(Pocatello for Accountable Government Entities, October 13, 2025)
Pocatello for Accountable Government Entities, a local government watchdog group, sent each City Council and Mayoral candidate a questionnaire focused on current issues the city faces. Below are City Council Candidate Jim Young’s responses:
1. The Right-of-Way (ROW) fees currently built into the three Enterprise Department Budgets are nearly identical to interfund fees that were ruled unlawful in Nez Perce district court. Do you support or oppose the elimination of these fees? Why?
I support the elimination of the Right-of-Way fees because as a business owner in Pocatello, I understand the importance of operating our city under a solid legal foundation. When the interfund fees were ruled unlawful in Nez Perce District Court that should have set off alarm bells in our city. These fees have collected millions of dollars from Pocatello Residents since 2014. We’re putting the taxpayers at risk by potentially exposing our city to costly lawsuits down the line which potentially takes away funds better used elsewhere in our city. As someone from the business community, I believe in accountability and doing things the right way. We need city leadership that will address this issue head-on, eliminate these questionable fees, and find lawful ways to fund our city services. That’s the responsible thing to do for Pocatello’s residents and businesses.
I oppose the “One City” notion right now. Listen, I get the allure of the idea—hypothetically, combining Pocatello and Chubbuck might gain efficiencies and perhaps cut out duplicative service. As a businessman, I am always looking for ways to be more efficient and cut out useless spending. But here’s the reality, the public has already had their say on this. In 2020, Bannock County voters rejected even exploring the notion by a 53% no vote. Chubbuck residents specifically showed they didn’t care. Democracy is important, and we need to respect what has been spoken by the people. I’ve learned each city has its own unique culture, its own priorities, and its own way of getting things done. Forcing one through a merger when one community very clearly does not want to isn’t going to bring the cooperation and harmony we’d need in order to make it work. As a member of the business community, I believe that we must consider what Pocatello can influence and what it can do: get its own financial house in order, cut out illicit fees like ROW charges, and get our city government more effective and accountable. We don’t have to consolidate with Chubbuck to achieve that—we just need some common-sense leadership and responsible governance. Let’s get Pocatello right first. That’s why I’m running.
Yes, the public has a right to know. As a businessman, I’ve found that honesty generates trust. When something goes wrong, being honest with people is what saves credibility. The same is true in local government. When the City is sued, we taxpayers are on the hook for attorney fees and potential settlements. When a city employee is charged with outrageous behavior like sexual harassment, that undercuts the credibility of our government and potentially exposes us to liability. That’s not small potatoes—it affects us directly in our community and our pockets. I am running because I believe it is my civic responsibility to ensure we have honest, transparent leadership on the City Council. That means speaking the truth to residents even if the message isn’t a good one. Withholding facts that put the City or its officials in a negative light erodes public trust and prevents us from being able to hold our government accountable. Our business community knows that sunlight is the best disinfectant. We need city leadership that functions the same way—openly, honestly, and without hidden agendas. That’s the kind of representation Pocatello needs.
