Five candidates seek Pocatello City Council Seat 1

EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is the first of three stories on candidates running for Pocatello City Council in November 2023. Read the first article here. Content Advisory: One of the candidates in this questionnaire repeatedly uses strong language.

CHUBBUCK — There are five candidates running for an open city council seat in Pocatello this election.

Incumbent Scott Marchand is not running for reelection. The five candidates seeking City Council Seat 1 are James Bucci, Steven Contreras, Rainbow Maldonado, Hayden Paulsen and Carta Sierra Idaho Law.

EastIdahoNews.com sent the same eight questions to each candidate. Carta Sierra Idaho Law was the only candidate that did not send us a response. The remaining responses, listed below, were required to be 250 words or less. EastIdahoNews.com is publishing the answers in their entirety, and without any grammatical or style editing.

The general election is on November 7.

Tell us about yourself — include information about your family, career, education, volunteer work and any prior experience in public office.

Bucci: I grew up in Massachusetts and moved to North Carolina for about nine years when I joined the Marines. Then I went back to Mass, and from there, I moved out west to Idaho and Colorado. I ended up in Poky because I love this town.

I have a son and two cats that I adore. I am running for city council because I want Poky to be a better place for my son to live. Our children deserve a better future than being a cog in a machine that funnels money to the upper class.

If you’ve ever come to where I work and bought cat food, you know how much I love my cats because I automatically talk about them and ask you about yours. I love all animals, but cats have a special spot in my heart. It has to do with the fact that if a cat loves you, it is because you earned it. You can’t fuck around with cats and not have them plotting your death.

I have done all sorts of work. I’ve worked at a seafood restaurant, landscaping, military, care provider, Dollar General, Subway, Namco, security, gas station clerk, Albertsons, Ace Hardware, Winco, and Family Dollar. I was even an extra in a movie. I am a part of the working class that deserves to be properly represented in politics. I have done some college and have never served in public office.

Contreras: probation officer 24 years Alameda county California. And high school teacher for 17years in Stockton California.

Maldonado: I was born in Pocatello and lived in Port Orchard, Washington for ten years before returning to Pocatello before high school. I have called Pocatello my home now for more than 30 years. I offer the Council a wealth of experience and passion for living in Southeastern Idaho. I am the current community engagement and development specialist for the Government Volunteer Americorps VISTA. While raising my family in Southeastern Idaho, I have contributed my time, knowledge, and skills to empowering others to fulfill their individual potential through professional and personal growth. In 2018, I organized and led a committee for a community initiative to launch a youth leadership program for high school students through the Pocatello-Chubbuck Chamber of Commerce. Now in its 5th year, the LEAP program promotes leadership skills and the importance of the connecting local high school students to their community. I was also one of the Founding Director of Kind Community. My community involvement includes: Bannock Civitan (past President ), Gate City Rotary, Pocatello-Chubbuck Chamber Chiefs, Pocatello Chubbuck Leadership Graduate and Past President Board President and board member, Elevate leadership committee, LEAP committee, Girl Scouts of Silver Sage state board member, Zonta, Zoo Idaho Zoological Society board member, School District #25 Education Foundation Board of Directors, SD #25 Key Communicators Network member, AAUW, PHD6 Community Suicide Prevention Collective. I received the Mini Howard Award from the Pocatello-Chubbuck Chamber of Commerce in 2022.

Paulsen: I was born and raised in Pocatello. My dad did outdoor programs for the city when I was growing up so I had the opportunity to spend my youth across Idaho in the wilderness skiing, fishing, hunting, hiking, etc with our two llamas. I attended Century High School and am so grateful for the partnerships in Pocatello with ISU because I was able to start college as a sophomore. I attended Pepperdine University and completed a program at their law school in Dispute Resolution. I studied in college, worked, taught English, and completed my first year of graduate school in China. My Masters at Johns Hopkins in Nanjing and Washington D.C. was in Strategic Studies and International Economics. My focus was on insurgency, terrorism, civil war, with the dual economics component, within the context of government policy. I had planned to work with the State Department but COVID changed those plans. I chose to come back to Pocatello in 2020 and I now co-run my family’s local multi-million dollar agricultural business. Since returning to Pocatello, I have become involved with supporting political campaigns for moderate candidates who support our local workers, youth, educators, and fair tax policy. I have two piano students, take cello lessons, and am a member of the interfaith handbell choir at Good Shepherd Church. Through my work life I know how to manage, spend, save money, and plan for the future and from my studies I know how to navigate government bureaucracy.

