I’d like to know your position on the future of Pocatello Regional Airport. Specifically:

What is your vision for its long-term development and role in our community?

I have to be honest, I am not an expert on the airport. I know the budget line is about 2M. I would have to sit down for months researching to likely answer these questions in detail. I can give mile high thoughts though. I think projects like the “Crest” project if they would be successful they would have sole private funding to capitalize on it. We saw the last public private partnership North-gate basically end in lies and more burden for people in the city to bear. If developers want to come we will welcome them but we shouldn’t right them blank checks to cut and run.

How do you plan to address airline service, including destinations, flight frequency, and the reliance on subsidies?

I have flown out of Pocatello and like it. There is some bias from me there. I find the airport to be a great resource and asset to be tapped into. There are many possibilities from flight school, large drone operations, and tourism. I would look at investors outside of the major airlines. Ultimate goal would be for the airport to not rely on subsidies. The bad thing is currently all the major airlines rely on them I believe, at least they take them from everywhere Federal and State sources as well. As for service availability and destinations I believe it is controlled by where people want to go, and how often. The more people use the airport, the more destinations and frequency.

What is your approach to competition from nearby airports like Idaho Falls?

This is kind of an interesting question. The airports just provide a place for a plane to land, take off, and refuel. Compared to Idaho Falls, we provide the same service. If you want to ask, “How do we get more people to use our airport?” I think the answer is simple. We need to be the destination. From the position of Mayor, airports are not competing, cities are. In my opinion making Pocatello better gets more people here. I would focus on that, and most likely not take much action on the airport my first year.

Why do you want to be mayor?

I’m running for mayor because I care about the community. I don’t feel like I can vote for the other candidates and I wanted to help change things for the better here. There is a deep mistrust of the city government — How money is spent, what actions are taken, and I want to serve my community by making sure that our institutions are worthy of trust. Last spring $50,000 was discussed being spent bringing in electric scooters which cluttered up the sidewalks for summer and then disappeared, never to be seen again. This year parking meters in old-town. I would like to introduce community petitions before non-essential projects are taken up. The examples above are not much compared to the 160 million budget but the list goes on and demonstrates irresponsibility to the community. As to inefficiency, just apply for any permit or even run for mayor. To apply I had to visit in person twice and still collect real paper. The city has taken improvements in technology as an excuse not to trim and improve but to bloat and spend.

As mayor, what would be your main goals for the city?

In 2023 an ordinance passed city Council increasing the mayor’s salary substantially, and a separate one passed increasing the pay of the council members. I believe in service and certainly don’t believe in a mayor making twice as much as the people that live in the city. The median household income for Pocatello is about $57,000 dollars. One of the first things I would like to do is reduce the mayor’s salary to that. If it doesn’t pass city Council I’ll give the extra to places which help people in Pocatello, like Aid For Friends, the Pocatello Free Clinic, or help with local entrepreneurship. The next thing is clearing up permits, and removing hurdles getting the city to ease and quicken construction. Last is stop the hemorrhaging increases in spending. If I can just stop increases for 4 years we should be almost at the same tax burden as hour neighbor cities.

What are your thoughts/feelings about the Victor Perez case, the Attorney General’s investigation results, and the city’s handling of the incident?

Using the killing of Victor Perez and the pain of his family to build a political platform on doesn’t feel right so I will keep this brief. The Idaho Attorney General decided that there is no legal basis to bring charges, but I believe what happened to him was morally wrong. Everyone I personally spoke to who has either seen the videos or read about it has known in their bones that the way Victor was killed was awful.

What do you think is great about Pocatello? What could be better?

Pocatello has many great things. I quickly felt like home because the people here have been open and welcoming. I love visiting the coffee shops downtown, the farmers market, floating in the river and walking in the parks. I love the little river soo much. I have volunteered in Portneuf River Vision events placing signs and fence and have yet to miss a Poky Paddle. It has also been a place of opportunity for me. The downtown businesses welcomed my yarn store very openly. Aside from businesses there are numerous community clubs from fiber guilds, to archery, cycling, and disc golf. I love it all!

Why did you decide to run for office?

I’m running for Mayor because, the city government has steadily been separating itself from the community losing all of my trust. In 2022 half the council resigned sending Pocatello down a bad path. The city began removing options for public comment, and has not been able to maintain a Chief Financial Officer, while giving themselves pay raises. I don’t feel the other candidates will change direction. I started a small business here and love this community. It is a place of opportunity, and I want that opportunity preserved. I can bring sincere commitment to the community not the institution.

What will be your top priorities be if elected?

Lower the Mayor’s pay to median income, attaching it to the community. Fill the Chief Financial Officer position to complete a transparent audit. This will be the start of lowering our tax burden to match our neighboring communities like Idaho Falls and Twin Falls. Start requiring community petitions from the people in an area a project affects before interfering with their lives. Build trust back with people by developing more community driven volunteer opportunities working with city employees. Put a stop to non transparent partnering and deals.

What aspects of your background and life experiences make you feel like you’re the best candidate for this position?

