Scott Fletcher emphasizes fiscal restraint, citizen committees and opposition to PIDs in Davis County commission interview

Scott Fletcher, a candidate for Davis County Commission seat A, said he would run county government "like a business," emphasizing strict budgets, citizen involvement and opposition to Public Improvement Districts (PIDs).

Fletcher described his professional background as a physicist, engineer and program manager and said those experiences shaped his approach to county governance. "I'm not a politician. I am an engineer, a physicist, and a program manager," he said, arguing that those skills help him evaluate return on investment and run large, accountable programs.

Fletcher proposed forming "citizen committees" made up of residents and outside experts to review data and present business-case analyses to commissioners before decisions are finalized. He said that approach would reduce the influence of special interests and increase transparency: "People given good data make good decisions," he said.

On budget policy, Fletcher told hosts county spending should increase only to cover inflation or population growth. He recommended strict charters and a work-breakdown structure for each county function, enforced by a fixed budget. "You live by that budget," he said, adding that cross-jurisdiction efficiencies and performance reviews could reduce recurring costs tied to projects and facilities.

Addressing recent Truth in Taxation hearings where residents protested proposed increases, Fletcher said he would seek to "claw back first off that 15%" that had been proposed and work to avoid further hikes. He proposed exploring targeted property-tax fixes for people on fixed incomes while noting current relief programs can defer taxes until sale rather than reduce long-term burden.

Fletcher named public safety as a top funding priority, saying the sheriff's office must remain adequately supported while other departments should be evaluated against clear charters and budgets. "We make sure that we keep our safety and health in good shape," he said, and added that he rejects using safety as a political "stick."

On land-use and financing, Fletcher said he is "100% against PIDs," calling them "taxation without representation" and described a Brigham City example where a developer-initiated PID left a farmer with an unusable concrete pad after a stalled project. He argued PIDs can impose costs and governance structures that fail to represent affected residents.

Fletcher also addressed state-level mandates and what he described as "overreach." He said local leaders should coordinate with cities and neighboring counties and lobby the legislature as a bloc when statewide policies shift costs or zoning requirements to local governments. Fletcher cited a conversation with state representative Trevor Lee to illustrate that local commissioners rarely go to the Capitol to press county priorities.

For economic development, Fletcher advocated leveraging relationships with Hill Air Force Base and its supply chain to attract production and managerial jobs to Davis County rather than allowing large high-water-use data centers. He said strategic job growth would expand local opportunity without forcing high-density developments that reduce green space.

On schools, Fletcher proposed a vetted volunteer program that places retired residents with practical skills into classrooms as mentors and tutors. He said the program could build relationships and provide practical, patient support for students.

Fletcher closed by opposing signature-gathering nomination routes and defending caucus-based candidate selection, saying he would not be gathering signatures himself. The recorded interview ended with a brief exchange of thanks and the hosts stopping the recording.