Have you realized that something very precious is being taken away from you?  It's the essence of our freedom, it's what millions have died trying to obtain or preserve. It's our vote.  And it's being quietly picked out of our pockets by local officials.

The U.S. national mood is all about voting right now, with presidential caucuses and primaries occurring across the country.  Americans are enthusiastically marking their ballots and expressing their choices. Yet here in Coeur d'Alene, major decisions are being made behind the scenes, without a vote of the very people who will have to bear the costs and live with the consequences.  It seems un-American, like taxation without representation.

We elect our city leaders to run the basic business of the city.  They need to make sure the staff gets paid, the streets get plowed and when we open our faucets or flush our toilets, we get the results we expect.  But when it comes to major decisions that will forever change the face and course of our city, we, the voters, should be involved.  When it comes to large expenditures for optional "opportunities", we want to exercise our vote.

Do you remember the Hagadone Gardens project about four years ago? It would have changed several streets downtown and created a large public garden in front of the Resort. The Gardens would not have cost the taxpayers any money but the streets would have been redirected, so our Mayor and City Council ruled that the proposal should go to a vote of the people.  The project was cancelled before a vote could take place, yet the Mayor's reasons for requiring the vote were clear: It would be a major change and the people should have a say in the decision.

Now fast forward to today.  Same Mayor, nearly the same City Council but very different attitudes and behaviors. Now they try to avoid the voters.  They have set up a system of  tax money that flows without the public's awareness; it circumvents the voters.  This system of money is called urban renewal, or LCDC.  A large amount of tax increment money is skimmed off of all the existing buildings and homes downtown, as well as new construction areas, and it all funnels into LCDC. The rest of us pay significantly more on our property taxes to make up the difference.

We were never asked if we wanted urban renewal. The LCDC board is unelected, appointed by the Mayor, and they give millions of tax dollars to private developments as well as public projects. But they never ask the voters.  With the bucket of money in LCDC, the Mayor and City Council don't have to ask the taxpayers either. They just do what they want.   

Did the Mayor ask us to vote on the $4.5 million dollars of public money given to the Kroc Center? No.  We weren't even told the full price until it was already signed and sealed.

Are we being asked to vote on the Education Corridor? No. The multi-million dollar purchase of land is being hurried along, behind the scenes, by the City, LCDC and NIC.  It's happening right now as I type this newsletter.  Mayor Bloem, why don't we get to vote on the Education Corridor?  By your standards we should:  It will forever change the face and course of CdA. It will cost the taxpayers ongoing millions of dollars and there are other places the Education Corridor could be built.  Many people think there are better locations.  So why are the citizens not part of this decision? We want our voices heard.  Give us back our vote!

By making these momentous decisions without the input of the voters, our leaders are removing the power of the people. They've taken away our votes but will still expect us to pay for their decisions. In essence, our officials are not only picking the votes out of our pockets, they're emptying our wallets too. And, sadly, most of us are none the wiser.