Earlier this year, Idaho Falls commissioned a “livability” survey to gauge how residents feel about our community. The process was flawed from the start that took 30+ minutes to complete, with no opportunity for open comments or feedback. Every question was multiple choice, forcing residents into pre-written categories that often didn’t match their actual concerns.

The result? Only 388 responses from a city of nearly 69,000 people.

But here’s what’s remarkable: even with a survey designed to produce favorable results and avoid uncomfortable truths, the data tells a story of widespread frustration with city leadership.

The message is crystal clear—residents are ready for change. And as someone stepping up to offer that change, I want you to see what your neighbors are really saying about our city’s direction.

We Love Our Community, But Not Our Government

Let’s start with what’s working. 84% say Idaho Falls is a good place to live. Our frontline employees—police officers, firefighters, street crews—get solid marks, with 74% satisfied with their customer service. These are the people doing the daily work that makes Idaho Falls function.

But here’s the disconnect that should alarm everyone: While residents appreciate those doing the work, only 46% have confidence in city government itself.

Think about that gap. People trust those providing services but have lost faith in those setting priorities and making decisions.

The numbers tell the story:

  • Only 47% say the city is honest and transparent
  • Just 46% believe the city acts in the community’s best interest
  • Less than half feel adequately informed about major decisions

This isn’t about the workers. This is about governance, direction, and leadership.

Growth Without the Right Plan

Here’s where it gets personal for families. Residents love their neighborhoods—76% say their neighborhood is a good place to live. But when you zoom out to how Idaho Falls is being developed as a whole:

  • The city’s own planning and zoning processes: 31% approval
  • Well-planned residential growth: 24% approval
  • Availability of affordable quality housing: 16% approval

Only 1 in 6 residents believe we’re succeeding on housing that families can actually afford.

Translation: “I love where I live. I don’t trust what’s being approved next to it.”

This affects real families trying to buy their first homes, parents concerned about neighborhood character, and anyone wondering why traffic keeps getting worse while new developments get rubber-stamped.

Basic Services Falling Behind

The survey captured frustrations that hit families every day:

  • Traffic signal timing: 39% satisfaction
  • Street repair: 35% approval
  • Traffic flow on major streets: 28% positive
  • Code enforcement: 29% approval
  • Recycling services: 17% approval

As a candidate, I’ve walked neighborhoods with concerned residents who’ve asked me to see the problems firsthand. One longtime resident on the lettered streets told me she’s trying to restore her area to “the beautiful place it used to be,” but the current code enforcement process requires her to file individual online reports for each violation rather than having someone come out to assess neighborhood-wide concerns. With only 29% approval for code enforcement, she’s clearly not alone in her frustration with how the system works.

When basic city services like recycling score just 17% approval—well below the national average—we don’t even know why residents are so dissatisfied. Is it pickup schedules? Limited materials accepted? Confusing guidelines? Without space for comments in the survey, we can’t address what we don’t understand. But we know there’s a serious problem that affects every household.

When infrastructure can’t keep pace with development approvals, something’s wrong with the priority-setting process.

Families Feel the Economic Squeeze

The survey also revealed economic pressures hitting Idaho Falls families:

  • Employment opportunities: 46% approval
  • Cost of living: 36% approval
  • Only 25% think the economy will have a positive impact on their family income in the next six months!

These aren’t abstract numbers—they represent families wondering how they’ll afford to stay in the community they love.

Why the Survey Failed Residents

Part of why these issues persist is because city leadership’s approach to gathering input doesn’t really want to hear the full story. When you design a survey with only multiple-choice questions and no space for residents to explain their concerns, you’re not seeking genuine feedback—you’re fishing for statistics you can spin.

Real leadership asks harder questions and listens to the hard answers.

The Choice Ahead

The City Council has overseen these policies and decisions for years. When three-quarters of residents don’t think growth is well-planned, and basic services like code enforcement and recycling are failing, we clearly need a different approach.

This election offers a choice between continuity with the current approach or genuine change in how we set priorities and make decisions.

Time for Real Change

I’m running because I want to restore faith and trust between city government and the people. Here’s what that means:

Strategic Growth that protects what we love—No more surprise high-density projects next to established neighborhoods. Infrastructure must come first, before approvals. Impact fees should actually improve infrastructure where growth occurs.

Basic services that work—From code enforcement that actually enforces, to recycling services residents can count on, to streets and signals that function properly.

Homeownership over corporate rentals—Policies that help families—especially young people—buy homes and build equity in our community, not just add more rental units.

Genuine transparency—Real community input before major decisions, not after-the-fact surveys designed to justify choices already made.

This survey should have been a wake-up call for city leadership. Instead, they’ll cherry-pick favorable statistics, downplay the problems, and continue as if everything’s fine.

But residents are paying attention. They care deeply about Idaho Falls’ future. And they deserve leadership that listens before decisions are made, walks neighborhoods to see problems firsthand, and focuses on what families actually need.

The data is clear. The choice is ours.

View the complete survey results yourself at: public.tableau.com/app/profile/polco.nrc/viz/TheNCSReport-IdahoFallsID2025/InteractiveDashboard