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 Murray, Clark Bullen and Ben Peck are running for District 3. 

 

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

Clark Bullen: I believe that every dollar we get from our citizens is precious and to be spent with the utmost care. Being good financial stewards of the dollars sacrificed for the betterment of our community is arguably the most important job of elected municipal officials. Let's go through the city budget and each department systematically, looking at where money is spent and where we could be spending more efficiently. A regular audit schedule that does a deep dive on each department should be our best practice. We should share all of this information with the citizens and seek their input. For example: are we spending too much on out-of-state trainings? How much are other cities of a similar size and structure spending? Is there a way to save money through more in-state and virtual trainings or sending fewer people? I would like to dig into these types of issues with our finance department. I am uncertain of specific areas where the city is overspending currently, but I would like to find out if there are any and implement a plan to spend more wisely.

Ben Peck: I believe Murray has generally managed our city's finances well, maintaining healthy reserves and strong bond ratings that save taxpayers money. However, there's always room for improvement, and I look forward to using my skills during budgeting to maximize efficiency. While we've effectively maintained infrastructure, public safety, and parks, we could better leverage technology to streamline services, invest in energy-efficient upgrades like LED lighting, and shift to preventive rather than reactive maintenance to reduce long-term costs. My approach would include regular performance audits, zero-based budgeting principles where appropriate, regional partnerships to share service costs, and ensuring capital projects deliver measurable community benefits, because residents deserve transparency and accountability in how their property tax dollars are spent.

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

Clark Bullen: We need to spend each tax dollar with gratitude and care. We need to make sure that our spending priorities align with our residents' priorities. We should try to minimize any tax and fee increases but make sure we are fully funded and staffed in crucial departments like the Police, Fire, Power, and Public Works departments. We need to be saving for and consistently keeping our infrastructure up to date. We need to invest in redevelopment areas like historic downtown to improve its tax revenue generation potential and provide a destination with amenities for residents and visitors to enjoy. When improving and increasing our public amenities, such as the ones for parks and recreation, we should seek additional funding sources, including grants, private donations, corporate sponsorships, community-wide giving, impact fees, etc., to offset as much expense as we can. Residents should be an integral part of the budgeting process to help us balance these values and keep the city in check.

Ben Peck: I believe that our budget should focus on decreasing the cost of living, protecting our community, and improving our quality of life. To decrease the cost of living we should make sure that our government is efficient so that we can keep taxes as low as possible. Protecting our community obviously includes providing sufficient resources for public safety to our Police and Fire Department. It also means using city resources to improve street safety, through traffic calming measures like speed bumps, bulb-outs, raised cross-walks, and protected bike lines. These interventions are proven to work to reduce speeding and save lives and we have the resources to implement them. Finally, we should be using our city budget to improve the quality of life for all residents, that means investing in our parks and recreation, our arts programs, and our senior center.

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? 

Clark Bullen: As a council, we need to over-communicate and educate. We need to provide information early and often. We need to use many different communication methods to meet people where they are. We need to be readily available to listen to and address citizen needs. If we fail to be transparent, we should be held accountable by the citizens of Murray. I would love to see neighborhood/community councils formed, maybe 4-5 per City Council District. These smaller groups can represent the needs of the citizens in that area and hold their elected representative accountable to the promises they have made.

Ben Peck: I am committed to ensuring transparency and accountability in our city government. I believe that residents deserve to know what our city is doing, how officials came to those decisions, and why those choices were made. Too often, important decisions are made behind closed doors without adequate public input or explanation. I will always advocate for open processes, clear communication, and accessible information that allows every resident to understand how their government operates. I will fight for full transparency and will use the powers of my office to share information with the public so that they can hold their elected officials accountable. 

Q: What is your stance on local government cooperation with ICE? 

