It’s Election Time--Let’s Follow the Money

The election season is well underway here in Coeur d’Alene. Things may still seem quiet on the surface. Yard signs are barely popping up and porches aren’t yet littered with pamphlets, but behind the scenes our town is abuzz with activity. 

This is one of the most important elections for the future of Coeur d’Alene.  It will determine the courage and stamina of the city council.  It will also determine the direction of millions of dollars in public money, now controlled by our unelected urban renewal agency, LCDC. In the past several years, this agency has given huge tax subsidies to private developers in our very popular lakefront, riverfront and downtown areas.  We have all witnessed the enormous growth, made faster and taller by the steroid of tax dollars.  If this election alters the balance on the city council, which is charged with supervising urban renewal, then the methods of LCDC will certainly be forced to change.

Am I only concerned about urban renewal?  No, I am simply concerned about Coeur d’Alene. From my experience and vantage point, LCDC is the puppeteer pulling the strings that create the decisions and growth patterns of our community. They are the deep pockets in town. Let’s follow the money. They siphon off tax money that would otherwise go to the budgets of the city and county but then LCDC doles out the dollars, ingratiating the Chamber of Commerce, the Library, the Kroc Center and the City.  Now none of these groups will speak out against them, even though this urban renewal agency gives much larger tax money to private businesses.

This is serious money, folks.  And it’s public money.  Do not underestimate the power of the people behind the scenes. They like the way things are now and they do not want change on the city council.

So, if you were a power broker and did not want new blood on the council, what would you do?  Maybe you would have your people label any new candidates as crazy, angry or extremist. After all, character assassination is so much easier and more eye-catching than discussing the issues, especially if the issues reveal questionable decisions and failed oversight by your current officials.  You might also start a fear campaign, throwing out the suggestions that new candidates will stop progress in our town; that they are anti-everything; that they will limit education and cut back on public services.  All fabrications created by whispers and rumors.

If you wanted to keep new people off the council, it might also help for a current council member-- pick one who’s retiring-- to sling some insults, by name, during a city council meeting and toss an endorsement, by name, to an anointed replacement. All of this has been happening in our lovely town. All of this and so much more

 Now more than ever it is vital that voters research the incumbents and the candidates.  Please don’t rely on hearsay or gossip. Don’t support someone because they live near your cousin, they’ve been around a long time or they seem like a nice person. These are critical times and we need critical thinkers. Read the election materials, check the web sites, listen to televised forums, evaluate newspaper articles. My plea is simply this: Don’t let the power brokers determine your vote; ignore the slams and the mud slinging. Look at the issues and what’s important for the future of our community.

Above all else, look into your own heart and decide if you like the way Coeur d’Alene is growing and how your money is being spent. If the answer is yes, maybe you will want more of the same.  If the answer is no, then new, independent thinkers are where you should focus.  You can make a difference in the direction of Coeur d’Alene. Your vote is an important asset for us all.  Please guard it carefully and invest it wisely.