Republican incumbent Hough challenged by familiar Democrat for Bannock Commission - East Idaho News
East Idaho Elects

Republican incumbent Hough challenged by familiar Democrat for Bannock Commission

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POCATELLO — Two years ago, Republican Jeff Hough beat Democrat challenger Lisa Alexander to retain the Bannock County Commission’s 2nd District seat.

The two will square off again in the 2022 general election on Nov. 8.

EastIdahoNews.com sent both candidates the same eight questions. Candidates were required to keep each answer to 250 words or fewer. Alexander did not complete the questionnaire; Hough’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.

HOUGH: I’m a Lifelong Bannock County resident. I have been married for 33 years and have 4 children and 5 Grandchildren. I have a BA in Finance from Idaho State University and have worked for J.R. Simplot, 3Com, KeyBank and Idaho State University.

For the past four years I have run my own digital marketing agency. I sit on the committee that runs the Pocatello Fall Ultra Mountain Bike race and have coached and been a referee for high school sports for 20 years.

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

HOUGH: Personally, having three of my kids serve in the military has been a great honor. In my professional career, one of my greatest accomplishments came while working at ISU in the Workforce Training Department. I led the development and creation of the first online training program for teachers that allowed them to earn professional development credits. In the first year of the program, we served over 400 teachers throughout the state.

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

HOUGH: I consider myself a traditional, conservative Republican. I believe government should protect people’s God-given rights, not infringe upon them. I am fiscally conservative and believe government has a responsibility to be prudent with the use of taxpayer money. I also believe in personal responsibility; the Second Amendment and that government should be more transparent.

What are the greatest challenges facing Idahoans?

HOUGH: Like many other communities in the state, we need to find ways to solve the workforce and affordable housing shortages. Growth is upon us, and we need to do a better job of supporting and growing our economic development efforts, which is impacted by the labor and housing shortage.

The last issue that is of concern is public safety. With the decline in volunteerism, it is getting harder to provide adequate levels of emergency services to our rural communities. We need to find creative ways to fill the service gaps with the resources available.

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

HOUGH: One of the qualities I bring to the job is an open mind. I am always willing to listen to the other side of an argument in hopes of finding the best solution. I often tell the people I work with, I don’t care who gets the credit as long as we put the best possible product on the table.

One thing I have learned from being a referee is that you will never make everyone happy. Sometimes you have to take the information available, make a decision and move on. I’m not afraid to admit I’m wrong, and because of that, I’m willing to listen to opposing viewpoints.

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

HOUGH: Since I have been in office we have made great strides in transparency and efficiency. I am committed to continuing to find ways to improve in both areas.

Currently, I would like to get the forensic pathology center project finished and begin serving our region.

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?

HOUGH: During this year’s budget cycle, we had over 20 new positions requested, and we only granted 1 new position. Like many other businesses, we have numerous departments that are operating below optimal staffing levels, so I don’t anticipate supporting any reductions in force right now.

This year during the budget cycle, we spent extra time evaluating every area of the budget looking for areas to cut. I will continue to spend time each year looking for areas we can save money and reduce the budget.

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

HOUGH: I am committed to making sure the public is informed about what is going on in the county. Last year, I lobbied for us to hire a public information officer (PIO), which we were able to do. Our PIO has had a tremendous positive impact on getting information to the public. I also do regular Facebook live updates, sharing information about what’s going on in the county.

I am committed to being as accessible and forthright as possible. I realize we may not always have the same point of view, but if the information is presented as fairly as possible, I can live with that.

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