The citizens of Bellevue will soon be asked to vote on who should fill three City Council seats and the mayor's office during the annual city election slated for Monday, April 4. The public this week sampled a taste of the candidates' views during an evening of "Pizza and Politics" at Bellevue City Hall.
The forum invited candidates to address issues such as municipal services, growth and annexation during a question-and-answer forum Tuesday, March 22, hosted by the Idaho Mountain Express.
All candidates vying for three City Council seats and the mayor's seat were invited.
Incumbent council members Eric Allen, Tammy Eaton and Vivian Ivie have signed on to run for another term. The other candidates running for City Council seats include Shaun Mahoney, a Bellevue resident, and Chris Koch, a city Planning and Zoning commissioner.
At the last minute, City Councilman Jon Anderson, who is the only candidate running for mayor, announced he would be unable to attend because of an illness in his family.
All of the candidates nominated for City Council, except Allen, attended the forum. Allen did not attend because he had a prior commitment to attend a meeting to discuss relocating Friedman Memorial Airport.
Throughout the evening, the candidates fielded questions that related to providing city services in light of Bellevue's tight budget.
All of the candidates agreed the city should continue to fund the position of fire chief and to maintain the library. In order to fund city services, the candidates offered varied opinions.
Mahoney offered a business-minded approach, emphasizing the development of the business core to increase the tax base, coupled with re-examining impact fees to provide funding for services.
Incumbent candidates Eaton and Ivie stressed that the continued level of service is dependent upon the passage of a proposed tax levy that will be considered by voters in May.
When the candidates addressed questions of funding city services, Koch took a firm stance on keeping municipal services within the city.
"We have to keep it all here," he said. "If we contract out ... we lose our identity."
Mahoney agreed he would like to keep services "in house."
In regards to providing services, Eaton said she would "look for ways to run services most efficiently."
Ivie said that if the levy doesn't pass, she would be forced to look seriously at other options.
The pressure on city finances is one result that has emerged from Bellevue's rapid growth. The candidates addressed their views on city growth and growth through annexation.
Koch said he supports "growth that works for the city, not for the developer."
"I am not an advocate of annexation," Ivie said.
Mahoney emphasized developing infrastructure and impact fees in conjunction with the city's growth. He also stated that the city should take care of its citizens before choosing to expand its boundaries.
Eaton advocated for smart growth, noting that considerations of water and sewer issues would be her top priority.
The candidates also expressed their views on regional airport issues. The candidates offered two opinions on appropriate sites for a new airport.
Ivie and Koch agreed that an appropriate airport site is south of Timmerman Hill.
Mahoney and Eaton stated they preferred developing a more regional airport site.
During the city election, the polls will be open from noon to 8 p.m. at Bellevue City Hall.
