TWIN FALLS, Idaho — Twin Falls continues its rapid transformation with fresh public art downtown, infrastructure improvements at the airport, and ongoing discussions about a third bridge over the Snake River.
The city set and adopted its $95 million budget in August.
As the new fiscal year begins on September 30, the Twin Falls City Council acknowledged the progress made and outlined potential projects during the annual State of the City address.
See what was covered in this year's State of the City - Twin Falls
Mayor Ruth Pierce said many concerns in Twin Falls are familiar questions seeking new answers, especially when it comes to the city's daily growth.
She said the population nearly doubles each day as people come to town from the surrounding areas for work or shopping, and sales tax doesn't cover the increased demand on city services.
"In my business, it would be like [if] I charged every other client. That's not a great business model, however, we don't have a choice at this point in time, so we get to deal with what we're dealt," Pierce said.
When asked if there's an end in sight to the ongoing projects in Twin Falls, Pierce was direct.
RELATED | Twin Falls Event Center? A new citizens committee is checking all possibilities
"I would say no, we've been discovered," Pierce said, adding that figuring out how to fund these projects is "what keeps me up at night."
Each of the seven council members presented on different areas, acknowledging changes from the library's innovations in the digital device age to the continuing search for a place to build a community recreation center.
Councilor Chris Reid said this year's budget process went like most others he's participated in. He emphasized the ongoing need for the community's input during the process.
"We know Twin Falls through our lens and it's seven individuals," Reid said, referring to the City Council. "We think we have a good view of the community, but it might not always be that case," Reid said.
This story was initially reported by a journalist and has been, in part, converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
