Campaign Phone
801-599-1474
Current Employment
Retired Chief Information Officer (CIO)
Education
Master's of Science in Electrical Engineering
Campaign Website
DarrenCroft.org
Local Control of local issues like zoning, and municipal services should always be the default. The state should have control on issues that affect the entire state. Rather than controlling local governments, the state should do more to promote best practices and educate local governments and work together for best outcomes for the people. Only in the case of a clear need for the public good should the state override local government and it should not be taken lightly. The state should also require transparency and accountability from local governments for their citizens.
Education and infrastructure are critical areas that need to be steadily funded. But even as one of the best managed states in the nation, there is still waste and unnecessary expense in Utah budgets. The legislature and state departments should be constantly looking for areas where we can be more fiscally responsible with taxpayer money. I don’t believe in automatic tax decreases or tax increases. We need to be looking at return on investment and value for the expense and making wise, forward looking decisions about the tax revenue we need. Not every program is worthy to be funded by state funds forever.
I support the approach taken by The Other Side Village addressing the root causes of homelessness and helping people change their lives. These types of programs need to be expanded.
Developers are building apartments and luxury homes, but not starter homes and condos. We need to remove zoning barriers and reduce the fixed costs for developing a lot. I am also supportive of innovative approaches to cheaper homes.
Financial help for first time home buyers has a place, but we need to do more to evaluate program effectiveness and to be more innovative in how we fund these programs. I would like to see a perpetual funding approach where the people who are helped contribute back to the program to help future recipients.
The question leaves out a big consumer - governments. Governments need to fix their water use problems too!
We need to get rid of municipal and HOA requirements that limit conservation efforts. I need to talk with more stakeholders to decide if this is a situation where state law should override local control.
We need to make sure that all grant programs for water conservation employ the best agricultural science and financial controls. We need to review, audit, and improve them on a yearly basis.
I support the steps the legislature has been taking to allow water to be temporarily directed to the Great Salt Lake.
Agricultural use is the biggest consumer of water. We need to do some serious study of what more can be done in this area.
Yes, Utah should encourage responsible development of energy. Nuclear, wind, and solar all have their place. Natural gas also still has a place. Energy is critical for our safety, and prosperity. We don’t want to be in a situation where we have inadequate energy sources.
Campaign Phone
8012319559
Current Employment
Chief of Preventative, Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Hill AFB
Education
Physician
Campaign Website
https://www.balancedbodies.io/votefordrerynrusso
As a physician who works with communities across Utah, I see firsthand how local leaders understand their neighborhoods best. I believe in local control first—especially for zoning, land use, police/fire, and local utilities.
But the state must step in when:
-Fundamental rights or public health are at risk.
- Problems cross boundaries (water, air quality, infectious disease).
- We need consistent standards for elections, education, and fiscal responsibility.
My medical background teaches me that prevention and coordination matter. I support state preemption only when there’s a clear statewide need—and only after listening to local voices first.
As a doctor invested in Utah’s future, I know that healthy families need strong schools, safe roads, and reliable infrastructure.
I support responsible tax relief, but not at the expense of essential services.
My approach:
- Review spending and cut waste with a scalpel.
- Protect education, public safety, water, and health services.
- Target relief to working families and small businesses.
I measure sustainability by:
- A 5–10 year structural balance, not just a one-year surplus.
- Reserve fund at least 15% of general fund revenues.
- No real-term decline in per-pupil education spending.
- Infrastructure and schools maintained at or above standards.
Tax cuts should be phased in and tied in to hitting these targets.
In my clinical work, I see the health impact of housing instability—from infections to chronic disease to mental health crises.
Housing is healthcare.
I support:
- Downpayment assistance for first-time buyers, especially in affordable new construction.
- Grants for cities that streamline permitting for affordable housing.
I believe in market-based solutions with targeted support, not just more shelters.
Prevention is always better than crisis care.
As a preventive medicine physician, I know that water is public health.
Clean, reliable water is essential for families, farms, and our economy.
I support conservation that is voluntary, incentivized, and smart:
Communities:
- Expand turf-removal rebates and xeriscaping.
- Require efficient landscaping in new homes.
- Invest in smart meters and leak detection.
Businesses:
- Tax credits for water-efficient technology.
- Require large users to report use and set reduction goals.
Farms and ranches:
- Fund irrigation modernization (drip, pipelines, precision systems).
- Create water leasing markets.
I want to help Utahns do more with less water, especially to protect the Great Salt Lake and our long-term health.
As a physician, I care about clean air and reliable power for Utah families.
I support a diversified, practical energy portfolio:
- Nuclear: Strongly Support: Small modular reactors as long-term, reliable, clean baseload.
- Wind/Solar: Develop where it makes environmental and economic sense.
-Natural gas: Keep as a bridge fuel for grid stability.
- Storage and grid upgrades: Critical for reliability and lower costs.
I don’t believe in picking just one source. A mix of solar, wind, nuclear, and gas, plus storage and modernized grid, gives us reliable, affordable power over the next 20–30 years.
