Hayden’s Platform for Pocatello

I was born and raised in Pocatello and I deeply care about our city and community. I left Pocatello for college, work, and graduate school, and I chose to return here. I want to help our city leverage its advantages and continue on the path to Pocatello being a place that has opportunities for everyone. This includes lifelong residents and those like me who left and chose to return. This means better city services, better pay for our first responders, and more availability of sustainable and affordable housing. I also want to make sure that our City Council is accountable and transparent to its constituents. Zero people I’ve spoken to agree with the banning of public comment and many question the oversight of zoning decisions that directly affect our quality of life. I want to represent all Pocatellans in an institution that is not currently open to them.

The major issue facing Pocatello is the removal of the line item agenda that previously allowed public comment. While this may seem minor compared to other issues such as taxes, housing, services, etc, this decision has only sowed discontent within our community. The point of public comment isn’t to immediately solve the problem, but to immediately put that concern on the minds of your elected representatives. People have brought up everything from snow removal, trail and bike maintenance, to seeking assistance for our local youth football program. They can’t bring those concerns in person and are left to faceless emails or voicemails. This isn’t right. Fifteen minutes amongst those who choose to comment is not too much to ask when it means that all Pocatellans could be heard.

Day one I will present a motion to reinstate the line item agenda for a public comment period.

My first priority will be presenting a motion to reinstate public comment. After, I will explore more oversight of zoning to address concerns of the need for more housing in the core of Pocatello with better business zoning. I will work to make sure that Pocatello’s growth reflects, and supports, the needs of the many rather than the wants of the few. Then, I will work with our first responders to address pay and facility needs and advocate for local workers to complete local jobs.

I strongly believe that every person deserves a dignified quality of life which means better pay and quality working conditions. We need to ensure that good officers are recruited and retained.

This means pay and benefit incentives. Training is expensive and time-consuming. I want to keep our best and those who care about Pocatello here, not leave for Twin Falls, Idaho Falls, or, even Logan. I’ve been meeting with various community leaders, especially those focused on development and youth activities.

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. I was lucky. My dad did outdoor youth programs for the city. My parents made my sisters and I pick an instrument and a sport. Our time was spent in youth activities. We need these opportunities for all youth in Pocatello to prevent the slide into destructive and criminal activities. We need more affordable housing to prevent homelessness which only further fuels addiction and crime. I have compassion for all, but these need to be addressed.

I’m a strong union supporter. First Responders are putting themselves on the line for situations that can be mitigated. I will be a proponent of addressing the root causes of crime and for first responders’ pay and benefits.

As one of six council members, I can’t promise policy. However, I do promise to advocate for first responders.

I would like to see the efforts of the revitalization of downtown continue and to see the results. For example, the historic Neighborworks tour featured new housing downtown. People living in the core of Pocatello will attract business there and promote a more vibrant Pocatello. I was endorsed by the Conservation Voters of Idaho because of my commitment to protecting open spaces and our natural landscapes and I think more housing in the core of Pocatello will mitigate sprawl into the hills and also facilitate economic development for our city.

I would like to see our first responders, particularly firefighters and EMTs, have better pay and funding so they can help our community. We only have three ambulances and they service the entire county. If they are on call elsewhere and something happens in Pocatello it could be bad from fire to medical emergencies.

I would like to see more bike lanes, more sidewalks, community gardens, and more youth activities both in the city itself and with outdoor programs.

I was born and raised in Pocatello. I left for college and graduate school earning a M.A. in Strategic Studies and International Economics from Johns Hopkins. I chose to return to Pocatello because I deeply care about this city. Since returning, I have canvassed over 1000 houses and I know what Pocatellans care about from every demographic and every political belief. They want Pocatello to have fair tax policy and quality services. The catalyst for my decision to run was earlier this year when City Council and the Mayor eliminated the line item agenda that allowed for a public comment period. Not a single person I’ve spoken to at their doorstep, or in public, agrees with this decision. It has created animosity instead of an environment of collaboration. I talk to Pocatellans at their doorsteps, I have a strong education in strategic thought and economics, and I co-run a successful local business.

In my undergraduate studies I completed a program at Pepperdine’s law school in Dispute Resolution. I strongly believe that collaboration is essential for effective governance. My M.A. in Strategic Studies and International Economics trained me to focus on long term governmental policy and economics. I have been an editor for three publications. I co-run a successful local business that distributes agricultural supplies across the country. I go door to door talking directly to Pocatellans several times per week. I know the theory of fiscal policy, have the experience of managing a business’ money, have the ability to meticulously read through materials, know how to effectively collaborate within government and bureaucracy, and I know what our citizens care about. I believe this combination of knowledge and practical skills makes me the best candidate.

1. Oversight: City Council members oversee the city's budget, finances, and city departments and services. I would examine the budget to ensure that tax dollars are allocated efficiently and address the needs of the community. From feedback from our citizens, for example, I would look at current zoning to address policies that are allowing more car washes instead of other businesses and how to increase the availability of housing in the core of Pocatello. I would also like to see more uniform enforcement of code across the city. Through examining the budget, I would like to see if it’s an issue of too few doing too much. There are unsafe and unsightly conditions across the city that inhibit Pocatello’s economic growth. I would look into an audit of what citizens have requested to be addressed and prioritize those concerns.

