Pocatello Mayoral candidates share their perspectives on the Gate City

POCATELLO, Idaho (KIFI) - On Tuesday, Pocatello voters will select their next mayor in a runoff election.

The vote is between incumbent Mayor Brian Blad and his challenger David Worley.  

Worley says getting elected will allow him the chance to improve on what he says is a big taxation problem in the city. 

"We just can't afford to have taxes keep going up this much every single year," Worley said. "I think people recognize that throughout the city, and I'm the only candidate in this race that has serious proposals and recognizes that we need to reduce city spending, so we can get our taxes under control."

Blad says Worley's concerns don't add up. 

"The city of Pocatello is right in the middle of the state, and so to say that we're the highest tax-rated city in the state is just absolutely not true," Blad said.

Blad says since taking office in 2010, the city has seen tremendous growth under his leadership. 

"At the end of the day, we've got an unemployment rate of 2.1%," Blad said. "We've added 260 new businesses to Pocatello. We have added over 200 million in payroll to our citizens in Pocatello, and we've got more people working today than we've had working in the past."

Worley says he doesn't believe in Blad's past performance, and believes he is the right man for the job going forward. 

"I think this election is a choice between the past and the future," Worley said. "Are we going to have ever-rising spending, ever-rising taxation and not be secure in our freedoms? Or are we going to have a free and prosperous Pocatello? And that's what I want to provide for my fellow citizens and also for my children."

For both Worley and Blad, working with everyone in the Gate City is important in order to be successful. 

"Even though there's people out there who may not think that I'm the man for the job and obviously I’m not going to get 100% of the vote, their issues are important, and I'm going to seek to represent their interests as well," Worley said.

"We need to show that we are working as one unit, regardless of what our religious beliefs are or political beliefs are or any of that stuff," Blad said. "We're working together and will continue to do so."

Polls will be open Tuesday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.