[Vision2020] Accountability Report Card

[Mark Solomon]

Visionaries:

In his response to the election questions posed by Vision 2020, my 
opponent challenged me to provide readers with an "Accountability 
Report Card". While not quite sure exactly what he is asking for, I 
am willing to provide a reporting in similar fashion to his.  I will 
gladly respond to questions or requests for additional information. 
Not having served yet as a legislator, my report card will highlight 
the other aspects of my public service to the community: as citizen 
lobbyist, as Latah County Commissioner and as a citizen activist. It 
takes the effort of many people to make change. In the interest of 
brevity, I have not included the names of the many partners I have 
had in making these accomplishments real. My thanks, and the 
community's thanks, to all of you. I include below those activities I 
played a lead role in organizing or bringing to fruition.

Legislative Accomplishments:
1987-1990: Co-authored changes to Idaho's livestock laws to allow 
landowners to create herd districts in which ranchers are responsible 
for fencing livestock in rather than requiring landowners to fence 
livestock out.  Legislation was adopted.

1991: Co-authored Idaho's solid waste landfill and recycling 
statutes. Presented the legislation to germane committees in both 
House and Senate on behalf of the Idaho Association of Counties and 
Idaho's Public Health Districts.  Legislation was adopted.

1994: Presented the budget request of Idaho's Public Health Districts 
to the Legislature's Joint Finance and Appropriation Committee. 
Secured an increased appropriation above base levels resulting in 
increased delivery of preventative health services in Latah County.

1995: Negotiated/drafted with timber, mining and agricultural 
interests Idaho's first water quality statutes. Legislation was 
adopted.

Citizen Activist
1977- Built the first curbside recycling collection vehicle for the 
Moscow Recycling Center (then an independent non-profit).

1977-1987: Helped establish Moscow's Renaissance Fair as an annual 
tradition. Donated timber framing, structural steel and labor to 
build the permanent stage in East City Park.

1983: Led a campaign to protect the people and environment of the 
Palouse from needless application of the most toxic EPA licensed 
pesticide, disulfuton.  At the time, the ag-chem industry was 
attempting to convince area farmers to treat their wheat crop to kill 
Russian wheat aphids.  Use of this chemical was halted by informing 
the public and growers of the true nature of the pest threat and less 
toxic alternative treatments.

1984-1994: Protected the ancient cedar grove on Moscow Mountain from 
commercial timber harvest by arranging for the Nature Conservancy to 
manage this unique parcel of state endowment land.

1987: Organized and led the first cleanup of Paradise Creek on the 
15th anniversary of Earth Day.

1990: Participated as lead organizer in a successful campaign to 
force the state of Idaho to clean up its most polluted waters, 
including Paradise Creek and more than thirty other streams in the 
county. This effort has led to the investment of more than one 
million federal Clean Water Act dollars in Paradise Creek restoration 
work.

1990-present: Organized and continue to lead a campaign to require 
Potlatch Corporation to install more effective air and water 
pollution controls at their Lewiston facility. Toxic discharges from 
the mill imperil public health and the environment.

1995-present: As the state-appointed environmental member of the 
Clearwater Basin Advisory Group, helped secure more Clean Water Act 
restoration dollars to north-central Idaho than any other region of 
the state.

1995-1999: Organized and implemented with the Coeur d'Alene Tribe the 
successful campaign to force mining company cleanup of toxic heavy 
metal pollution in the Coeur d'Alene Basin.  EPA expects cleanup of 
this toxic site to amount to a $359 million local investment.

2001-present: Coordinate the efforts of Friends of Moscow Mountain to 
maintain appropriate public recreational access to the private lands 
of Moscow Mountain.

2002: Named one of the nation's Thirty Heroes of the Clean Water Act 
on the occasion of the Act's thirtieth anniversary.

2003-present: Organized and continue to help Moscow citizen groups 
change state designation of the aquifers underlying the Moscow area 
and worked to implement changes in City of Moscow municipal water 
usage policies to protect the region's finite Grande Ronde aquifer.

Elected Official (Latah County Commissioner 1991-1994)
Instituted the current solid waste/recycling system for county residents.

Established the Region 2 Juvenile Detention Center.

Negotiated with Gritman Memorial Hospital to increase the amount of 
charitable care for needy county residents reducing demands on county 
property taxpayers.

Established the county's first comprehensive personnel policy. County 
employee turnover decreased due to this and other personnel decisions 
made by the board of commissioners.

Revitalized and modernized the county park system including Robinson 
Park and Moose Creek Reservoir.

Accountability
I know what accountability in government means: I was held 
accountable by the voters of this county when we tried to make the 
county commissioner's job full-time rather than part-time during my 
term as Latah County Commissioner. I appreciate the lesson I was 
taught, hard as it may have been. If elected, I will hold government 
in Boise to the same high standard of accountability that I was 
taught by county voters a decade ago.


Mark Solomon, candidate for Idaho House of Representatives, District 6A
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