This is Corey Taule. Welcome to tonight's chat with Larry Lyon. We've had some problems on our end, but we're ready for your questions. The only thing we ask is that you avoid personal attacks. But all topics are on the table. Enjoy.

Larry,
What are the main issues that you are running on?

The main issues I am running on are the same issues I ran on 4 yrs ago.....

A fiscally responsible government that runs like a business.....

A government that is accountable to the people it serves....

A government that is a reflection of the will of the people instead of trying to impose its will on the people.

I would have city counsel committees appointed by the city counsel itself instead of being appointed by the mayor.The current system undermines the principle of seperation of powers.

I have opposed the budget for the last couple of yrs. Too much spending. Too much waste.

How did you vote on the tax surplus that ended up being put in a City Council "Reserve" (slush fund) for some future use (unspecified) To be determined. Shouldn't overcharges (surpluses) be returned to the customer (taxpayer) ....to use your business analogy?

Overcharges should be returned to the taxpayer....

Larry's been answering your questions, he just wasn't clicking on them prior so that you could see them. We've got all the bugs out, I think.
corey

Why should I cast my vote for you rather than Tom Hally?

The biggest problem the people of Idaho Falls face is a government that has strayed far afield from the limited, checked and balanced government envisioned by the founders of this country.....

The city government has to a large extend morphed over time into an unaccountable clique of "good 'ol boys"....

Tom Hally represents the "good 'ol boy" system. I represent the opposite.

How effective were you in addressing these platform issues in your first four years?

Four years ago I ran on 4 issues....

Lowers taxes...
Lower electric rates....
Runnoff elections...
More government accountability...

I have consistently fought for lower taxes and more responsible use of tax dollars....

With the help of Bill Shurtleff, Mike Lehto, and Joe Groberg we achieved the largest two year consecutive levy reduction in at least the last 25 yrs and probably in the history of the city.

Electric rates have gone down every yr I have been in office.

Runnoff elections have been established for both the Mayor and City Council.

When I have discovered problems within the city I have let people know what was happening...

Usually working with the local media to get the info out to the people.

Would you support a City Council resolution for a local option sales tax? And why?

If the sales tax would act as a replacement for property tax I would support it. If it was going to be stacked on top of the property tax I would not.

The public seems to only remember the overkill incident of the muliple officers going to your home on a dog citation, but I remember other things about you such as insisting on "real" minutes for government meetings. Will you refresh us on some of the other things you have accomplished virtually single handed.

I became aware that the city had been out of compliance with the Idaho Open meeting law for years. Minutes had not been kept at counsel committee meetings as required by law. I worked with Corey Taule from the Post Register to get the story out to the people.

There was an attempt to white wash and cover up the investigation into the former library director. I thought the people had a right to know what was going on and I let them know.

Hasn't Tom Hally also been part of those electric rate reductions?

Tom Hally has also voted for levy rate reductions. The difference is that Tom Hally has not fought for those reductions. He Has simply gone along with them. Tom has voted to increase the levy. I have voted against raising the levy.

All, Larry says he's willing to go until at least 8:30. We'll see how many unanswered questions we've got then.
corey

Everything I know about Tom from working with him the last four years tells me that if a increase in the electric rates comes before the council he with vote for that too.

I get the feeling our city leaders don't feel we, "the public" need to know much. It seems to be about puting on apretty face. The library director is investigated, she resigns, the airport director is investigated, he resigns, the police chief has the Mason scandal on his watch, he resigns. The average citizen does not get the real story. Can you elaborate on what could be done to make city government more open to the taxpayers?

I don't think the average citizen gets the real story. By the time news about the city government gets filtered through the medea it is distorted or incomplete.....

People should have more access to the direct workings of City government. I have advocated City Council meetings being broadcast over cable TV or webcast over the internet. Tom Hally has opposed this....

Recordings of city council meetings (the most accurate record of the meeting) are routinely destroyed. Tom Hally is ok with this. I think these recordings should be donated to the reference department of the City library and/or kept indefenitly by the city.

The city web site should be upgraded with a page for proposed and pending ordinances. The page would have a link to the current rev. of the ordinance and a field to provide imput on the ordinance.

Larry to be fair and give credit where due,haven't other people lead you to problems within the city rather than your "discovering them"?

It is true that other people have lead me to problems within the city.....

I have been honored with the confidence of a number of current and former city employees who have made me aware of these problems...

This illustrates another major difference between me and Tom Hally. I advocate for these people as strongly as I can. I am happy to put my city council seat on the line for them.

Tom Hally would sell them out in a heartbeat. I have seen him do it too often. In the beginning I would go to him for help. Now I would never send anybody to Tom who had uncovered any kind of corruption within the city.

And why should I vote for you when you didn't finish out this term? How do we know you will finish out the next?

The reason I resigned my seat was to run against Tom Hally. That is the way the law is written.

In the race for your former seat, do you endorse one of the candidates over the other? I.E., is there one or the other that you could work with better to achieve your stated goals?

I would make a good faith effort to work with whichever of the candidates is elected. The people will decide between the two and I will respect their decision by working with the person who is elected the best I can.

Hasn't there always been a "good 'ol boy" system, and what is the opposite of that?

I don't know if there has allways been a "good 'ol boy" system but I belive there is one now. I would say the opposite would be a government "of the people, by the people, and for the people". A government where there is rule of law and justice for everyone regardless of their social, economic, or religious position.

Your attendance at certain department council meetings was a no show, have you made better arraigements at work so you can attend in the future - show there be a future?

The position of City Councilman is a part time position. This is the way it is designed. No one should be disinfranchised from serving because of their full time job, business, or profession...

One of the "good 'ol boy" tricks is to schedule meetings at times that make it difficult for the city hall "outsider" to attend.

Larry's got another 15 minutes in him. We'll get thru all the questions we can in that time.
corey

I can honestly say that in spite of having this done to me by Tom Hally I have used all my available resources to attend as many meetings as possible.

As a city employee I will be honest and say your not thought of very highly, what can you tell me to win my vote (as an employee)

As long as you go with the flow and don't make any waves you should be fine. Ignore any waste, incompetance, or unethical behavior and you will fly below the radar. As long as you stay in that "safe" space you don't need me. The reason you should vote for me is that if you ever actually need an elected official to come to your defense I will be there. I won't care what you think of me. If I believe you are right in principle I will put my seat on the line for you just like I have for a number of other city employees since I have been in office.

The mayor promised to make changes in the city grievance procedure after an exposr by the P.R. I know you have never been allowed to serve on a grievance decision. Are you aware of the Mayor keeping his word on this or was it all talk.

I worked with the Post Register to expose the city grievence policy....

I have advocated for greivence policy reform with the Mayor since the first time I met with him after he was elected. From what I hav eseen he is not serious about greivence policy reform. I know Tom Hally is not. That is one of the reasons I am running against him.

Your tone is of "figher", "conspiracy" - you have good ideas with records - can you really be effective with your "figher" approach?

Your question is a good one...

I believe I can be effective. If the other members of the council can view some of these ideas on there merits and put aside politics they could be set in policy or ordinance.

I am certainly willing to look at any idea brought forward by any member of the council on its merits and support it if I feel it is good for the city.

I would like to thank everyone who participated in this discussion.

Thanks to everyone. Have a good night.
corey