Note to readers • Click here to find an interactive map where you can enter your address to see all the races on your ballot that have a voter guide from The Salt Lake Tribune.

Former Centerville Mayor and current state Rep. Paul Cutler is facing community advocate Scott Troxel in the race to represent House District 18.

Cutler has served in the Legislature since 2023, where he serves on the House Economic Development and Workforce Services Committee, House Government Operations Committee and the appropriations subcommittee. Troxel is a community advocate running on a progressive platform focused on supporting public schools.

Election Day is Nov. 3. Mail ballots must be dropped off at a ballot dropbox by 8 p.m. on Election Day or, if returned by mail, must be received by the county clerk by 8 p.m. on Election Day.

Candidates submitted photos and answers through a questionnaire. Answers may have been edited for style and clarity. Candidate responses are listed in alphabetical order by last name.

Utah voters told us government corruption is their top concern in this year’s election. Why do you think voters feel this way? And why should Utahns trust you to represent them?

Cutler: Utahns value transparency and honesty. In the past I have run bills to require board members of all state authorities (MIDA, Inland Port, Point of the Mountain, etc.) to post their conflict-of-interest statements publicly. I’ve been working with the Lt. Governor’s election office to upgrade an outdated campaign finance reporting IT system to a new system that would provide more transparency and make it easier to search.

Troxel: The decisions that have been made by the Republican supermajority in Utah have eroded trust with each bad decision. We have the “best economy in the country” but when it doesn’t feel like that to everyday people, we begin to wonder where all the “prosperity” is going. It’s time to elect people who will fight to make life affordable, and who are actually accountable to their voters. There are too many backroom deals and self-interested policies. We need to do the public’s business in plain view.

Utahns told us affordability is their second-highest priority in this election. How would you help Utahns afford housing, groceries, gas and other day-to-day expenses?

Cutler: Many of the policies and issue impacting affordability are coming from Washington D.C. or Macro Economic conditions outside our control. In terms of what we can control, eliminating unnecessary regulation and ensuring that state government is a smaller percentage of your paycheck are what I am striving for.

Troxel: We need to incentivize building higher-density housing and cheaper, more affordable housing options across the state. We need to close tax loopholes for wealthy individuals and ensure they pay their fair share so we don’t have to keep robbing public programs. Taking care of Utahns’ basic needs will remove the stress and worry created by struggling paycheck to paycheck. We need to push back on federal overreach and insane illegal wars that are causing gas and housing costs to soar.

Water resources were also a top concern for voters. What policies would you support as Utah looks to balance growth with preservation of the Great Salt Lake and the Colorado River?

Cutler: We need an all-of-the-above approach: Water conservation, water leasing, phragmites removal, cloud seeding, better forest management, additional water storage, agricultural water optimization.

Troxel: Disband MIDA and put a moratorium on all data center projects. We need to get serious about investing in revitalizing the Great Salt Lake. Utah is growing, and that will likely continue, so we need to balance that with responsible water consumption where it really makes a difference: data centers and agriculture. Laws and water rights from a very different past need to be updated and revisited. We are facing an existential crisis if the Great Salt Lake dries up.

What is another topic you care about and want to address if elected to public office?

Cutler: A.I. is changing the way we work and learn. We need careful, thoughtful A.I. policy as we move forward and evaluate the impacts to our lives.

Troxel: I have spent my career in public service and child protection. I want to bring that focus and expertise to the Legislature to focus on the child mental health crisis, healthcare and education. We are eroding our public school infrastructure and need to keep public money in public schools and ensure teachers and school administrators who are charged with educating the next generations have all the resources they need to succeed.

How will you vote on Constitutional Amendment A? If passed, the amendment will stop the practice of publishing the full text of amendments and ballot questions by lawmakers in a newspaper for 60 days ahead of an election and instead require that text to be published on two state websites.

Cutler: For.

Troxel: Against.

How will you vote on Constitutional Amendment B? If passed, citizen-proposed laws that increase taxes would need to be approved by 60% of voters, instead of a simple majority.

Cutler: For.

Troxel: Against.

What’s your favorite book and why?

Cutler: “The Anatomy of Peace” (Arbinger). If you want to understand those with different political views: “The Righteous Mind” by Jonathan Haidt. For America 250 reading, I recommend “The American Covenant” by Yuval Levin, and Gov. Spencer Cox’s new book “Off Ramp.”

Troxel: Recently my favorite books are “The Martian” and “Project Hail Mary” by Andy Weir. I’m a space nerd and these stories of perseverance, friendship, and overcoming obstacles are amazing, hopeful and uplifting reads.