Jeff Cornilles

State Representative Legislative District 12 Seat A

Biography and Background

I’d like to introduce myself,
My Name is Jeff Cornilles and I’m running for house seat 12 A.
I am a fiscally conservative Republican and Christian businessman with offices in Nampa and Meridian. I come from hard working railroaders and farmers who cleared land in south Nampa in the early 1900’s.
My parents raised me and my sisters here in Nampa. I attended Nampa public schools and the University of Idaho.
My wife and I both raised our kids in Nampa. I’ve been involved in coaching their teams and supportive of their schools, and served on the board of the first charter school in Idaho.
We are active in our church, community and support many charities. I was a founder and president of the Pix theater foundation that bought and preserved the theater in downtown.
I’ve been a member of the Nampa Chamber of Commerce
for over 25 years, Nampa Rotary club, and am the vice president of our HOA board. Last year I was appointed to be a commissioner on the Nampa Development Corporation (Nampa’s Urban renewal), as well as a member of the city of Nampa’s impact fee committee. Both of these committees are volunteer positions.
I am pro-life and support our constitution. I support our business community, parental rights, our teachers as well as the Police and Fire.
I’m against Mandate’s and think that business owners get to decide what’s best for their company and employees. I also feel that our southern border needs to be closed and people vetted and processed before entering this country.

My family enjoys Skiing, kayaking, Hunting, fishing, camping and travel when we can.

I look forward to being YOUR local Representative to the state of Idaho in the house of representatives seat 12A.

Top 3 Issues

Issue 1

Growth: This is mostly a city and county issue but I wanted to address it since it is a major concern of voters. I know that we are all concerned with growth and the loss of our farmland and open space. Growth effects everything from Taxes, road congestion, water, and the need for more housing that is affordable as well as public services like police, fire, water, sewer etc. Although there is no clear answer to our growth, the cities and counties are where the rubber hits the road and can control it to some small degree with infill in the current footprint of the city and county. We also need to make sure that developments are appropriate for the area in which they are proposed, as large multi family development can clog small roads and intersections, over populate schools etc. that are already bursting at the seams. This however is addressed at the city and county levels, but I will continue to drive that narrative from my positions at the city mostly through impact fees. Impact fees are the fees developers pay to connect to and expand city services and expand roadways if needed, near their development. These fees need to continue to be addressed and increased so that the development is paying its own way and not increasing everyone else’s taxes, do to added infrastructure needed for this one development. Growth needs to pay for growth.

Issue 2

Taxes: I also know that taxes are on everyone’s mind including mine. Property tax is probably the one I hear the most about. We’ve all heard the stories about people loosing their PAID FOR home simply because they could not pay in increase in property tax especially if on a fixed income. We simply cant have that here! Until recently the homeowners exemption was $100,000 and was increased to $125,000. This is not enough in my mind. With home values doubling in the past few years we need more relief now. Seven years ago indexing of the home owners exemption was removed at the state level and we need to correct that but first we need to gain the ground we have lost over those seven years. There was a recent bill on the floor of the house that would have effectively raised the exemption to $175,000 or more but it never saw the light of day and I’m not sure why. However I intend to find out why and address this as soon as I’m elected.

Issue 3

Water: Water is another issue that needs to be addressed in the state and with all the growth, the water problem is becoming even more of an issue. As a heavily ag based state we need to insure that our farmers, Ranchers and dairymen have adequate access to clean water. They are the backbone of our economy and we need to do everything we can to provide them with adequate clean water. Their practice’s have come along way in collecting used water and treating it for reuse, and our rivers and lakes are cleaner because of it but, more work needs done. The cities and county’s can help with ideas that have worked else where, like alternate watering days for homes and businesses and asking people to limit run times etc. These things are small but we need to do what we can to help mother nature by conserving where we can. I know there is always an issue with the state and federal water rights and I hope to be able to work on some of those issues so that our farmers, communities, sportsman and power companies get what they need.

Integrity in Affiliation

Submission: Yes

“I have read the Idaho Constitution and the Idaho Republican Party Platform. I support the Idaho Republican Platform and accept it as the standard by which my performance as a candidate and as an officeholder should be evaluated. I certify that I am not a candidate, officer, delegate or position holder in any party other than the Republican Party.”