What is your proudest accomplishment?

Bucci: My proudest accomplishment is being a good dad, or so my son has told me. I also take tremendous pride in being honest and hardworking.

The work I take the most pride in was when I was doing construction. I loved building and repairing places for people to live. It was a small business that gave people damn good prices for our work, and I got paid well.

Sadly, I could only do it for a year. I had to get surgery on my shoulder because I could barely move my arm. Luckily, I was living in Massachusetts, and they have universal healthcare, so it was easily affordable.

As a city, we need to push to implement healthcare for all. To do so, we need to get on all the asshole politicians at the state and federal level that oppose it. They must be voted out if they don’t want to adopt universal healthcare. They only oppose it because their corporate daddies tell them to. Most politicians are beholden to corporations and not the people.

Contreras: that I worked hard all my life and accomplished by life goals in my 2 professions.

Maldonado: Some of my proudest accomplishments would be to see my kids follow in the path of discovering their own personal passions while giving back to their communities through their volunteer efforts. On a community level, I am extraordinarily proud of being able to start a local non-profit (Kind Community) and witnessing it continue to thrive nine years later as an entire community movement that is getting attention outside of our local region with an amazing group of volunteers. On a professional and volunteer level, winning the Minnie Howard award in 2022 through the Pocatello-Chubbuck Chamber of Commerce was truly a humbling honor. Finally, on a personal level, I am privileged to be able to pursue my personal goal for higher education by attending what I consider to be one of the top schools in the United States, Idaho State University to obtain my degrees.

Paulsen: I learned Mandarin Chinese. I had studied the language since I was 18 in college and from my time living in China. However, the first year of my masters program was taught in Chinese. We had to give presentations in Mandarin and write all papers in Chinese characters. Even with passing a proficiency exam to determine eligibility for the program, that’s when I experienced the saying “sink or swim.” I came back to Pocatello for that Thanksgiving and I had a moment where I didn’t want to get on the plane back to China. It was fleeting, but I wanted to quit. I didn’t and by the end of that year, I was able to confidently give presentations and write papers on terrorism, the environment, economics and so much more. There are times in and around Pocatello that it’s so rewarding to be able to speak Mandarin. At the Flying J south of Pocatello a group of Chinese tourists were in a deadlock with the workers over where to pay for their food. I was able to assist both the workers and the tourists and have a sincere conversation with a couple who lived near my first apartment in Shanghai. I’m proud of myself. Only 50 people from around the world per year are selected for that program and I did it.

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

Bucci: I’m running for city council because I love this town, and I see a majority of its population getting crushed under a growing class war. In today’s world, you are more likely to drop a class than move up, no matter how hard you work.

The working class is nothing more than wage slaves to the rich. You’re mistaken if you don’t believe this is happening in Pocatello. I’ve worked at a place that didn’t pay living wages to its workers, but the owners could afford a second home. They can pay low wages because they understand that a worker can’t just leave and find a higher-paying job easily, especially considering how many of us live paycheck to paycheck.

I am an Independent voter who has a Progressive ideology. Now, for those snowflakes melting because they get triggered by the word Progressive, let me explain what being Progressive means.

Progressives want higher wages, better public schooling and affordable college degrees, universal healthcare, affordable housing, environmental protections, to end political corruption, provide proper resources to first responders, and progressive tax rates.

Contreras: to assist in the needs of senior citizens and the lowering of taxes.

Maldonado: Community involvement and personal investment of time is the key to any successful platform at a city level. And I pride myself with this specifically. You need to be available, discuss and communicate with the individuals that live here as you represent the entire community.

