Welcome to the City Journals Voters Guide!

2025's General Election Day is on Nov. 4.   (See other important dates and SLCounty information in our Voting Information Overview page at the Valley Journals here.) 

In preparation, we surveyed our readers (like you!) to ask which local topics would determine important voting decisions for local races. We then asked your local candidates those reader-suggested questions. Candidates were asked to limit their answers to 200 words.These are their answers: 

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In South Salt Lake, G. Ray deWolfe and Conrad Campos are in competition for one of the At-Large seats.

 

Q: Do you believe current property tax revenue is being used effectively? How so? 

G. Ray deWolfe: Yes I’d like to think so. We take resident feedback very seriously before we pass a budget. The City Council and the City Department leadership have a transparent process during the budget season. Before we pass a budget, we have in-depth presentations and discussions with department leadership to discuss their needs, their anticipated asks, and time to engage in discussion. Additionally, we have a survey launched to residents in the weeks ahead asking about their priorities, needs, and wants regarding the budget. 

Q: Thinking about fiscal responsibility, what values should your local budget reflect? How do you plan to balance those values? 

G. Ray deWolfe: The city and residents value public safety, community engagement, qualified staff, economic development, smart growth, quality infrastructure, and educational programming (Promise). Something I think is important is to plan proactively for costs instead of reacting to costs. It’s never popular to increase fees or raise taxes; however, delaying too long until something becomes a big problem can force taxes to raise way too high. I think we can balance those values by being mindful of our spending, saving up for emergencies, and being good stewards of our tax dollars. 

Q: Many residents reported concern for government oversight and transparency. What systems would you support to hold local officials accountable when transparency standards aren't met? 

G. Ray deWolfe: I think that’s a fair concern, particularly at the state level. In South Salt Lake, I think one way to combat that is to have quality discussions during council meetings. A pet peeve of mine is when minds seem made up over tough issues, even before tough questions have been asked and answered. We record all of our meetings, publish agenda minutes, advertise our meetings, and residents can even subscribe to email notifications for upcoming meetings. Our recorded meetings are found on our city website. 

G. Ray deWolfe: We have been clear with our police - we do not want to enthusiastically support or provide assistance to ICE. We will do what’s required by law. We will not volunteer to raise our hands to cooperate with ICE unless mandated to do so. And if that’s the case, I would encourage our city and police force to comply to the least amount as possible. 

Q: What is SSL doing to protect immigrants and people of color? 

G. Ray deWolfe: We leverage our Promise South Salt Lake education department to provide information and resources to families and people of color. We have a focus on community policing and work to build trust and respect with our neighbors. We get to know our neighbors. We have a family liaison team on staff available to support families who need services, and have recently partnered with the American Immigration Lawyers Association of Utah to host an event educating people interested in obtaining U.S. citizenship. We are open to any additional ideas and ways to continue to support our resident of all backgrounds.

Q: One main succinct reason/goal for why you are running for this election:

G. Ray deWolfe: I enjoy it. I try to focus on balancing the needs of different groups who occasionally have competing priorities. I look and advocate for win/wins. 

Q: Background (residents have asked: What is your relevant educational/job experience? What previous government positions or offices have you held? How long have you been on the council?):

G. Ray deWolfe: I work in HR for Mountain America Credit Union and have had several leadership positions. I graduated from SUU with a Communication degree and later obtained my M.B.A. From Western Governors University. I’ve been on the SSL Planning Commission, Jordan River Commision, and served a previous term on City Council from 2017-2021, and beginning this year in 2025 to fill a vacancy for Natalie Pinkney. 

Q: How can residents stay informed about your campaign? 

G. Ray deWolfe: I don’t have Facebook, but you can visit my website raydewolfe.com or email me at [email protected]. Or, you can contact me through my city email listed on the South Salt Lake website. 

Q: What role do you believe local government should play in protecting open space and natural areas within your community?  Residents specifically asked: What actions will you take to help conserve the Great Salt Lake? 

G. Ray deWolfe: On a city level this is simple. We play a massive role in protecting green space and natural areas. Partnership with other local municipalities and governing boards are critical and it’s important we have representation on those to support our residents. 

 Q: If elected, how will you begin managing high-density housing, short-term rentals, and property value protections in your community?   (Residents specifically asked: Do you support holding builders accountable to a higher standard (like expecting builders to make needed improvements to streets and sidewalks)?

G. Ray deWolfe: Every city must do their part in the housing shortage. No city can solve it on their own. I think South Salt Lake has done its part. We hold developers accountable by having tight development agreements and appropriate impact fees, so our existing residents benefit from new development and South Salt Lake isn’t left footing the bill for increased demands to our infrastructure.