I am not a career politician. I started a business in old-town Pocatello. It was a great experience. Though difficult, it let me get to know the community better and see how regulations impact a business start up first hand. The skills needed in finance, project management, and really communication get well honed when betting your dinner, as many small businesses do. The “re-brand” of Pocatello is a good example. I would never re-brand. I would want people to see and trust my company. The city should invest more in trust than marketing.

What is your proudest accomplishment?

Learning to read. I liked it so much I learned twice. The first was braille, second English print. I was about five and remember thinking it was great. I could now read with no lights staying up without mom knowing. The world literally came to my fingertips. As I got older the ability to read, and of course new technology brought so much chance for self education. When I was younger I did choose that education in fantasy and sci-fi novels, but as I got older it progressed to communication skills. You can’t really have a relationship if you can’t communicate this goes for personal and business. Something simple like writing a date wrong for delivery can ruin a business. I know most of us have notched this accomplishment, but I really feel its the best.

Why are you seeking political office within your community? Briefly explain your political platform.

I’m running for Mayor because the city government has steadily been separating itself from serving the community losing all of my trust. I learned that in 2022 half the council resigned sending Pocatello down a bad path. The city began removing options for public comment, and has not been able to maintain a Chief Financial Officer, while giving themselves pay raises. Looking at the primary candidates I got the feeling most of them were disingenuous. Seeming more interested in protecting and re-branding the institution than serving the community. I do not feel I can trust them or vote for them. I didn’t want to run, but I started a small business here and love this community. It is a place of opportunity, and I want the chance of opportunity preserved.

What are the greatest challenges facing people in your community? What is your plan to meet and overcome those challenges?

Trust. Among most of the people I know there a great deal of disappointment with the institution’s decision making. People want their money spent well. In my time here the list of city decisions that have failed the community is baffling. First on my mind, is the expensive re-brand and logo change. Why? Downtown there was talk at the city for reinstating parking meters. My business is there, no one asked me or those I know in my area. The lovely scooters they supported, to trip over for a few months then never return. North Gate deals, the Center Street tunnel, the waterline failures, sidewalk scandals… I don’t believe it is malign intention but the system is beginning to feel broken. I will change that.

How will you best represent the views of your constituents – even those with differing political views? How will you communicate directly with constituents?

Most people when it comes down to it, want to be able to
work, take care of themselves, their family, and the place that they call home. I would make that common ground my focus. Making myself available is key to that communication. Currently there are many ways to contact the council and mayor but most of them are one sided and defensive from the city’s position. Words are increasingly becoming a gotcha game, I understand that but real discussion needs to come back. At a council meeting, or an email you get a blanket statement about taking it under consideration while most discussion happens at a working meeting behind doors. I want to
talk and listen to constituents preferably in person. A volunteer with the Mayor program would be great. Come work with me raking grass in a park. I know time demand is real. I have to continue working my store as well so it may be time for Mayor live streams after hours.

What parts of the city budget could use more funding? Where are places in the budget where cuts could be made?

Big slashing cuts and lower spending Here Now! Vote for Meee! Its widely popular and quite honestly unrealistic. I know you don’t want to hear that, but we can look back in 2021 when half the council went looking and I think it was council women Ortega was accused of creating a hit lists. The institution will fight back. The mayor can’t micromanage 500 employees. Going in, blind cutting would land in disaster, I won’t promise that or a hiring freeze. We lose sanitation workers I will keep the trash flowing. Spending is complicated with some good and needed so I can’t promise a stop. The current administration has done very well getting grants. There are very few reasons to ever suspend spending those because they are not taxed from the city directly, and if a fire truck breaks down I’ll fix it.

I do feel we are spending too much. Fire, police, water, waste water management, sanitation and streets makes up about $100 million of our $163 million budget in FY 2025. Very similar compared to our neighbors, but our incomes are lower resulting in heavier tax burden. I do promise to equate that burden in my term. First I will cut the Mayor salary to median. Too many raises and perks in the budgets lately. The next will be a mandate to the heads to lower 3-6% year over year for the 4 year term. If they can’t do it I will. It is a very doable goal.

What parts of Pocatello are in the best position for future development? What kind of development would you want to see come to those areas and what would you do to encourage or facilitate it?

All of Pocatello. We have a lot of opportunity everywhere with empty industrial buildings, retail, and pretty good tourism. One of the things I most love about living Pocatello is going outside. I know your asking for best, but I don’t want the mayor’s office in charge of picking winners and losers in business. The traditional incentive is compensating utilities, building roads/turnbays, or tax based. The bad thing is that boosts total government spending. Homes get taxed more or current business driving goods up like groceries. I would want to see businesses come here, base here, and make a home here. Too many “partnerships” just have companies come here, take and leave. I won’t be the mayor to give a large company a tax incentive to put down a small business. Local entrepreneur incentives should also be encouraged. There are several revolving business loan opportunities that could be worked with. We should encourage our younger generation with a fair looking at the real-estate in Pocatello and entrepreneur competitions. I don’t like the idea of always thinking we need someone else to come here and give us work. We can create that together.

The death of 17-year-old Victor Perez created a great deal of shock and emotion in Pocatello. Would you have handled the city’s response to this incident any differently? Based on this incident, do changes need to be made at the Pocatello Police Department?