My vision for Pocatello mirrors the work that I have continually engaged in throughout my career to make Southeast Idaho a better place to live, work, serve, and recreate. My approach is to serve on a Council that prioritizes the needs of its citizens through effective executive management, administrative leadership, public service, communication, stakeholder involvement, and sound management of day-to-day operations.

I believe the City Council must work to build consensus while cultivating a united front on the predominant issues identified in the City’s 20-year vision. Like the City’s guiding philosophy, I am “Proud to be Pocatello,” with an understanding that this is a shared value embraced by local community organizations, businesses, elected officials, and community members. This value should be upheld through any subsequent efforts identified in the data collected about what matters most to our community: good schools, mentors, thriving businesses, advocacy resources, and affordable housing.

Paulsen: I have canvassed over 1000 houses in the last year. I have a pulse on what Pocatellans, of every demographic and political belief, care about and what they want addressed. The catalyst for my decision to run was early this year when City Council and the Mayor eliminated the ability to publicly comment while half of the Council was appointed, not elected. This isn’t to attack them for being appointed, it needed to be done given the resignations. However, no one I’ve spoken to going door to door, and people have been sending me messages and approaching me, think this is acceptable. Further, I believe we need to have better oversight of zoning decisions to facilitate more sustainable and affordable housing in the core of Pocatello that also addresses business zoning that better reflects the needs of our community. I strongly support our local, city, and union workers and wherever possible I will advocate for better pay, benefits, and facilities. They are the backbone of our city and they need to be supported.

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

Bucci: The community’s primary challenge is housing costs, whether “owning” or renting. I am a renter in the city, and in under four years, my rent has almost gone up 1/3. If my wages went up even remotely close to what my rent has, I would be okay with it, but that isn’t the case, and I don’t know anyone whose pay has gone up that much in such a short time. With all other costs increasing, people are going deeper into debt, pushed from the city, and even to homeless.

Fixing our rising rent issues isn’t a one-solution fix. I want to ban strictly single-family house zoning. Many zoning laws are from a bygone era and must be changed anyway. For instance, if someone who owns a home wants to add a tiny house or something like it to their property, they should be allowed to. There are some circumstances when someone wouldn’t be allowed to, but for the most part, it is your house/land, and you should be able to do what you want. I would also waive permit and other fees along with tax breaks to developers who build multi-family units, and if they still don’t want to, then I’d tell them to fuck off.

Contreras: cost of rent, cost of food, and gas. Idaho has the 10 th highest gas prices in the country.

Maldonado: I personally have read through and I am trying to utilize some of my focus and voice on the Pocatello Comprehensive Plan 2040. This plan is a 170 plus -page documentation of the works and vision specifically through the City of Pocatello, the efforts of our City’s experts and the people within our community for a vision and plan for the future of Pocatello. This was an open working document developed in concert with public input. The plan endeavors to look at and determine what specifics are important to our community. Collaborative, Planning, and SmartGrowth within our City’s population drives the momentum for the plan with a continued collaborative of collected input. This will be a collaboration between the three populations: the public, the business and property owners, and our community leaders. The intended outcome is for positive, continued growth with housing, outdoor recreation or outdoor orientation, and economically robust projects to support the needs, safety of our community and affordable neighborhoods. Now that the message of the plan is being delivered, the next step is for implementation relying on subject matter experts and with the utilization of specifics like the SmartCode highlighted in the Comprehensive Plan.

Paulsen: I think the biggest challenge is the lack of affordable housing. People need homes. Rising housing costs affect everyone. Students, young couples seeking a place to raise children, low-income residents, and people on fixed incomes are especially affected. A group of ISU students are facing a doubled increase in their rent and they don’t know where to go. A young lower-income couple with two children have moved twice in two years because their rents keep rising. A woman on a fixed income doesn’t know where she will go after her rent is raised. These are people I have spoken to at their doorsteps. We must revise zoning to allow for higher density housing. I understand that people want a single family unit and I’m not saying they need to be eliminated, but we are pushing out life-long residents and new talented younger people because they cannot afford to sustainably live here.

