Voter Guide: Keven Lewis
- Website: https://www.kevenforpocatello.com/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61574795003089
- Twitter:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/KevenforPocatello/
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Kevenforpocatello
Interview Transcript:
Reporter:
Maybe you could explain a little bit more why you want to be on the city Council.
Lewis:
So politics has been stressing me out as I think it has most people. You know, for the last 15 years roughly, politics is just become more vitriolic and frustrating. And a lot of people especially, I think younger folks. We're we're seeing a politics that doesn't work for us. You know, I'm out knocking doors and talking to voters right now, and, I can't tell you how many times I've knocking on the door and someone's like, oh, I don't vote. Ask them why? Oh, because nothing ever happens or they're all corrupt or this or the other. And I totally I feel that, like I understand that. And so I really want to see politics change. My initial thought when I first started kind of dipping my toe in was like, I'm going to run for Congress. I'm going to unseat Mike Simpson because he's been in there a long time, and I'm just tired of this. But thankfully I have, you know, good friends and family who were like, listen, you don't have millions of dollars. And so but let's let's focus on your goals. Your goals are to help people. City level is is really where that work can start taking place. So we scaled back and then we're so we're doing the city council run, kind of for that reason. And just, you know, I want to see I want to see people's lives, you know, improve. And so that's the real goal.
Reporter:
So what are some of your main goals to help people?
Lewis:
So the big issues I talked to voters about right now is, is housing, both availability and affordability. Pocatello. You know, we're just, like, everywhere. Housing costs are out of control. So one of our things is we want to see, development of more. They're called additional dwelling units. ADUs. Kind of expedite, permitting processes and then find the ways that the city can actually step in with these contractors. To encourage building smaller homes instead of, you know, the, quote unquote, McMansions. Because what we really want to see is first time homebuyers, young homebuyers get into their first home. And having grown up in a home built in the 60s, they're not massive. They're not huge, but they are sufficient. You know, and I think that we need to kind of reorganize our priorities. Get people out of rentals and into homes that they own so that they can start creating their own wealth and wealth for their families. So that's one big issue. Another big issue that's kind of close to my family is the childcare issue. I've got friends who, you know, they basically work a second job just so they can pay for, you know, the majority of the childcare plus a little bit extra for this, that and the other. And, that's not sustainable. You know, it's not it's not good for the families. It's not good for the kids. You know, that these parents are having to work all these, you know, these extra hours just to afford childcare. And childcare is largely a thankless job. A lot of these childcare workers, you know, they they're not in it for the money. They're in it because they love the kids, and they want to see the kids do well. But I think that we need to improve, you know, what we're doing in childcare and give families kind of the ability to afford it. But if they don't want to go into childcare, create ways that maybe the mom or the dad, right, can stay home with the kids. So what creative things can we do to help alleviate that, that that burden the childcare burden with families? So those are two of the the big things. Okay. Well, you kind of just answered the part of the next question. You mentioned, you know, things that could be better about Pocatello or the housing, the childcare. What's great about Pocatello and what could be better? Yeah. I think you already answered that. Yeah. Better feel free. Sorry. Oh you're okay. Go ahead. So I think I mean what's great about Pocatello is it's just it's beautiful. Pocatello is in a beautiful place. Moving back home, I, I didn't realize how much I missed the mountains, and so that was nice to to come back and have the mountains and, Pocatello sunsets are probably my favorite sunsets. Anywhere else of anywhere. Excuse me. And, I think a lot of people come to Pocatello because of the outdoors and because of the things that are so accessible. When I lived in Tennessee, if you wanted to go hiking, it was a drive, like you had to drive out somewhere. And then there was a ton of people.
