Crowder, Lewis facing off for Bannock Commissioner seat 3

POCATELLO — Having already unseated incumbent Ned Tovey in the primary election, John Crowder now faces fellow challenger Kathleen Lewis for a seat on the Bannock County Commission.

Crowder, the Republican candidate, is a former small-business owner with experience in numerous working environments. Lewis, the Democratic candidate, spent 30 years in the Southeast Idaho Council of Governments.

The 2022 general election will be Nov. 8.

EastIdahoNews.com sent both candidates the same eight questions. Candidates were required to keep each answer to 250 words or fewer. Lewis did not complete the questionnaire; Crowder’s responses are listed below.

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

CROWDER: I have a broad range of work experience, having worked under a collective bargaining agreement, in ‘right to work,’ in corporate management, in the U.S. government, and owned/operated small businesses. This experience allows me to relate to and understand employee, management, government, and citizens’ concerns.

I’ve had experience managing budgets significantly greater than that of Bannock County’s $99M budget and led multiple departments with a large staff. I managed budgets of over $300 million and a staff of 130 people located in several countries and in the U.S. for American President Lines, Ltd.

I’ve owned small businesses including a private school, a consulting business, and an online news site.

I have a BS is in Marine Transportation with a minor in Economics, a MS in Procurement & Contract Management, and studied contract law.

I am experienced in using process management tools associated with Quality initiatives to reduce costs while improving efficiency in operations.

What are your proudest accomplishments in your personal life or career?

CROWDER: My proudest accomplishments in my career are having increased efficiency while decreasing costs while a Director at American President Lines, Ltd., and a manager at ARCO Marine, Ltd. I was able to negotiate unique contracts that resulted in millions of dollars in cost savings while in these roles.

Why are you a member of the Republican / Democrat / Independent / Other party? Briefly explain your political platform.

CROWDER: I am a Republican because I believe in the principles espoused by the Republican platform.

I believe, as our Founders did, that the purpose of government is to protect our rights, and that these rights come from God.

I am pro-life, pro-2A, and pro-Bill of Rights.

I believe in reducing government regulation and the size of government, thus controlling spending, and providing citizens with tax relief.

What are the greatest challenges facing Idahoans?

CROWDER: The greatest challenge facing Bannock County is the excessive property tax burden. I have reviewed the budget for the last three years, have met with other elected officers in the County, with County department heads, and with residents. I believe that, barring some unforeseen crisis, we can meet the needs of County residents without any additional spending.

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

CROWDER: In my campaign, I promise that my votes will align with the principles that I espouse. The work of the County Commissioner is not partisan. All the residents of Bannock County should benefit from controlling spending and lower taxes, regardless of political affiliation.

I believe that the individual should decide how his or her hard-earned money should be spent, and I intend to work to ensure that residents keep more of their income, not hand it over to government to decide what to do with it.

I also believe that residents are entitled to great service from their government. Regulations should not be so burdensome that it stymies businesses. Residents should not have to wait for months in order to have their questions answered and their concerns addressed. Law enforcement should be adequately staffed and well trained.

What are your goals while in office? Are there any specific projects or issues that are important to you?

CROWDER: I am running to help the residents of Bannock County, and that is and will remain my priority. My first goal is to ensure that spending is controlled so as to provide the tax relief that residents are crying out for.

During my corporate career I received extensive training in process management. We continually reviewed processes to ensure maximum efficiency at reduced cost. Those same techniques can be applied to County government.

Some issues that are very important to me include:

Public safety — We must ensure that law enforcement is adequately funded in order to keep our residents, and the officers sworn to protect us, safe.

Veterans — We all owe a debt of gratitude to those who fought for our country. Our veterans should be able to quickly receive the services that have been promised to them.

Do you have any plans to significantly reduce or expand staffing or make changes to the county budget if elected? Are there areas that need more funding or areas where cutbacks could be made?

CROWDER: As mentioned above, I do not see a need to increase the County budget. What we do need is proper prioritization.

The Sheriff’s department, particularly in the jail, should have more deputies. This is a matter of safety, both for the inmates and for the officers.

The Prosecutor’s office has only half the authorized number of attorneys. They must be adequately staffed to meet the workload required of them. Not to do so delays justice and will inevitably result an increase in crime.

All residents should be able to meet with government officials in a timely manner. For example, veterans should not have to wait for two months in order to get an appointment and the help that they are entitled to receive.

We have the money in the budget to meet these needs if we make them a priority.

As an elected official how will you work with the media to disseminate important information to the public?

CROWDER: It is important that government actors be transparent in their actions. That includes providing press releases to media outlets, answering questions from reporters, and providing information to and answering questions raised by government watchdog groups, such as Pocatello for Accountable Government Entities.

In addition, I am happy to meet with individuals and organizations to discuss concerns, just as I have throughout my campaign. I’ve been proactive in reaching out to individuals and groups in our community and will continue to be if elected.

I’ve heard more than one candidate state that they will have an “open door policy.” This is unrealistic. Elected positions in Bannock County are full time jobs … or at least they should be. I intend to work full time for the people of Bannock County. Part of the job is meeting with residents and organizations. I will schedule time to do that at the convenience of residents, including after work hours in order to accommodate our citizen’s schedules.