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

Bucci: I would represent the views of the people of Pocatello by working to take care of our basic needs: housing, food, medicine, education, and security. These are our basic needs, and we agree that they must be addressed for a city to flourish.

I don’t care what your political view is. It seems politics get in the way of helping people, and I’m not playing the fuck-fuck games that can be seen played out on most news stations at night.

I don’t do the culture war bullshit, either. If you think trans women are grooming children, I implore you to look up the registered sex offenders in Poky and find all the trans women on the list.

The last part of this question raised my left eyebrow (it is my WTF look). I will communicate directly with constituents by directly communicating with them. I will continually knock on doors to ask people how they think the city is doing and what they want to see improved. I will also be available for the people 24/7. If you want to get a hold of me in the middle of the nite, then, by all means, do so. Politicians should be the servants of all, and if I win, the people have the right to contact me whenever they like.

Contreras: total representation of my constituents. Being their voice.

Maldonado: City Council members need to be able to make sure to be present, available, and willing to discuss the issues at hand within all areas within the community served. Everyone has a specific request, need, and desire for the issues they believe are important. As a City Council representative, I will make it a priority as the number one aspect of the job to be available for those discussions. I also believe as a new City Council person, if elected, my priority would be to meet with the people within their expertise so there is an understanding of those views, followed up with educating myself about the issues at hand. I would take care to prepare through the research, education, understanding complexities and details, and proactively engaging in discussions with individuals in our community to promote clear understanding and a unified path forward.

Paulsen: I go door to door several times per week. I like to meet face to face with the citizens of our city. If elected, I will first introduce a motion to reintroduce public comment and I would like to hold regular town halls of alternating topics, e.g., trails and biking, snow removal, code enforcement, etc. These are issues that impact every person in our city. I can’t promise policy, but I do promise to listen. I don’t care who you’ve voted for or what your voter registration is. We all live in the same city and are in this together. I want to create an environment where we can all discuss and plan together how to make a better Pocatello for ourselves and children.

What areas in your community need immediate improvement? What actions will you take to address those needs?

Bucci: We need to improve our education system immediately, not only because of the loss of learning during COVID-19 but because good schools bring families to cities.

Luckily, improving the schools is an easy fix. We need to hire more teachers, a shit ton more teachers. It will cost money, but it will be worth it. It will bring more people into the city than any other feature we could add. Doing so will bring in more money to invest in our community.

I want to have a progressive property tax and use the money we get from it to hire more teachers. Those who want to bitch about taxes going up don’t understand that the poorer you are, a higher percentage of your money goes to taxes. If you live in a fuckin’ castle, you should pay a higher property tax. It’s time everybody pays their fair share. It is time to stop making life such a bitch for the working class.

“Look, the people you are after are the people you depend on. We cook your meals. We haul your trash. We connect your calls. We drive your ambulances. We guard you while you sleep. Do not fuck with us.” -Tyler Durden.

Contreras:improve city roads

Maldonado: This phrase from the Comprehensive Plan resonates with me in light of this question, “Continuous improvement is important as we are always learning, educating and implementing for a better community.” If we listen to the needs and requests within our community members, one of the issues is to maintain and grow an economic robust community. How do we do this? We do this through our people, retaining our local talents, attracting diversity within our employers, and recruiting businesses with a diverse economic base. We also need to continue to grow with our positive environmental quality in mind through the specific beauty our area has to offer and is appealing to many as our quality of life. Our civic organizations I believe are the heart of what makes Pocatello and our surrounding areas the best place to live. We are a community that cares and works together towards a dynamic collective of individuals that believe in a good, safe and desirable quality of life. As we look to the future, I will work to ensure that we are building a solid foundation, improving city infrastructure, and investing for the next generation.