I feel the killing of Victor Perez was awful. From my understanding not as an expert, it could have been handled better. There is a line in bold on the budget, “We are the highest-trained agency in the state of Idaho.” referring to officers. It seems the city should have done better here. I do believe some changes need made.

What would you like to accomplish if elected mayor?

The first thing I can promise is removing self interest. I intend to reduce the Mayor’s pay to the median household income in Pocatello. The Mayor’s pay will become directly attached to community health. I know I can’t do that day one, but I will donate back into the community until the council takes it up. I want community petitions for non essential projects. Signed petitions from the area show support. We need to bring trust back to spending. The chief financial officer is key to this. This position will bring transparent publications back for everyone to see and help identify the most likely areas to cut our tax burden back to similar values as our neighbors.

What experience has prepared you for this office?

I am not a career politician. I started a business in old-town Pocatello. It was a great experience. Though difficult, it let me get to know the community better and see how regulations impact a business start up first hand. The skills needed in finance, project management, and really communication get well honed when betting your dinner, as many small businesses do. The “re-brand” of Pocatello is a good example. I would never re-brand. I would want people to see and trust my company. The city should invest more in trust than marketing.

What do you see as the most significant challenges the city faces that you might be able to address in this position?

Trust. Among most of the people I know there a great deal of disappointment with the institution’s decision making. People want their money spent well. In my time here the list of city decisions that have failed the community is baffling. First on my mind, is the expensive re-brand and logo change. Why? Downtown there was talk at the city for reinstating parking meters. My business is there, no one asked me or those I know in my area. The lovely scooters they supported, to trip over for a few months then never return. North Gate deals, the Center Street tunnel, the waterline failures, sidewalk scandals… I don’t believe it is malign intention but the system is beginning to feel broken. I will change that.

What else would you like to tell the voters?

I want to leave on an uplifting note. Please vote, but don’t let it end there. The council and Mayor positions are just part of the community. After the election participate, volunteer, complain, and think of running for yourself. Working together will get us the best results in our community.

The Right-of-Way (ROW) fees currently built into the three Enterprise Department Budgets are nearly identical to interfund fees that were ruled unlawful in Nez Perce district court.  Do you support or oppose the elimination of these fees? Why?

No one likes hidden fees, I support removing them. Part of transparency is simplifying billing. The city needs to represent all of its costs. The state department has to maintain an accessible asset management system its time the city does as well. I don’t think the city government should be running a pay to win game, complete with micro transactions. In a real market companies do this for short term fast revenue gain usually just before they toss it or re-brand. Here we don’t have a choice to switch cancel or switch. Its just a failed scam when public institution tries this. Rates for services should be easy to understand and transparent.

Do you support or oppose the “One City” concept of combining Chubbuck and Pocatello? Why?

I do not support merging Pocatello and Chubbuck into one city. Personally I feel, the more your tax dollars move away from you, the less representation and effect you have when they are spent. When you are taxed your wealth is taken away and ideally given back in some service. You really don’t want fewer people and more agendas picking who gets that wealth back. If it never leaves your area it always comes back. You run the risk as Chubbuck, of Pocatello taking all your wealth for themselves.

The argument for doing a takeover really comes down to having a deeper shared pocket to spend and manage from. You can do larger projects this way, but nothing is stopping that from happening now. The two cities can work together while maintaining representation.

I am also not a politician. I am a business owner. Having two sets of ordinances competing for my investment is a good thing.

My opinion aside, I wanted to look into this one a little more. This was a deep concern to one of my friends and honestly I wasn’t here last time this question was posed 2020 or succeeded partially 1962. Most recently it was asked as an advisory question in 2020. I only saw one article by ISJ stating county wide 53% opposed 47% for; in the county. I looked into the rolls because I wanted city numbers. I had to put them together myself so attaching rolls and my spreadsheet. By population Pocatello was 53.7% for, Chubbuck was 29%. Only 1 of Chubbuck’s districts made majority for this out of 11. In 1961 there was actually 3 cities. Alameda, Idaho was one. Chubbuck again didn’t vote to join and Alameda did by 68 votes. Under Idaho law at the time the new city is created under the ordinances and name of the larger party(Take Over). Alameda vanished. It was an interesting transition with the Mayor of Alameda going to be congressman and the former residents not doing so great. I recommend others looking into this history before considering it. The story firmed my resolution that it is not a good idea. Chubbuck keep voting strong!

Do you believe that the public should be made aware of situations that could be viewed as placing the City or City elected officials in an unfavorable light so long as such disclosure does not disclose confidential information (Examples: City named in a lawsuit, City elected official accused of sexual harassment, etc.)?

You mention public being made aware of situations. I probably should ask for more clarification on this one, where you don’t mention who should be making them aware. If you mean journalists. I love investigation. As mayor with 500 employees I may not know of scandal another way, absolute support for this. I assume you mean the city making people aware proactively, without trying to hide behind delays and FOIA. I also agree. I see constituents as investors of the city, and public view of a company is directly related to investment. That said, some details of an active case I couldn’t guarantee. Lawyers would hate me making that promise. I think that is understandable.