2. Legislation: City Council members are responsible for drafting and passing local ordinances that directly impact Pocatello. Collaboration is key. No government is effective without it. I will work with the Mayor and other Council members, even through disagreements, to seek an outcome that best benefits Pocatellans. I will make voting decisions based on careful review, research, public input, and the best interests of the community.

Ultimately, it comes down to transparency and responsiveness. Our elected representatives are chosen by the people and I promise to advocate for the return of public comment and I promise to respond to citizen concerns so that Council decisions best reflect the needs of Pocatello.

Overall, Pocatello city workers do great things with the resources they have and I support them, but we do need to adapt to Pocatello’s unique challenges. I am not satisfied with the current City of Pocatello government because I think there is room for improvement in several areas. For example, I think the city needs to do a better job of engaging with the public and providing more transparency and accountability. I also think the city needs to address some of the long-term challenges that we face, such as economic development, infrastructure maintenance, environmental sustainability, and public safety. I propose that the city should adopt a more proactive and innovative approach to these issues, such as zoning changes for businesses and more housing, reinstating public comment, green energy policies, and helping our youth through more activity programs.

My view of city spending and city property taxes is that they should be balanced and fair. I believe that the city should spend within its means and prioritize its needs based on data and public input. I also believe that the city should seek alternative sources of revenue, such as grants, partnerships, fees, or bonds, to fund specific projects or programs that benefit the community. I believe in a balanced budget, a reserve fund, and an annual audit. However, I disagree with some of the city's spending decisions, such as increasing property taxes without sufficient justification or public support.

While there are many issues that are important for Pocatello, I decided to run because of the elimination of public comment. It’s not transparent and removed a layer of accountability. Public transparency means being open, honest, and accountable to the people who elect me. It means communicating clearly and regularly with the public about the issues that affect them, listening to their concerns, and explaining the rationale behind my decisions. It also means disclosing any potential conflicts of interest and adhering to high ethical standards. However, public transparency does not mean compromising on confidentiality when dealing with sensitive or legal information or violating the privacy rights of individuals or groups.

My top three goals are

1: Have more oversight of zoning to promote additional and more affordable housing and better business zoning to promote more sustainable and community-oriented businesses and a more livable city. 2: Better pay and facilities for our first responders. 3: Reinstate public comment.

I would like to collaborate with the zoning board to examine current zoning practices, encourage zoning that facilitates higher-density housing in the core of Pocatello, and work with planners to ensure the 2040 Comprehensive Plan continues to be enacted. I would like to work with community leaders like NeighborWorks to further promote affordable housing. I would also examine business zoning to see where more productive and community-engaged businesses can be established instead of additional resource-intensive businesses like car washes. More sidewalks, bike lanes, community gardens, and better code enforcement will also make Pocatello more desirable to live.

I would advocate for our first responders to have better pay where possible and collaborate with the county to fund the facilities and equipment they need to serve our community.

Day one, I would make a motion to reinstate the line-item agenda that previously allowed for public comment.

I would advocate for establishing partnerships between local businesses and schools. These partnerships can provide resources, supplies, and funding for special programs. They can also offer internship and mentorship opportunities for students. I would support auxiliary services such as after-school programs, community centers, and youth activity programs that complement the work our educators do.

I would like to collaborate with local organizations and Idaho State University to further offer discounted or free professional development opportunities for teachers. I would like to work with local businesses to encourage them to provide discounts to teachers from school supplies to dining to health and fitness. I would encourage community volunteer programs for SD25 to support our teachers with classroom help and tutoring.

I want to have an open and collaborative relationship with SD25. This includes regular joint meetings, shared use of district and city facilities for education and city events, joint town halls, joint youth activity programs that benefit both the district's and city's goals, and city support for the use of public spaces for education related special events.

At the city level, as mentioned above, I would try to establish more partnerships between businesses, ISU, and the community to support both students and educators. I would like to focus on continued implementation of youth activities both within schools and outdoors including partnerships with groups like the Boys and Girls Club and implementing programs like community gardens. At the state level, I would advocate for our city's and school district's students to our legislators. I would stay informed about state-level grants that can benefit our local education and I would promote public awareness so that our community can stay informed and participate in discussions how state decisions affect Pocatello.

I would love to see our teachers paid more. I would like to see more after-school and youth programs. There should be more of an emphasis on mental health with our students and teachers both within the education and with resources. I would like to see the implementation of more technology and facility upgrades and renovations to promote a modern, safe, and dynamic education environment. We should better develop a culture of life-long learning not just in formal education, but also in life skills, ethics, and community involvement.

I am so appreciative of the educational opportunities I had growing up in Pocatello. From youth ski trips to high school partnerships with Idaho State University that allowed me to enter college as a sophomore. Education staff and teachers made it possible so we must support them as best we can so that every student in Pocatello has these opportunities.