Pubdate: Wed, 31 Oct 2007
Source: Idaho Mountain Express (ID)
Copyright: 2007 Express Publishing, Inc
Contact:  http://www.mtexpress.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2296
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/decrim.htm (Decrim/Legalization)

EXPRESS ELECTION ENDORSEMENTS

This year voters in the valley's cities are privileged  to have a 
surfeit of sparring candidates from which to  choose. They will also 
decide on the fate of a  marijuana initiative in Hailey.

This newspaper's endorsements are just one piece of the  decision 
puzzle for voters. They are made after careful  study of the 
candidates' understanding of local  government structure, positions 
on issues and  experience.

We looked for candidates who understand the  difficulties facing the 
valley's businesses and  employees, the critical need for workforce 
housing, the  need for all the valley's cities to address common 
problems and the need to protect the valley's clean  air, water and 
open spaces. In Ketchum, we looked for  candidates who favor 
aggressive moves to facilitate  development of new hotels.

Here are this year's endorsements:

Sun Valley

- - For mayor, Jon Thorson: Sun Valley voters should hold  on to his 
experience for a second term. He led the city  out of its insular 
ways and joined it in a quest with  other valley leaders to address 
common problems like  housing. He helped repel legal challenges to 
ordinances  that protected hillsides and property values.

- - For two four-year council seats, Blair Boand and Joan  Lamb: The 
city needs the calm and sensible leadership  of these experienced 
hands. Boand is running for his  second term. Lamb is a first-timer 
who comes with  experience as the chair of the Sun Valley P&Z. 
Both  know when to hold 'em and when to fold 'em on planning  issues. 
Both are easy-going, good listeners and don't  take positions before 
they think them through. Both  would engage the city actively with 
Sun Valley Resort  and other valley cities.

- - For one two-year council seat, no endorsement: Both  Milt Adam and 
David Chase would bring out-of-the-box  thinking to the council. 
Voters who want the city to  engage more fully with the rest of the 
valley will vote  for Chase, while those who want the city to roll 
back  contracts with the YMCA and La Alianza will want to  support Adam.

Ketchum

- - For two four-year council seats, Larry Helzel and  Curtis Kemp:

With his background in finance, Helzel would fill a  huge need. That 
background in a former councilman  helped the city move ahead with a 
new downtown plan,  acquisition of the Town Center property, and 
creation  of an urban renewal district to recapture city tax 
revenues. His top priorities are addressing the  shortage of 
workforce housing and hotel development.

Kemp is thoughtful, well-informed and experienced. He  is a member of 
the Planning and Zoning Commission. As a  former board member of the 
Sun Valley/Ketchum Chamber  and Visitors Bureau, he is well versed in 
challenges  facing local businesses, supports workforce housing and 
favors clearing up the zoning uncertainties faced by  hotel developers.

Hailey

- - Vote 'No' on marijuana initiative:

Hailey voters should understand they're being used as  guinea pigs in 
a wider attempt to legalize marijuana in  Idaho with this ballot 
initiative. Similar questions  failed to make the ballot in both 
Ketchum and Sun  Valley.

Because Idaho state law and U.S. law take precedence on  the status 
of marijuana, the initiative, even if  passed, is an invitation to 
expensive legal challenges  that undoubtedly would ensue.

The proposed ordinance attempts to tie the hands of  police in drug 
enforcement and would force Hailey to  lobby the state Legislature to 
legalize marijuana  statewide. Sensible Hailey voters will decisively 
end  this gambit by voting against the question.

- - For Mayor, Rick Davis: Voters should award him the  seat he's 
wanted for a long time--he's earned it. As a  member of the City 
Council, Davis is now an old hand at  Hailey politics. He well 
represents the sentiments of  most Hailey residents in his desire to 
improve the  city's vibrancy and quality of life. He's tuned in 
to  the needs of Hailey businesses and residents alike. One  of his 
first acts as mayor should be to appoint his  novice opponent to a 
Planning and Zoning post.

- - For one four-year council seat, Fritz Haemmerle: The  former Blaine 
County Prosecuting Attorney is passionate  about keeping Hailey from 
the vigor-sapping fates of  its northern neighbors, which have lost 
both full-time  residents and businesses to the pressures of 
high  property values. He understands details of issues like  fire 
department consolidation and is articulate about  addressing them.

Bellevue

- - For three two-year council seats, Steve Fairbrother,  Larry Plott 
and Gene Ramsey: None of these candidates  disagree on significant 
issues or on the future of this  perennially cash-starved city. 
Fairbrother and Plott  have served on previous councils. Ramsey is a 
newcomer.  Bellevue would be well served by all three.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom