Johnson for port commission

Dan Johnson is an excellent choice for port commissioner for District 1. He exhibits the skills for good management and stewardship for tax dollars.

He is intelligent, analytical, very personable with people and never self-serving. His decisions are based on a thorough analysis of the facts, and a balanced sense of right and wrong.

Johnson has the ability to collaborate with individuals and groups even when the situation is volatile. His pleasant demeanor and sense of humor come across well in these situations.

His background, which included working with private industry, local, state and federal agencies, and environmental laws will compliment his skills above to become an excellent port commissioner for District 1.

Carmel Donohue

Lewiston

Invest in Johnson

As Nez Perce County residents, we are lucky to have two very qualified and ethical candidates for Lewiston port commissioner for District 1. The choice is difficult, but I am endorsing and encouraging you to vote for Dan Johnson.

Johnson was a business consultant for 10 years, worked in the banking industry for four years and worked in government for eight years. Johnson is passionate about serving and making a difference in our community.

With his experience and passion, he is someone to invest in for our community. You can do this by casting your vote for Johnson to become port commissioner for the next six years and beyond.

Shannon Twitchell

Lewiston

Idaho needs Olson

As a parent and educator, I am voting for Stan Olson for Idaho state superintendent, and I urge you to do the same.

Public education in Idaho is hemorrhaging. Idaho public schools have suffered $200 million in funding cuts the past two years. Our public schools are struggling to meet the needs of Idaho's future, our children. More than 200,000 children and their parents are relying on our schools for an education. In Moscow, classroom budgets were slashed by 40 percent. This leaves them with few supplies in their classrooms, no money for art supplies, few field trips, half the new library books and no new technology. Many districts experienced bigger hits - reduction in instructional time, salaries cut, positions left unfilled and layoffs.

Idaho schools need help now. We must have a leader who understands how schools function. The superintendent of public instruction must be an experienced educator who knows how to lead our schools to be successful.

Olson is an educator with 40 years of education experience leading public schools in developing plans and meeting goals that will launch our children into the 21st century. They need textbooks, science equipment, computers and libraries full of books with dedicated, experienced professionals to guide them as they develop into the leaders of our future.

Penni L. Cyr

Moscow

Time for a change

Change is not a bad thing and sometimes it's necessary for new ideas, fresh perspectives, and new energies to be brought to the table. An excellent candidate for Asotin County commissioner is Jim Jeffords.

Jeffords has the professional credentials, experience and leadership skills to bring to the position, in addition to his honesty, integrity and commitment. He has thoroughly addressed in writing, interviews and open forums how he will commit in full force, his time and energies to serving the needs of Asotin County. His current employment has been addressed, and will not impede his service to this position if elected.

It's time to stop the slams, spins and torn-down signs. Elect the person who will attend every meeting, invest all his energy in researching the issues, spend time listening to the concerns of this county's citizens, every one of them. It's time for a change, and I endorse Jeffords for Asotin County commissioner.

Susan Lawson

Clarkston

Cut through the claims

It is always amazing the number of half-facts, unsupported statements that come out at the last minute during the election season. One of the current cases in point is the letters to the Tribune concerning the re-election of Sheriff Ken Bancroft.

Complaints about his commitment to the Republican party - do we really want as our sheriff a party-line politician first, then secondarily a law enforcement officer?

Statements that Bancroft's opponent is capable and qualified from a fraternal lodge are not quite true. He is not certified in Washington.

Comments claiming he authorized too much overtime for personnel - what would the comments be if he denied the overtime, hence did not provide the protection/response to a dangerous situation?

Comments claiming he refused to hire qualified personnel - Bancroft has continually requested authorization from the county to hire additional personnel, while being mindful of the county's financial condition.

Comments claiming he has refused to patrol specific county roads, bridges, etc. - the sheriff is the best judge of priorities for using his limited manpower. ...

Comments on his alleged refusal to negotiate with other agencies, specifically Asotin - the Asotin County jail currently houses convicts from several jurisdictions, including Clarkston and Washington state, at a rate of $54 per day. This rate has remained unchanged for more than four years, but will probably go up just as Nez Perce County recently announced. So why should Asotin County house city prisoners for considerably less? ...

Re-elect Ken Bancroft and keep improving Asotin County.

Kenneth E. McKim

Clarkston

Give Johnson a shot

Dan Johnson will be a great choice for port commissioner. Under his management at the transfer station, we no longer send glass or cardboard to the landfill. Those and other improvements he made there were responsible for that nice big refund on our garbage bills last year.

The port has been on our tax rolls more than 30 years longer than it should have been. Thirty years! Let's let Johnson have a chance to make it self-supporting.

Louise Hunt

Lewiston

Rethinking high school plan

Now that the dust has settled on the all-or-nothing bond levy for a new Lewiston High School, I would like to see a realistic discussion about the future. I would like to know how much it would cost to build a new three-year high school and whether or not it could be located on the old campus? In the literature mailed out by the school district, it was stated that "comprehensive grades 9-12 is a must," but there was no facts or discussion backing that assertion. Why not?

Wouldn't it be great for the voters in the next election to have some choices, such as a levy to refurbish the old high school building a year at a time, build a new three-year school on the old campus or a new three-year school on the land already purchased by the district, with specific costs assigned to all proposals?

Wouldn't it be great to know that there is a specific plan for the old campus in case it is decided that it would be inadequate for the future? When a homeowner wants to buy a new home, the prudent thing is to make sure that the old home is sold at the same time the new home is built. When it comes to public-owned properties, that same conservative standard must be upheld.

Brian Hensley

Lewiston

Consider Schmidt for Senate

I had the opportunity to serve with Dan Schmidt on the Gritman Medical Center board of directors for six years. Schmidt brought to the board an open mind, the readiness to learn the issues, the skill to evaluate the facts and assumptions, and the courage to ask the tough questions. He kept the mission of the medical center at the forefront of his discussions and votes, and never brought personal agendas to the table.

The traits that made Schmidt an effective Gritman board member will make him an effective state senator. Schmidt brings to the Idaho Senate his ability to understand complex issues, his recognition that there are rarely black-and-white solutions, and his belief in personal responsibility coupled with the understanding that we are all in this together.

Ask Schmidt about his thoughts and values. He will also ask you about yours. Learn about the candidates' positions from the newspapers, their websites, radio programs (KRPL, KMAK, KCLX & KRFP), and by visiting with neighbors and non-neighbors alike. Then, as Schmidt would do, ask the tough questions, evaluate all the facts and make an informed decision.

Jacie Jensen

Genesee

Votes have consequences

I have read with interest the articles regarding the children selling pumpkins on Eighth Street in Lewiston. While driving past the residence last weekend, I was surprised to see large campaign signs for incumbents Butch Otter and Tom Luna, as well as congressional challenger Raul Labrador (who is a current state legislator). I hope the voting adults in the home realize that these are the very people who are responsible for the laws and law enforcement they are now experiencing. Votes have consequences. It's time to shake things up in Idaho and return us to common sense solutions and fair tax enforcement by electing Keith Allred, Stan Olson and Liz Chavez.

Charlette Kremer

Lewiston

Move forward with Allred

Keith Allred is the best-prepared candidate to lead the state of Idaho into the next four years. I first met Allred six years ago through his leadership with The Common Interest. His passion and commitment to managing conflict and building consensus through knowledge and education convinced me that he should run for public office. During the past six years, I have watched him create a track record of forging bipartisanship, systematically tackling large issues and spending the time to hear from the citizens of this state. He knows the needs of the state and is in the best position to lead us out of the economic downturn and to intelligently move us forward. I encourage you to vote for Allred Tuesday.

Maureen Laflin

Moscow

Vote no on I-1098

Initiative 1098 was written to blackmail the people of Washington. The people in our Washington government want a sales tax so bad that they tacked on to this to get money for schools. You better vote no or you will pay a big amount for life. After two years, Olympia will tax all of us, not just the rich.

We have enough levies on the ballot to help schools. If you don't believe me, get the I-1098 text and read it. Then you will vote no.

What is going to happen to the people with fixed incomes?

Ken Oenning

Uniontown

Time to back Trail

Rep. Tom Trail is a man of integrity who works well with others for the good of our Latah County communities. He has demonstrated his willingness to work across party lines for the benefit of our communities and does not engage in attack politics. We certainly appreciate his promptness in response to our questions and his actions regarding education, e.g. sponsor of the Idaho Promise Scholarship bill, co-sponsor of the Idaho Opportunity Scholarship Act and support of the Reading Initiative. Trailsupports community arts, environmental and education interest through his legislative actions. It is now time to support Trail.

Jim & Alice DeShazer

Moscow

Sacred witless

In April 2008, candidate Barack Obama said this, explaining the mood of Pennsylvania voters: "It's not surprising that they get bitter, they cling to guns or religion or antipathy to people who aren't like them or anti-immigrant sentiment or anti-trade sentiment as a way to explain their frustrations."

OK, that seems a bit condescending to me, but anyone can misspeak at times. But then on Oct. 16 Obama said this, explaining the mood of the majority of voters nationwide: "Part of the reason that our politics seems so tough right now, and facts and science and argument do not seem to be winning the day all the time, is because we're hard-wired not to always think clearly when we're scared."

Well now, I guess if we don't agree with the president's ideas of how this country should be run it's because we are scared witless. No way can we think for ourselves as we cringe in the corner. Bible in one hand and pistol in the other. Personally, I believe any clear-thinking person should be scared witless about the direction this country is headed. I also believe it is very high-handed and condescending to blame all of the president's political problems on the perceived "unclear" thinking of the voters. Quite the opposite, it's the clear-thinking voters who are causing problems for the president's political agenda.

Mike Jacobs

Culdesac

Government adds nothing

Eugene Robinson of the Washington Post (Sept. 26) falls short in his convoluted attempt to ridicule the GOP's Pledge to America. The most glaring example of his illogic is this example: The pledge calls for a freeze on federal hiring. Robinson contends that this will make the recession worse by adding to unemployment, therefore reducing cash to pump up the economy.

The only true measure of a country's prosperity is the Gross National Product. The federal government does not produce anything and doesn't contribute one nickel to the GNP. Conversely, it stifles production with excessive regulation.

The solution is to get our bloated government out of the way of our private enterprise, lower taxes and reduce the size of the bureaucracy.

Gary Bond

Winchester

Gates can pay

On Sept. 13, CBS' "60 Minutes" detailed how much of their $60 billion fortune Bill and Melinda Gates are giving to various charitable causes. Now don't get me wrong, I'm proud of the Gates for their generosity.

However, this month we are being inundated by ads by Bill Gates Sr. asking us to pass a law forcing an income tax on wealthier Washingtonians, something the rest of us aren't burdened with yet. There's a disconnect here, and I'll point it out for Washington voters who might be considering approving this tax.

Nearly everyone envies the Gates' family wealth, but I believe it unfair to further tax our wealthy neighbors, who already shoulder a higher share of that burden. The "American Dream" is to be able to work hard and become rich. Those who have done so should be allowed to keep as much of the fruits of their labors as they wish.

There is no law preventing the Gates family alone from writing a check every year to cover the Washington state budget deficit, which they could easily afford to do. Of course, the Gates, savvy businesspeople all, know that if they did this, the budget deficit would just continue to grow because the politicians would keep increasing the size of government, as they did this year.

Rick Rogers

Clarkston

Nonprofits need scrutiny

We need to change the laws governing nonprofit corporations, particularly in the health field. Do you know who the two highest-paid insurance executives in the health field in Idaho and Washington are? The so-called nonprofit heads of BlueCross and BlueShield. That's why Blue Shield is buying other companies in Oregon and Washington - the owners of the nonprofits can set their own salaries.

How about the CEOs and administrators of the nonprofit hospitals? The head of St. Joseph Regional Medical Center in Lewiston makes around $600,000 plus benefits. Do you think Sister Mary Francis made that kind of salary?

Can the CEO of St. Joseph really sit in negotiations with the nurses with a straight face and tell them he is really worth 12 times their $50,000 salary?

Come on, folks! We need to get on board, talk to elected officials and get them to commit to changing the nonprofit regulation or remove them from office.

We need to elect those who can say no, particularly to unfunded and funded mandates. It just increases the bureaucracy and adds burden to the public.

We need to get government back to a subsidiary relationship because problems are best solved at the local level, not by some bureaucrats in the nation's capital.

Bernie McCabe

Clarkston

Hanson deserves thanks

I was so moved by the Oct. 15 article "Mom sends touch of home" by David Johnson, that I called and got Doreen Hanson's address, then sent a cash donation to help with the cost of gifts and postage for the care packages she sends every month to soldiers in the war zone of Afghanistan who have no family and receive no mail.

Please go online or find a back issue and read this moving story. Then send a note of thanks for caring to Doreen Hanson, P.O. Box 346, Palouse, WA 99161.

Peggy Dimmick

Troy