Idaho House District 24 Seat A Candidate Q&A: May Primary Election

IDAHO — As part of Idaho News 6’s election coverage ahead of the May primary, candidates in the contested Idaho House District 24 Seat A race were invited to complete a written questionnaire about their candidacy, priorities, and approach to key issues facing voters.

Their responses are included below as submitted, with no edits except for length when necessary. Candidates who did not respond are noted as “did not respond.”

Candidates are listed alphabetically by political party, then by last name.

Republican —

• 1. What motivated you to run for this position?

  • Alexandra Caval

    • There is a disconnect between Legislative District 24 and its state legislators; I am running to fix that disconnect. The last two years have made it clear that my opponent not only ignores the district but actively votes against its interests.
      District 24 needs a problem-solver. Affordability, particularly in housing and healthcare, is a key concern for District 24. Property owners across the district are shouldering public school costs that should be addressed by the state’s public school funding formula, which hasn’t been updated since 1994. District 24 needs a representative who will invest in our aquifer and our water infrastructure because it is vital our way of life in the valley. Additionally, District 24 needs a representative who understands the importance of agriculture and its impact not only within the district but also in the state and beyond. Lastly, District 24 needs a representative who will evaluate budget cuts with an eye towards avoiding unintended consequences for those who live in the district. I believe I have the skills to effectively represent District 24 and the loyalty to vote in her best interests on all bills that come before the legislature.
  • Clint Hostetler (Incumbent)
    
    • Did not respond.

• 2. What experience has prepared you to serve?

  • Alexandra Caval

    • I have earned a J.D. from the University of Idaho College of Law in addition to a B.S. in political science and economics. I have also served as a member of the Twin Falls Urban Renewal Agency and as a member of the Twin Falls City Council. I have seen the impact that laws crafted at the statehouse have on every citizen and it has taught me to appreciate narrowly-tailored legislation that avoids unintended consequences.
      In my day job, I am a bankruptcy attorney with a focus on representing debtors. I help businesses and individuals reorganize their financial lives. My job gives me a unique insight into the financial lives of people across the district. Financial reorganization has also taught me important budget skills that are necessary at the capitol. Across the board cuts rarely work and often cause more harm than good. When making cuts, its crucial to make targeted cuts that don’t create setbacks in areas such as education and law enforcement – areas where the district and the state historically struggle to attract personnel.
  • Clint Hostetler (Incumbent)
    
    • Did not respond.

• 3. What do you see as the most significant issue facing your constituents, and how do you plan to address it?

  • Alexandra Caval

    • Affordability is the most pressing issue I’ve heard about across the district at all the doors I’ve knocked during this campaign. One solution would be to increase the homeowner’s exemption which hasn’t changed since 2020 even though home values have skyrocketed during that same period of time. Another solution would be to change the school funding formula and move the burden of paying for new school buildings from property owners to the state, where it rightfully belongs.
  • Clint Hostetler (Incumbent)
    
    • Did not respond.

• 4. If elected, what is the first policy you would seek to implement or change?

  • Alexandra Caval

    • I would work on legislation to increase the homeowners’ exemption to lessen the tax burden on residential property owners. I would also work on updating the state’s public school funding formula to remove as much of the burdens off property owners and place that on the state. Over the last 32 years this formula has passed the costs of public-school buildings and levies onto local property owners. I estimate that taxpayers would see a 25-35% reduction in their property tax bill if the school funding formula were properly updated.
  • Clint Hostetler (Incumbent)
    
    • Did not respond.

• 5. How would you balance community needs with budget constraints, particularly during times of rising costs?

  • Alexandra Caval

    • I would balance community needs with budget constraints in the same way that I do for businesses and individuals who face those same hard decisions. Knocking on doors across the district and talking to folks has made it clear that pocketbook issues are concerns, along with education, special needs funding, healthcare, water, and agriculture. I would avoid across-the-board budget haircuts because there are some areas of the budget that are already lean and further cuts would cause long-term harm. Instead, I would favor targeted cuts in the budget. For example, HB 93 created a $50 million subsidy for private school education which I view as an area of the budget that can be trimmed off and the funds used to address higher-priority needs such as funding special needs education.
  • Clint Hostetler (Incumbent)
    
    • Did not respond.

• 6. With multiple candidates on the ballot, why should voters choose you?

  • Alexandra Caval

    • Voters should choose me because I have the background to represent my constituents effectively and because I will place the needs of Idaho Families First, in both the district and the state. Putting Idaho Families First means investing in our water infrastructure and supporting our agricultural economy because both are crucial to our way of life. It means supporting policies that make housing affordable for Idahoans and keep our communities safe. It means keeping public schools strong because they offer our kids the opportunity to achieve anything they can dream of if they are willing to work for it. It means prioritizing local solutions to problems. Lastly, it means limiting government intrusion into our daily lives because, as Ronald Reagan famously said, “As government expands, liberty contracts.”
  • Clint Hostetler (Incumbent)
    
    • Did not respond.