Editor's note: Blaine County residents will go to the polls Tuesday, Nov. 7, to decide who will fill several key county and state offices, the fate of two controversial statewide propositions, the fate of two city bond proposals, and to select a representative for Congress for the next two years. Here through Page A28, you will find complete coverage of the major races and ballot questions, including a map of polling places on Page A17. Our coverage starts with a look at the four candidates running for two seats on the Blaine County Commission.
Growth—how should it occur, where and at what rate?
That's arguably the greatest issue facing the four candidates vying for two seats on Blaine County's Board of County Commissioners in the Nov. 7 election.
Republican Dale Ewersen and Democrat Larry Schoen are battling it out to replace Commissioner Dennis Wright—who's retiring—in District 1, which represents the southern third of the county.
Incumbent Democrat Sarah Michael is being challenged by Independent Mickey Garcia to represent District 3, which covers Ketchum and the north county.
Tom Bowman, who represents District 2 (mid-county, including Hailey) was elected to a four-year term in 2004.
Citizens can vote for candidates in both districts, regardless of where they live.
Blaine County's population is expected to increase by at least 10,000 people in the next 20 years and developers are champing at the bit to supply the anticipated increase in demand. Numerous large-scale developments are currently in the pipeline, in one phase or another.
But is the population surge really inevitable? And are enormous developments truly necessary?
While all four candidates agree that future development is one of the greatest challenges facing the county, they disagree on how it should be administered.
The debate is strongest in District 1, mainly because it has the most development potential of all three districts.
Ewersen, a Bellevue business owner and insurance agent, believes the county should create land-use ordinances that foster growth and protect private property rights while conserving agricultural land, open space and wildlife corridors. He was opposed to the county's 2025 plan, which contained a series of ordinances that slashed development potential in the county's rural and environmentally sensitive areas. Although he's withdrawn his support for Proposition 2, he's endorsed and financially backed by Citizens for Responsible Government, which is the country's largest Proposition 2 advocate. Proposition 2 is designed to enhance private property rights and limit local government. The Idaho initiative would force local governments to pay landowners when new land-use laws reduce the value of their properties. In lieu of payment, the county can repeal the land-use restrictions.
In addition to conserving the county's natural resources, Schoen has said he is committed to protecting Blaine County's quality of life.
"Live here to build, or build here to live?" Schoen asks in his campaign advertisement that has run in the Mountain Express. "Quality of life comes first."
Development that does occur must be subject to "the latest science and sound analysis," he said.
Schoen, who was named environmental farmer of the year by Coors Brewery in 2003, wants to preserve what's left of the county's affordability, boost community housing and enhance public transportation.
Sarah Michael was instrumental in the creation and establishment of the Blaine County 2025 planning effort. She believes her track record over the last six years shows "that when I make promises, I keep them."
Among those promises was the establishment of bus service between Bellevue and Ketchum/Sun Valley.
"I committed to preserve our quality of life: Now we have new land-use rules that maintain the rural character of the county, provide affordable housing and protect water quality and natural resources," she said.
She has also been battling the north county's high cost of housing and escalating property taxes and voted to approve an ordinance requiring 20 percent community housing in all future county subdivisions. She doesn't believe that the county can "build our way out of this problem by encouraging unlimited growth in the unincorporated county."
She also thinks that county grants can go a long way toward relieving taxpayers.
Garcia is a regular attendee of city and county meetings and an outspoken critic of what he regards as abuses of power by small governments.
He promises to "fight against the obstruction of development" with new ordinances that are simple and fair.
He thinks building height limits should be raised to five stories for developments that include 25 to 30 percent entry-level housing for both rent and sale, and the units should be mixed income.
He also thinks local governments should establish a land-acquisition fund to foster the creation of entry-level housing.
"Time is running out," he said.
Garcia considers Michael to be a friend but he thinks she has been "brainwashed" by cultural elitists who want to shut the door on future development in the county and ignore the rights of private property holders.
