaigned for Commissioner Stevenson and Commission Chair Lorene Kamalu. To characterize engaged citizens as belonging to one Commissioner is inaccurate and dismissive of the role voters play in representative government.
Public communication is not the responsibility of one Commissioner. It is the responsibility of all of us.
Since taking office, I have held regular Town Halls to listen directly to voters and answer questions face-to-face. In contrast, neither Commissioner Stevenson nor Chair Kamalu has held personal Town Halls during this period. Commission meetings are often scheduled at times that are inconvenient for working families, further limiting meaningful public participation.
Against that backdrop, suggesting that voter frustration exists because one Commissioner failed to “teach” the public is disingenuous. Voters are not confused. They are informed, engaged, and expressing opposition to decisions that affect their families and livelihoods.
There is also important context surrounding the tax decision itself.
Both Commissioner Stevenson and Chair Kamalu initially advocated for tax increases as high as 30 percent, contingent on a unanimous vote. I opposed all tax increases and consistently urged cost-saving measures and spending restraint instead. Ultimately, the tax increase was reduced to 14.9 percent, adopted over my opposition.
That reduction did not follow meaningful structural reform. It followed overwhelming public outcry. Davis County did not arrive at this position by accident. Prior decisions—including taking shortcuts and making poor fiscal choices with COVID stimulus funding—contributed directly to the financial pressures now being imposed on taxpayers. Asking residents to absorb higher taxes without first acknowledging and correcting those mistakes is not responsible governance.
I am also concerned about whether Davis County has consistently been put first.
There is an old saying that a zebra does not change its stripes. In my experience, Commissioner Stevenson has continued a pattern of prioritizing personal political ambitions over the full-time responsibilities of county service. Serving as a County Commissioner is not a stepping-stone to higher office; it is a serious, full-time commitment to the people of this county. When Commissioners treat the position as a ladder to something else, counties suffer.
Commissioner Stevenson previously ran for Congress while serving as a County Commissioner. During that period, County Clerk Brian McKinzie reported to me that Commissioner Stevenson was largely absent from county duties. More recently, Commissioner Stevenson has told me directly that during his final year in office he expects to be “very scarce.”
That is deeply troubling.
Davis County deserves Commissioners who are present, engaged, and focused on county business—not distracted by personal ambitions. Commissioners should be committed to their counties, not to advancing themselves.
I was also disappointed to recently learn that Commissioner Stevenson has been planning to run for the Utah State Legislature while serving as a County Commissioner, despite previously telling me he intended to retire and move to Bear Lake. Discovering this only last week was unsettling, as it raises serious questions about transparency and candor—both among colleagues and with the public.
County government works best when voters are respected, communication is shared openly, and elected officials accept responsibility for their decisions.
They are not a problem to be managed.
They are the foundation of our community.