Jessica Chilcott

1. I became involved in policy and through that politics because of my desire to ensure that the children and families I work with, have access to the support systems that they need to be successful. I believe that we are ready for Representation that is puts good government before ideology.

2. As a social worker, I am trained and have an inclination to look at things from a systems perspective and I understand that you cannot change one thing without it affecting other operations and systems. I am an experienced advocate working with a variety of interests and stakeholders to get needs met. District 7 needs someone who desires to seek collaborations and consensus to solve the problems that the District has.

3. District 7 is a large and diverse area. Even within that there are areas where the needs of the different communities are similar. We need to improve investment in education across the District and the State. We need economic development that is diverse and brings good jobs to our communities. To support these goals we need to support infrastructure in- vestments that will allow small businesses from Riggins to Smelterville to Cocolalla access to digital and transportation resources to allow their organizations to thrive. The ongoing economic health of the Dis-trict cannot be met in a vacuum the need for in- vestments in ed- uca- tion, in- cluding workforce develop- ment, and infrastructure will support our efforts to create a stable and thriving economy.

4. To address any challenge I start by listening and research. Following the assessment process we have to determine what the goal is and from there we determine what the interventions should be. The planned change process is something that I use daily in my professional life. In therapy you cannot go years without addressing uncomfortable subjects. The Legislature should not be allowed to go two years without addressing uncomfortable issues. We have the ability within Idaho to do great things if we will pull together. We will likely need to make uncomfortable and difficult decisions. That is why we are elected.

5. I will be remembered as a legislator who worked hard for her district.

6. No, I believe that HJR 5 limits the people’s ability to impact the Rule making process. Additionally, this Resolution asks us to give the Legislature Constitutional power to do something they already have the authority to do by Statute.

7. No, the Idaho Constitution requires the Legislature to provide for a “uniform and thorough system” of public education. When multiple school districts rely on biannual levies to meet operational expenses this requirement is not met.

8. No. There is ample evidence that there is an approximately $260 million backlog in transportation maintenance. This has been openly discussed in Session for at least the last two years.

9. DoNo. Even if it were Constitutionally possible, which it is not, for Idaho to take title for federal lands; Idaho does not have the capacity to manage the lands. We can and should put our energy into positive cooperative frameworks such as the forest cooperatives that have shown to be successful, at least in the Panhandle. Our rural communities benefit from having public lands as they have acted as a protective buffer in economic downturns.

10. No. We are all aware that the ACA is not without issues. That said, the ACA is a federal issue and it is the law of the land. At this time that law requires the States to either have their own exchange or to have one administered for them by the federal government.

11. Based on my very limited understanding of this process I am in support. It is my understanding that the easement protects long term ecological vitality while continuing to allow multiple use.

12. I believe that the manner in which Idaho bids, writes, approves, administers and monitors its contracts needs to undergo a significant examination and overhaul. Poor contracts are causing problems in areas such as public safety as well as expensive litigation. This is a solvable problem.

13. We have multiple issues not just within Bonner County. Access to affordable housing continues to be a difficulty throughout the District. Also, we are seeing a population inversion that means that we have an increase of older people moving in while younger people are moving out. If we are going to be able to sustain our communities we must find ways to attract and retain younger workers and workers with families. We also need to ensure that there is a match between education and industry.

14. In 2014 I had people who wouldn’t even speak to me because I am a Democrat. I think that people make a lot of assumptions based on party affiliation that are not necessarily true or helpful.

15. We are seeing growth in areas that require higher technical skills and thus result in increased wages. We can continue to support and encourage growth in technology, aerospace, research and development. At the end of the day it is important to me that we promote economic growth that will bring good jobs to the area while also enhancing the diversity of our economy.

16. I think every candidate needs to be asked how they feel about campaign finance reform. As we have seen with the recent initiative petition filed with the Secretary of State’s office this is something that Idaho voters care about. While Idaho legislators cannot necessarily effect change at the Federal level we can make changes to support Campaign reform that ensures that our elections are fair. There are changes we can make to ensure that campaigns are transparent. If we think about the robocalls made during the Sandpoint mayoral race, is that how we want politics in Idaho to look? Stronger Sunshine laws would have a net positive effect on our elections.