Clark Bullen: Murray City made an official statement that it has no intention to partner with ICE. This decision would have come from the Mayor and Police Chief. I trust their judgment and support this decision. More importantly, it is clear that the citizens of Murray overwhelmingly support this decision. I was able to attend the Murray Public Safety Board meeting, where they allowed citizen comments regarding the position not to partner with ICE. There must have been around 20 residents who spoke in support of this path. There were none to the contrary. They described how partnering would increase fear and make many Murray Citizens feel unsafe in our community. They described how their rights would be infringed upon. They said our police should not take their focus away from keeping our community safe. They said we should not spend money and resources assisting a federal agency that has its own budget. They lauded the city for having these conversations and encouraged continued transparency and dialogue. I saw all of these same concerns and fears on social media. The vast majority of commenters supported the city's position. Murray citizens should feel safe in their city.

Ben Peck: I will never support Murray cooperating with ICE. Having local police add federal immigration enforcement to their long list of responsibilities has always been a bad idea and it’s an even worse one now with the current administration. Our community is safest when everyone feels that they can call 911 without fear of being deported. I will always fight to make sure that Murray protects all of our residents, regardless of what the federal government attempts to do.

Q: How will you prioritize and protect proper historic restoration of existing structures? 

Clark Bullen: We should preserve our historic buildings. We do not have to be the ones to pay for restoration. We can put historic protections on our buildings and let private investors restore them to their original beauty. Murray did this with the Murray Chapel. They sold it to the owner of the Tea Rose Diner, who will revitalize it into the beautiful new home of the Tea Rose. Our historic buildings are what give us a sense of place. They are an integral part of downtown Murray. We want the downtown area to be a destination, a town square where people want to gather. Our historic buildings set us apart. They will attract people from all over the valley to spend time and money.

Ben Peck: I am committed to preserving and protecting the unique character that defines Murray as a special place to call home. That includes protecting our historic buildings that tell the story of our community's rich heritage. Whenever possible the city should work to preserve and restore historic buildings, like they have done with the Murray Mansion, Armory, and Theater. These create amazing amenities for the community while preserving our history. Prioritizing fiscal responsibility with every opportunity, I will encourage our collaboration with non-profit partners, the State and federal government that can support historic preservation projects in our city.

Q: How do you plan to serve community needs? 

Clark Bullen: I plan to continue being very accessible, listening to the concerns of community members and finding solutions for them. I plan to proactively solicit community feedback/input. I look forward to revisiting the Murray Master Plan next year and working with the citizens in our community to determine our needs and vision for the future.

Ben Peck: Serving community needs effectively requires being accessible and actively listening to residents. I plan to establish regular office hours at City Hall and rotate locations throughout different neighborhoods to ensure all residents can easily meet with me. Beyond traditional city council meetings, I will hold quarterly town halls on specific topics and organize informal "coffee with council" sessions where residents feel comfortable sharing honest feedback. I'll also leverage technology through social media, regular email newsletters, and online surveys to gather input on major decisions. Most importantly, I will proactively seek out voices that aren't always heard by attending neighborhood association meetings, visiting local businesses, and connecting with community organizations that serve diverse populations. My goal is to ensure that city government is responsive to resident needs rather than operating in isolation, because the best decisions are made when they reflect the real experiences and priorities of the people we serve.

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

Clark Bullen: I love serving the citizens of Murray. I can be a better advocate for what they want as their elected representative.

Ben Peck: I’m running to make sure that our government works as efficiently as possible to serve every member of our community.

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?):

Clark Bullen: Clark, his wife Brittany, and their four boys are long-time residents who love Murray! Clark has served/is serving on many of its boards and committees, including the Murray Chamber of Commerce, Murray Rotary, Murray Exchange Club, Murray City Downtown District Committee, Downtown Murray Historic Plaza Committee, Murray Partners for Prevention, Historic Murray First, and the Murray Arts Board. He is the Director of Account Management at CUI Benefits.

Ben Peck: I’m a proud union member, community organizer and lifelong Utah resident with deep community ties to public service. Driving a bus for UTA, working construction, and community organizing has provided me with firsthand knowledge of the challenges working families face. I earned my Master's Degree in Public Administration with an emphasis in local government from the University of Utah and I know how to get things done in city government.

Q: How can residents stay informed about your campaign? 

Clark Bullen: Website: YourMurray.com Email: [email protected], Call/Text 801-718-2017

Ben Peck: Visit my website: BenForMurray.com or follow me on Facebook or Instagram @BenForMurray