The center of this year’s mayoral race in Idaho Falls has been focused on growth—and the apartments that are popping up throughout our community. Behind the campaign slogans and sound bites, voters must ask a deeper question: what happens when we elect someone who promises quick fixes without understanding the cost?
Apartments have become an easy target—a symbol some use to stir frustration over change. Yet, the truth is that apartments offer far more to a community than they initially appear to. They potentially offer affordable options for working families, teachers, nurses, first responders, and young people entering the job market. They support our local businesses by keeping employees and customers close to home.
Snake River Landing would not be what it is without the apartments around it. They help our economy remain vibrant and diverse. When built thoughtfully, apartments allow Idaho Falls to grow inward rather than sprawling outward, protecting farmland—one of the true legacies of this community and a source of our famous potatoes.
A campaign built on fear of apartments is not a community campaign—it’s a campaign against it.
We should be deeply concerned by any candidate who claims they can “cancel” apartment projects or “pull permits” to stop growth. Such promises might sound decisive, but they are dangerous. Developers and builders rely on lawful permits issued under existing zoning and planning rules.
Attempting to revoke those approvals after the fact would not only violate due process but also expose taxpayers to costly legal battles that the city would almost certainly lose. The outcome? Hundreds of thousands of our tax dollars are wasted on lawsuits, higher insurance costs, and lost credibility for our city. This would push small businesses out of the community, leaving others without a workforce and increasing costs across the board. Our community cannot endure any further price increases.
Idaho Falls deserves a mayor who understands that leadership isn’t about slogans—it’s about stewardship. It’s about managing growth responsibly, collaborating with planners and developers, and striking a balance between residential and commercial uses, as well as zoning regulations. The bottom line is that the Idaho Falls mayor holds strong executive powers compared to other cities; however, they are still governed by city code, zoning regulations, the planning commission and the city council. The mayor does not have unchecked authority to control every aspect alone. Citizen engagement must be placed in the early stages, not just at the polls every few years.
Apartments are not the cause of our problems. They are part of the solution to keeping Idaho Falls livable for everyone—the young couple saving for their first home, the retiree wanting to stay near family, the worker who fuels our local economy.
When we talk about shutting out apartments, we’re really talking about shutting out people—the very people who make Idaho Falls strong.
As we cast our votes, let’s remember: an anti-apartment campaign is really an anti-community campaign. Growth requires guidance, not grandstanding. Idaho Falls needs an experienced leader who sees the whole picture. Vote for a person who will plan and protect the community we love without tearing down the very foundation that keeps it growing.
Dan Barker, Master of Human Resource Management, is a local consultant and the chair of the Bonneville County Democratic Central Committee.