Like most, I am following these interim elections with great intensity. The stakes are so high. I have been reading about each candidate, studying his or her stands and qualifications, and of those in office, their voting record. It is nice that so many are hard working, likeable and known to many. Some have lived here for many years and some are transplants like most of us. But these are irrelevant and have not saved our community from the poor performances of our elected officials.
Many of our businesses are small, owned by well-liked locals. They are struggling just to stay above water. Many have failed, and these nice people have been forced to leave. We cannot burden our citizens with more business, property and income taxes. No more special elections on levies at inconvenient times and inconvenient places. Small businesses know that $250,000 is not rich. By the time you pay unemployment insurance, health insurance and payroll taxes, there isn't much left to run your company.
We can't follow the path that our local politicians have taken us. It is for these reasons that I support Jim Donoval and Alex Sutter.
Jim has worked with small and medium-size businesses. He has legal experience with municipalities and state. He is a fiscal conservative.
Alex is a small-business owner, served on P&Z and has organized annual Red Cross blood drives. He believes in a hand up, not a handout.
Sheila McBroom
Ketchum