But here I can walk down the street and get lost in the trail and it's, you know, not a big deal. So I think that's what's really beautiful about Pocatello. And I think that's what Pocatello really has to offer is the trails, the outdoors, the skiing. Right, right down the road. And so that's one of the things I would like to see Pocatello kind of grasp on to. And and promote, you know, these outdoor activities, but also provide, you know, tourists and things, things to do in Pocatello because right now there's not a lot to do, unfortunately. So right now, everyone gets the same questions. Okay. Question number five. What do you think about Victor Perez case or situation? The attorney general's investigation and the city's overall handling of the incident. So the Victor Perez, you know, situation A is first and foremost a tragedy. And the family, I think the family needs, you know, better closure than what they've received. I think that the city's handling of the issue was lacks a days at best. You know, we we, as the public saw the shooting the day it happened, everyone saw it online. I come from a law enforcement family. My uncle was the chief of police in Chubbuck. So, you know, I'm close to law enforcement, and I understand kind of what that world looks like. But the fact that we didn't receive really any information until almost a week later or a week later is it's just a dropping the ball in a huge way. There should have immediately been a press release. The mayor should have been up and talking to folks and saying, we're investigating this. Our hearts are broken for the family. You know, we're going to do what we need to do to, you know, take appropriate steps. But we didn't get any of that. You know, and so people were left to speculate and, and watch the video over and over again and make their own judgments on what was going on. And so now you have these wild, you know, thoughts, you know, across the board on it. And so everyone has an opinion. And I think that part of the reason that that has happened is because city leadership didn't step up immediately and address the situation. You know, again, as a funeral director, you know, when a family is in a situation like that, you know, it's traumatizing. And the fact that leadership couldn't step up and at least acknowledge what had happened and the experience that they were going through while they were in the hospital, I think just is disgraceful. You know, so I think that city leadership needs to take accountability when they fail. But be quick to respond when things are going on. That doesn't mean you have to have all the answers or all the information right away, at least stepping up and saying, hey, we know that this occurred. We are investigating. Our hearts are with his family and so on and so on. And the fact that they dropped the ball on that, I think is frustrating and it's it's kind of exemplary of what a lot of Pocatello residents feel is a common problem in the city, is that city leadership doesn't communicate effectively with what's going on in the city. There's a lot of miscommunication about, for example, there's an underpass that the railroad has to be directly involved with to get restructuring done. And City of Pocatello, a lot of the residents, I don't think, really know that because the city's done a really terrible job of explaining that to residents. And so a lot of us are out here frustrated because we don't really know what's happening. And leadership is kind of mum on those situations. And so it just leads to further frustration. So.
Reporter:
Thanks for that. Well, is there anything else that you would like to address or any questions you were hoping I would ask?
Lewis:
No, I think my no. But I'm going to say something anyways. I think my my. I think the biggest thing, with politics or any of this just broadly is, we need to focus on each other. We need to focus on our neighbors. We need to work on rebuilding community. I, I'm the kind of guy who talks a lot, especially when I go to the gym. So I joke with my friends. I do door days more than I do anything else. So that's what my job. Lindsay. Okay, but my belly is still big. But, I like to talk to people, and I tend to make friends with a lot of these, younger, younger guys at the gym. You know, and I'm listening to them talk about, you know, what they're looking towards in the future, and it's pretty bleak. You know, oh, I can't buy a home or I'm going to try to go to college, but I don't know if I'll get a job or or I'm just not going to go to college. I'm just going to work this job for forever. And it seems really hopeless. And I did not feel that way when I was in, even in my early mid 20s. And so I really want to I really want to encourage young people to get involved, in the electoral process, to understand that this is how we change things is by getting involved. Again and again, like I said earlier, I talked to these voters who say, oh, well, nothing changes. Well, it's not going to change unless you get involved. So I really encourage young people to start looking at elections, not as just something you do. That's a waste of time, but as a way to, build your future and really the future that you desire and deserve, you know, for your children and yourself. And then your grandchildren and so on. So I think, I think young people getting involved, you know, when I say young, I'm, I'm almost 40. So, you know, but people need to get involved. They need to know what's going on and, and take pride, you know, that they can be involved. So.
