PROVIDENCE — Ladd Kennington, a candidate for the Providence City Council, discussed his campaign priorities in a recent interview on KVNU’s For the People. He shared his motivations for running and outlined his views for the biggest issues facing the city, including growth, taxation and community development.
Kennington said his decision to run stems from a deep sense of gratitude to his city and his community.
“God has blessed me to live in the city of Providence,” he said. “I feel a real desire to give back to a city that’s given me so much.”
Kennington serves on the Utah State Emergency Response Commission Advisory Board and the Utah Trucking Association Board of Directors. He previously spent six years on the Cache County Republican Party Executive Committee.
A central theme of Kennington’s campaign is fiscal restraint. He praised the current city administration for going five consecutive years without raising property taxes and expressed his desire to maintain that trend if elected.
Kennington said that tax revenues belong to the people, not to the city, and promised to use the people’s money wisely. He cited concerns about the long-term costs of new government programs and infrastructure, emphasizing the importance of evaluating both initial and ongoing expenses.
“There’s a compounding continual cost to everything that you spend on,” he said. “You really have to be careful anytime you spend money.”
Kennington acknowledged that rapid growth in Cache Valley is a major concern for residents, particularly in relation to housing, infrastructure, and public services. He noted that many local issues — from roads to taxes — ultimately tie back to the region’s growth. He cited rising costs of child care and groceries as major stressors.
“Everything keeps going up,” Kennington said. “I think that’s the most stressful thing in the city at the moment.”
He also addressed the challenges of funding public safety as populations increase, expressing support for the Cache County Sheriff’s Office, which provides law enforcement services to Providence City, and the need to ensure deputies are adequately compensated.
Kennington’s campaign emphasizes maintaining Providence City’s family-friendly character.
“The goodness of a city is nothing other than a reflection of its people,” he said, “The people (of Providence City) are wonderful, wonderful people and I just want to come in and play my role in continuing that effort and moving it forward.”
More info on Kennington’s campaign can be found at laddkennington.com/