College student running against incumbent for Seat 6 on the Idaho Falls City Council

Newcomer James T. Skinner (left), and incumbent Jim Freeman (right). | Courtesy photo IDAHO FALLS — An incumbent is running against a young newcomer for Seat 6 on the Idaho Falls city council. Two-term councilman Jim Freeman is running against James T. Skinner this November. To learn more about the candidates’ platforms, EastIdahoNews.com sent the same eight questions to each candidate. Their responses, listed below, were required to be 250 words or less, and were only edited for minor punctuation, grammar and length. Elections are on Tuesday, Nov. 4. Read about more candidates running this year in eastern Idaho HERE. RELATED | Part 1: Meet three of the seven candidates running for Seat 2 on the Idaho Falls City Council RELATED | Part 2: Meet four of the seven candidates running for Seat 2 on the Idaho Falls City Council RELATED | Who is running for Seat 4 on the Idaho Falls city council? QUESTIONS Tell us about yourself — include information about your family, career, education, volunteer work and any prior experience in public office. Freeman: I was born in Idaho Falls and grew up on the numbered streets. I attended Idaho Falls High School, the University of Idaho and the National Fire Academy. I am married and have two children and four grandchildren. I was fortunate to find my true calling when I joined the Idaho Falls Fire Department (IFFD), serving for twenty-six years as a firefighter, Paramedic and Captain. I have served two terms on the City Council since retiring from IFFD. I have served on the Mayor’s Citizen Review Committee for Parks and Recreation and served on the Golf Advisory Board. My community service includes the Idaho Falls Arts Council Board of Directors, volunteering for Blazing a Trail for Literacy and Relay for Life, Idaho Falls Men’s Golf Association Board of Directors and as a coach for Idaho Falls Youth Hockey, Little League Baseball, and AYSO soccer. I am the third generation of my family to serve on the Idaho Falls City Council as my grandfather Russell and father Jim served previously. Skinner: I was raised in Idaho Falls and have lived here for 20 years. My parents are Air Force veterans, and they taught me the value of service and hard work. I’m one of four kids, with two younger sisters still in school and an older sister who works here locally. I work part-time at Costco while putting myself through college for cybersecurity. I’ve also been involved with local nonprofits, including Christmas charity events and DVSAE fundraisers. Growing up in this community has shown me the importance of family, neighbors, and helping one another, and I want to bring those values to city council. What is your proudest accomplishment? Skinner: One of my proudest accomplishments has been stepping up to run for city council. It’s given me the chance to talk with residents, hear their concerns, and learn more about what makes our community strong. On a personal level, I’m proud of working my way through college while balancing a job and community involvement. Those experiences have taught me responsibility and commitment to what matters to me. Freeman: I am most proud of my family. Raising honest, loving, and hardworking children has been my most important accomplishment. As far as professional accomplishments are concerned, I think my fire career is high on the list. Important projects we’ve been able to bring to completion in the city include the new Law Enforcement Complex and Idaho Falls Fiber’s fiber-to-the-home project are on that list as well. Why are you seeking political office within your community? Freeman: I was raised by my family to value serving others and that making our community the best it can be is something we should all strive for. It is very rewarding to me to know that I can make a difference to keep Idaho Falls a great place to live. There are always improvements that need to be addressed and instead of just accepting the status quo, I actively work to address them. Skinner: I’m running to represent the many voices in our community who often feel unheard, especially younger people and the middle working class. Too often decisions are made without listening to the people who live here. My goal is to be a voice for them and make sure our council is more responsive and connected to the community. What are the greatest challenges facing people in your community? What is your plan to meet and overcome those challenges? Skinner: Housing is one of the biggest challenges facing Idaho Falls. Families feel priced out, and many don’t see options they can afford. On top of that, many residents feel frustrated by the lack of communication from the city council. My plan is to improve transparency, make it easier for people to get answers from their city, and work on solutions that keep housing affordable for local residents, not just newcomers or big developers. Freeman: I’m not sure at the municipal level if it is appropriate to be political. I believe at this level of government that “policy” is a more appropriate term to describe a candidate’s platform. I frequently tell people there is not a republican or democratic “way” to fix a pothole. In a nutshell, I think doing what is right and leading with openness, honesty, and integrity is what matters most. I always remember when I’m voting to consider the desires of my constituents who are not in the room. What are the greatest challenges facing people in your community? Freeman: Most concerning to me is the effects of rising housing prices on our residents. This is not just a local problem and the growth we are experiencing exacerbates the issue. Our city needs to work with state officials to find more tools to manage growth; this is not a challenge that we can face alone without their help. First, let’s admit that this is much more complicated and nuanced than the question implies. Zoning law, interest rates, material costs, inflation, and stagnant wages are just some of the