Keep Small Town Hayden
Luke Sommer for Mayor
Vote Nov. 7!
My Top Priorities
Slower Growth and Less Density
I’ll fight to preserve Hayden’s small-town character by promoting slower growth and lower density, focusing on single-family home zoning.
Improved Traffic Flow
I’ll press to increase traffic flow at key intersections, and demand the state synchronize traffic signals on US-95 ASAP.
Transparent Government
City council meetings have often violated proper procedure. Decisions have been made in haste, with limited public input. As an experienced parliamentarian I’ll fix these problems.
My Top Priorities
Slower Growth & Less Density
The leaders of Hayden have diminished the voice of the people and allowed too much high-density housing. This will strain city services, increase traffic, and ultimately raise taxes. I will fight to preserve Hayden’s small-town character by promoting appropriate growth including single family homes on larger lots.
Restrain Traffic & Cameras
Hayden’s traffic problem is worsening as residents face daily traffic jams costing them time, frustration, and money. I will prioritize slower growth to help keep traffic at a manageable level. I will oppose surveillance of Hayden residents by traffic cameras.
Transparent City Government
Developments and key projects – including major city contracts – have been approved with little public notice. I will increase transparency on city projects, budgets, and taxes and will implement the timely posting of city council meeting minutes and the videotaping of all city meetings.
Why I'm Running
As a husband, father of five and a resident of Hayden for 10 years I’m increasingly concerned for our community’s future. While I understand Hayden ought to develop a mix of different housing types, there has been too much of a rush to develop higher density housing.
I’m running for mayor of Hayden to bring focus and efficiency to city government, and to help bring policy and practice back into line with the people’s desire for appropriate growth. Hayden’s fast growth has happened largely because the city council lacks transparency in its decision making. I have been a member of the National Association of Parliamentarians for over 10 years and am alarmed that city council meetings are too often conducted with so little public input and that council meeting minutes and meeting videotapes aren’t posted for residents.
Hayden city government needs to be transparent and efficient, re-embrace low and slow growth, make growth pay for itself, and avoid entanglements with outside groups that have agendas aligned with hi-density, centralizing tendencies. I look forward to serving the people of Hayden and seeing the city thrive.
About
Luke Sommer
Luke Sommer first moved to Kootenai County in 2002. He is married to his beautiful and talented wife, Rowena. The father of five grown children, he spent nearly 25 years in Canada where he witnessed firsthand the dangers of living under a semi-socialist state.
Luke has been a realtor since 1987, selling real estate in California, British Columbia, and Idaho. He is a graduate of Moody Bible Institute in Chicago (’82) and Trinity Western University in Langley, BC (’85).
In 1985, Luke studied The International and Comparative Law of Human Rights in Strasbourg, France. Later, in 1988 Luke ran for the United States Congress in California’s 13th Congressional District (San Jose; Bay Area).
