Challenger running against Bannock County Commission chair

POCATELLO – A challenger is running to unseat the chairman of the Bannock County Commission.

Incumbent Bannock County Commission Chairman Jeff Hough, who represents District 2, is seeking to get reelected by his constituents, while challenger Chris Schnitzler is running to replace him.

Hough was elected in 2020 after being appointed to fill a vacancy that year.

EastIdahoNews.com sent the same eight questions to Hough and Schnitzler. Their responses, listed below, were required to be 250 words or less, and were not edited.

The primary election is on May 19.

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

Hough: I have served as Bannock County Commissioner for the last six years, applying a background in finance from Idaho State University to our local government. My career has spanned banking, technology, education, and real estate—industries that demand efficiency and accountability. Outside the office, I referee high school football and basketball and spend as much time as possible in the Idaho outdoors. I am a father of four and a proud grandfather of five.

Schnitzler: I was born and raised in Idaho Falls, and moved to Pocatello in 2003 after graduating Idaho Falls High School. I’ve lived in Bannock County ever since. My wife and I have been married for 20 years, and have 5 children. Bannock County is our home, and I want to see it be a place where families don’t just survive, but thrive. I want to see it be a place where my children have the opportunity to raise their families here, and flourish. I’m a pastor, business owner, and outdoorsman. My free time is usually spent with my kids on the many trails around our area. I’m the chairman of the board for Cathedral Pines, a Christian camp in the Sun Valley area, where we seek to provide a special place for spiritual growth, renewal, and commitment to Jesus Christ. Over the years I’ve worked as a Corrections Officer with the Idaho Department of Corrections, been a sales manager with Verizon Wireless, worked in Real Estate since 2016 (was the Designated Broker over 100+ real estate agents for part of this time), and now work in business development for a property management company in SE Idaho.

Why are you seeking political office within your community? Briefly explain your political platform.

Schnitzler: My platform is simply Integrity, Transparency, and Stewardship. Integrity is doing the right thing, even when no one is watching. This is an important element to public service, and ties in closely with Transparency. I believe transparency means open books, open doors, open conversations. It ultimately is the constant effort to minimize the opportunity for things to be done when no one is watching. I learned over the years in various leadership positions a simple concept: trust, but verify. I’ve worked hard to build trust in our local community over the past 20+ years of living here. And I expect that trust to not be blind. I will work to prove myself as trustworthy, and be transparent as I make verifying that trustworthiness a two way street; where I work to show the citizens of Bannock County what is happening in the county, and encourage them to verify. Stewardship is a posture of accountability and responsibility. As one of the three elected commissioners, I believe it is my responsibility to be a good steward of the county resources and tax payer dollars, and believe myself to be accountable to the tax payers for that stewardship.

Hough: I am running to ensure Bannock County remains a place where our children can afford to live, work, and raise their own families. My platform is built on common sense: protecting property rights, simplifying our ordinances to encourage growth, and
improving access to emergency services throughout the county.

What are the greatest challenges facing people in your county? What is your plan to meet and overcome those challenges?

Hough:

• Growth & Water: We must manage growth without infringing on property rights. I am pushing for community-scale water and septic solutions in our transition areas to protect our aquifer and keep housing costs manageable for local families.
• Targeted Economic Growth: We are 75 miles from the INL. I want to position
  Bannock County as the primary hub for the nuclear energy supply chain, using public-
  private partnerships rather than tax hikes to attract high-paying jobs.
• Emergency Services: Growth requires faster response times. I support regionalizing
  our ambulance and rural fire services to capture grant funding and improve efficiency
  without adding a new burden to the taxpayer.

Schnitzler: I believe affordability is the greatest challenge facing citizens of Bannock County. Affordability comes down to the bottom line of the average person’s household budget. Improving the bottom line can be done in two ways: increase income or decrease expenses. Many households in the county are already working multiple jobs while living on a paycheck to paycheck budget, and have little opportunity to effectively increase their budgets. They also have little control over many of the expenses of their households. I believe minimizing unnecessary spending that drives taxes is the best way the county can help citizens overcome these challenges.

How will you best represent the views of your constituents – even those with differing political views? How do partisan politics play into your role as an elected leader?

Schnitzler: Many of the partisan issues that arise have little to do with the role of commissioner. Where we may find disagreement in some areas, the ultimate role of commissioner is non-partisan. It is a reasonable budget, with cautious and judicious spending in areas that impact the quality of life for all citizens, regardless of political affiliation. Where conflict arises, open communication and seeking to understand the worldview of everyone involved is critical. That being said, reducing unnecessary spending and being transparent and accountable for where the tax dollars are spent is something I think everyone in the county can get behind.

Hough: As a Commissioner, my job is to solve problems, not play politics. I lean on my conservative values to guide my decisions, but a good idea is a good idea regardless of where it starts. I will always listen to any resident who has a practical solution to improve our county.

What parts of the county budget could use more funding? Where are places in the budget where cuts could be made?

Hough: Our budget is lean, and my priority is keeping it that way. Rather than looking for “more funding” through taxes, I look for “more efficiency” through technology and
better management. I support re-evaluating aging programs to ensure every dollar
spent directly benefits the taxpayer.

Schnitzler: The budget is a 100 page document. Identifying where additional funding and where cuts can be made needs to be a collaborative effort with the subject matter experts that are the department heads within the county. A place in that budget where it seems cuts can be is the Portneuf Wellness Complex (specifically the $2.5 Million dollars that are allocated for concerts). The county loses on average of $500,000 per year on this.

What specific changes can be made in this office to increase public transparency and access to public information? How will you communicate directly with your constituents?

Schnitzler: As mentioned, transparency is a critical aspect of government. I believe the public should have easier access to public information, and the county should do more to spread that information and make it readily available without the need to make a specific request. Multiple businesses I have worked with over the years make the Profit and Loss available to shareholders monthly. One would effectively close out the books every month. Having the monthly P&L on the website where tax payers can see in real time where the money is going is an example of a relatively simple show of good faith.

Hough: I’ve worked hard to open the doors of county government. I started broadcasting our meetings on YouTube and launched a digital newsletter that now reaches over 1,000 subscribers. I personally read and respond to constituent emails because transparency only works if there is a two-way conversation.

Can you give a concrete example of a policy or budget decision you would support to improve a county service within your first year in office?

Hough: I am currently working on the creation of a regional sewer district. This is a practical, long-term solution to spur responsible development while protecting our groundwater from the density of individual septic systems—protecting both our environment and property values.

Schnitzler: I would say to better equip emergency services in the southern portion of the county. This needs attention, and will require getting input from the volunteers and departments that are currently involved. We need a plan that better serves this portion of our community currently, and that looks to the future growth of the area.

What experience do you bring that prepares you to manage county finances, and how will you ensure fiscal responsibility?

Schnitzler: I serve as the chairman of the board for a nonprofit. Part of that service is the regular updating of the profit and loss, tracking and being accountable for designated funds, and keeping operations within the budget. Fiscal responsibility comes down to reasonable budgeting for the county’s needs, minimizing unnecessary and wasteful spending, and keeping the ongoing finances open to the public for questions, review, suggestions, etc. It also requires the collaboration of the commissioners with department heads and elected officials to ensure services are funded to meet needs, while working to reduce spending in areas that are overfunded.

Hough: My finance degree and professional background are my foundation. Over the last six years, I’ve mastered the complexities of government budgeting to identify where we can cut waste. My goal is simple: deliver better services while keeping the tax burden as low as possible.

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