complicating factors that make this situation so difficult. At the municipal level we only have a few levers to pull. We can incentivize lower income housing (which we are doing already) and we can encourage different housing types to fill in the “missing middle” (which we are also doing), but the problem also needs to be addressed on a state and national level. I have advocated, and will continue to advocate, at the upper levels of government on behalf of our residents to help us find solutions to this problem. I believe in capitalism and in the marketplace, the financial reward just isn’t there right now for builders to construct only single-family homes. Skinner: Housing is one of the biggest challenges facing Idaho Falls. Families feel priced out, and many don’t see options they can afford. On top of that, many residents feel frustrated by the lack of communication from the city council. My plan is to improve transparency, make it easier for people to get answers from their city, and work on solutions that keep housing affordable for local residents, not just newcomers or big developers. How will you best represent the views of your constituents – even those with differing political views? How will you communicate directly with constituents? Skinner: I believe every person in our community deserves to be heard, no matter their background or political view. My goal is to listen first and keep communication open, making sure every voice is heard. Because at the end of the day, we all want the same things: safe neighborhoods, affordable living, and opportunities for our families. Freeman: In my time on city council, I have always tried to represent the majority of my constituents and the good of the community. Every issue has people on both sides, and I feel it’s important to listen to understand and then do the greatest good for the most amount of people regardless of their political persuasion. I think most people want the same thing: a safe, clean, hospitable, and prosperous city. My phone and email are publicly available, and I try to answer ALL inquiries in a timely manner. If you want to chat at the grocery store or on the street, I am always happy to listen and engage. I value my interactions with citizens and think it’s important to be aware of their concerns. Because of the strict security standards of government email, some items do get flagged for spam, so residents are always encouraged to follow up just in case. What parts of the city budget could use more funding? Where are places in the budget where cuts could be made? Freeman: There is rarely any wiggle room in the budget and therefore priorities must be made. I will always advocate first for public safety expenditures needed to keep our city safe. Parks and Recreation funding has taken the brunt of budget cuts in recent years and residents desire vibrant parks and recreation programs and amenities, so we need to balance what we can afford by prioritizing. We may never have enough revenue to do everything the citizens ask for, but we do our best to ensure we have a city with a high quality of life. As far as cutting the budget, I believe we run very lean already and that any cuts would need to come from cuts in services. I don’t think that is what people want. I hear from the community that they expect a certain level of service, and I feel we are providing that in a very efficient manner. Skinner: I believe we should prioritize funding for school resource officers to keep students safe. I’d also like to see more support for transportation options, such as buses and taxis, so people can get around without a high cost. At the same time, we need to look at unfair fines and parking issues that are hurting local businesses downtown. To do this responsibly, I’d work with departments to find small, practical cuts that don’t harm essential services but make our budget more effective. What do you think is the best approach to mitigate housing affordability? Skinner: One of my biggest concerns is how outside investors and large corporations are buying up land and driving up housing prices. I believe our city council should focus on protecting local residents and families who have lived here for years. That means working directly with developers and construction workers to prioritize affordable housing instead of only luxury apartments. Growth is important, but it needs to be fair and sustainable for every person, not just out of state. Freeman: See number 4. The City of Idaho Falls has been highly scrutinized over the last few years, with many accusing the city planning and zoning department of making it difficult to obtain permits and construct new buildings within city limits. What do you think needs to be done to regulate this process and make it more efficient for local business owners? Freeman: I am aware that there are problems with our permitting process, and we are actively trying to address them. Community Development Services (the department responsible for all building and zoning matters) has been tasked with finding efficiencies and communicating better with the community, as well as improving their internal communications between departments. The department is not purposefully “making it difficult” and are certainly trying to improve their service. This is an active, ongoing pursuit with explicit goals provided to the department to lead them in the direction of a more efficient and effective process. Skinner: This is a critical situation that affects many people here, as it prevents job growth. We need to set clear deadlines, moving applications online, and making sure residents and businesses have someone at City Hall they can contact directly with questions. At the same time, the city should communicate openly about why delays are happening whether it’s growth, infrastructure, or staffing, so people aren’t left in the dark.The post College student running against incumbent for Seat 6 on the Idaho Falls City Council appeared first on East Idaho News.
Source: eastidahonews.com