Paul Binns, a Lehi resident and owner of a local insurance agency, described a mayoral platform centered on managing rapid growth, upgrading infrastructure and tightening fiscal oversight during an interview on the Utah County Republican Party podcast.

Binns said Lehi’s family-focused neighborhoods and local schools drew his family to the city about 10 years ago and that preserving that character is central to his platform. “When you do it strategically rather than overnight, you can do it and hold some of those core values of who we are,” Binns said.

Why it matters: Lehi has grown quickly in recent years, and city leaders are deciding how to balance new housing, traffic capacity and public services. Binns framed his approach as cautious — not anti-density — arguing high-density housing should be placed where infrastructure, schools and commercial services can support it.

On housing and zoning, Binns said the city should protect established zoning and require “100% correct” circumstances before changing a zone. He criticized ad-hoc rezoning and frequent development agreements that override existing code, saying developers should follow the rules or return to the drawing board. “If you’d like to take it back to the drawing board, take it to the drawing board. But we’re not just going to willy nilly do it,” he said.

Infrastructure and public safety were the top issues Binns emphasized. He said the city operates with about 67 sworn police officers including command staff, and that staffing has not kept pace with population growth. He proposed a five-year staffing plan to add roughly 25–30 officers in line with projected growth, calling it measured hiring rather than an immediate, large-scale hiring spree. “It’s not that we need to go hire the 41 officers we’re missing tomorrow. That’s not the answer,” he said.

Binns identified traffic chokepoints around Pioneer Crossing, 2100 North and the Thanksgiving Point underpass and urged Lehi to collaborate with neighboring cities and regional agencies such as UDOT and MAG on long-term fixes. He said Lehi must be “at the table” with Saratoga Springs, Eagle Mountain and others to secure regional plans and funding.

On city finances, Binns criticized recent bonding for the new city campus and other projects, and said the city should audit departments line-by-line before asking residents to assume more debt. He cited a $22 million initial bond for City Hall and a larger, planned city campus figure of about $68 million, and said the Legacy Center operates roughly $2 million in the red annually. He described the fiber buildout as “very, very, very expensive” and said the project’s approximate $60 million cost (he hedged on the exact total) will take years for citizens to repay even after subscription revenue arrives. “What am I paying for beyond my bill? That’s my concern,” he said.

Binns said he would review every department’s budget and present specific, documented needs to the council rather than asking for broad tax increases without showing where money is spent. He advocated adjusting user fees so nonresidents who use city facilities pay more and do not rely on Lehi taxpayers to subsidize outside users.

He also addressed planning and appointments: the mayor appoints the planning commission, Binns said, and he would vet appointees for code knowledge, understanding of local water issues and alignment with city planning goals rather than selecting political allies. On development incentives such as redevelopment agencies (RDAs), he said Lehi has used those tools liberally and they should be reserved for true redevelopment or strategic cases — not broadly handed out for desirable commercial parcels.

Binns emphasized city-owned utilities as critical assets. He said Lehi should protect its municipal electric and water systems and implement better measurement and planning for water resources. “Water is a measurable resource, and it should be measured and tracked and then planned for,” he said.

On communication and transparency, Binns called for a modernized city website, clearer digital communications and easier public access to data so residents can audit and understand how their tax dollars are spent. He urged the city to ‘‘over-communicate’’ on upcoming projects and permitting decisions.

Practical notes: Binns directed listeners to binnsformayor.com for campaign information and reminded voters of a drop box at the Public Safety Building and in-person voting options with standard cutoffs for being in line by 8 p.m. on election day.

Ending: Binns framed his candidacy as a management-focused bid to keep Lehi’s character while building the infrastructure and fiscal systems needed for continued growth. “When the people succeed, it goes back to the Mayberry that we live in today,” he said.