VOTE411 Voter Guide

Twin Falls County is growing fast, and the decisions being made now will shape this county for years to come. I believe the biggest challenges are responsible growth, public safety, smart spending, and making sure county government is actually listening to the people. My approach is simple: support law enforcement and emergency services, be careful with taxpayer money, protect agriculture and local business, and make sure growth and infrastructure are planned the right way. County government needs to stay focused on what matters most to everyday families.

I served 24 years in the U.S. Army, and after retiring I moved to Twin Falls in 2017 and went to work in the dairy industry. I’m not a politician, and I don’t pretend to be one. I’m not polished, and I don’t talk like one either. What I do bring is real-world leadership, accountability, discipline, and experience making decisions that affect people’s lives. I work a regular job, I live a regular life, and I understand the concerns people in this county have. That’s the perspective I would bring to county government.

I believe people deserve a commissioner who is accessible and willing to listen. I believe in an open-door policy because not everybody is comfortable standing up in a public meeting or speaking into a microphone. A lot of people would rather talk one-on-one, and I understand that. If elected, I will stay engaged by listening to people directly, being present in the community, and having honest conversations with the people I serve. Republican, Democrat, or Independent, I will work hard to represent the people of Twin Falls County.

Most of the challenges in Twin Falls County center around the rapid growth Southern Idaho is facing. Twin Falls County is the hub of Northern Nevada and Southern Idaho. The growth and daily influx of people coming here for services leads to problems with our roadways, crime rates and losing our agricultural lands and waters. As your County Commissioner I will work with ITD and our highways districts to find solutions we can implement to lessen our traffic problems. I will continue to support our sheriff’s office and first responders. Managing growth and development is critical to Twin Falls County. Our agricultural heritage is the backbone of our economic success. Water is such a limited resource. We have started the hard work of creating agricultural protection areas. I will continue to work with our farmers, ranchers and developers to make sure our decisions today have a lasting impact for the better of our community.

During my years in public service I have forged many relationships with the partners we need to help direct healthy boundaries for growth in our county. I have learned how to make the hard decisions necessary to balance personal property rights with smart growth. I believe in an open door - open conversation policy with all constituents. I know that there will be disagreements, but with respectful conversations we can find the best solutions for Twin Falls County. My background as a small business owner and training in finance gives me the knowledge needed to be an effective leader.

My email and phone are always available. I have a Facebook page, Suzanne Hawkins Twin Falls County Commissioner, that I use to keep the public informed on many county issues. We are currently in the process of updating the county’s website. After winning this election I will be re-launching the Twin Falls Youth Council to instruct and mentor our high school students in civics and local government.

Protecting our communities, on our roads, from fraud, and our water ways.

I have served in the US Navy working to protect our nation, I have worked as a Boat inspector on Highway 93 and I have work to protect teachers and students as a Behavioral Interventionist in our local schools.

I want to have an open door, open phone, open text and a open conversations with the community. I want to know what are their concerns and what ideas they may have to help our communities.