Paulsen: Immediate improvement is public comment and code enforcement. People are upset that they can’t comment anymore and I would introduce a motion to reinstate that. Many are concerned about the lack of code enforcement because of unsightly and dangerous conditions that discourage development. For example, myself and other neighbors have spent a year and a half trying to get code enforcement to handle a fire hazard adjacent to our properties. I would explore more oversight of code complaints and requests and examine their responsibilities to look for ways to increase efficiency and efficacy.

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

Bucci: As I have said before, we need more teachers. Along with teachers, we need before- and after-school programs that are readily available to all students.

These programs will help student development and parents working two or three jobs to make ends meat. They won’t have to pay for babysitters or miss out on work. Ideally, a single parent would be able to work just one job and afford their family’s needs and allow them to spend more time with their children. To achieve this, we need more than just local change. Our culture needs to change its priorities to keep the 1% uber-rich and dedicate more resources to our everyday families.

What I’m about to say next will be controversial, but it is because I speak the quiet part out loud. There are shit parents out there. A lot more than we would like to admit. Helping out the children in these homes before and after school programs is crucial for them. These programs need to be more than just glorified daycares. We must feed, educate, nurture, and let these children know we care about them.

As for budget cuts, we can cut costs in all areas. I am a minimalist and live how I preach. There is no reason to move City Hall downtown. I would rather see a police annex there. You don’t need any gild in government. Shit, I believe the mayor and all other politicians should be paid the median of what their constituents make.

Contreras: don’t know. Have not seen the budget.

Maldonado: As a City Council member and as a collaboration it is a fiscal responsibility to educate, understand, and communicate with the city budget. It needs to be looked at from all angles to ensure that the city is being responsible stewards of public monies in all arenas. I also believe strongly in investing in people. If we invest in our people through funding this will support all areas of our city such as education, business, civic, technology and environment. People are the infrastructure of everything in our city. They are the experts within their respected fields. And if we invest in that our quality of life will continue to maintain at minimum and improve through our people.

Paulsen: We need better pay and funding for our first responders and city employees, including code enforcement. They deeply care about our city and we need to attract and retain high quality and dedicated workers. We also need to better fund youth activity programs to cultivate a group of people who are educated, active, and care about the city. I was able to participate in many youth programs and I believe that every child of Pocatello should too. Ideally I would like to increase the tax base through encouragement of business development, but I would examine decreases in spending in areas that haven’t been as fruitful to the city as thought, e.g. Northgate.

What is the role of local media in your community? How can city officials work to have a better relationship with the media?

Bucci: I think the media in the city does an excellent job of covering our town, but I believe our city officials need to inform them more, and I’m not talking just about ribbon cuttings and other plush events that get their names out there.

If I’m elected to the City Council, I will send a weekly update on what is happening in the city to our local media. I believe politicians should be reaching out to local media and not just on their social media, whether it’s Twitter, Facebook, TikTok, or whatever other fucking apps or whatnot that are out there.

It seems like politicians are trying to be social influencers and not policymakers. It’s getting fucking ridiculous. Social media is a good tool, but it looks like it is becoming a way of life, and that needs to stop because most of the shit on social media is fake.

Contreras: the media should be aggressive about the truth. Unbiased news reporting. The media should attend all city council meetings. #9 relationships through open lines of communication by my answering all calls, texts and emails.

Maldonado: Local media gives citizens in a community an avenue for a wide range of issues going on – from those across the world to those issues faced by our very own local community. It is our responsibility as individuals to view and decide what we agree with or disagree with based on facts and knowledge. Media gives us a voice and an opportunity to have a voice with both those that agree or disagree with the issues in our local community. It also has a reach or audience for our community members that other platforms may not be able to reach.

Paulsen: Many like myself read the paper, watch local news, and listen to the radio. While I do it from the internet, it’s still local and local matters. People use these local sources to learn and be informed about our community and to keep their public officials accountable. You aren’t going to get that local information from big networks. Our local media provides access to insights and events for ourselves and families that I think is important for Pocatello. I also believe that transparency is key. City Council meetings are already on YouTube which is a good thing, but I would also encourage other members and myself to have a regular meetings, statements, and interviews with local media so that Pocatellans can hear from sources they trust.