[Vision2020] Show You Care; Vote Schmidt, Ringo, and Jordan

[Sue Hovey]

Tom,  I made a mistake in my letter and the apology to Richard Walser ran today in the DN.  It will run tomorrow in the Trib.   During the AARP Forum Richard Walser stated the opposes the repeal of the 17th Amendment and also opposes the closed primary. He was very specific about that and I don’t want to mislead anyone.   The rest of the letter is correct. 

My big concern is that the District 5, Republican legislative candidates seem so intent in slashing state taxes, as the legislature did last year for wealthy Idahoans. Voters tend to concentrate on their priority issues, and certainly my worries about the state refusing federal Medicaid funds and slashing Health and Welfare funds by 30% means there is no reason for me to vote for any of the three Republicans.  Not one of them ever said they would work to restore that funding.  The only response any of them has given me  is that the church and families need to shoulder those responsibilities and  when the government assumes that role it denies citizens that opportunity.  Is there something to this brush-off I’m missing? 

Additionally,  they enthusiastically support the Luna Laws.  I believe Ken DeVries is backing off Prop 3, but Cindy Agidius and Gresham Bouma continue to stand steadfast.   A sad result that’s  just coming to light:  the merit pay is missing a number of the most diligent teachers. Distribution is closely tied to SES.    In CDA teachers in Borah (situated in a high poverty section of the city) will receive nothing.  Teachers in Fernan and other low income schools receive very little.  These are great teachers.  I have worked with some of them.   One of the teachers in CDA is working with a coalition of others who will receive bonus money to put it in a pot for redistribution to include the teachers in poor schools.  I hear there’s an article in Friday’s CDA paper.   And reports from Boise support the same sort of distribution pattern that is happening in CDA.  When any system ties bonus money to a single test score then the results are predictable.  

I just got a robocall from Brad Little asking that I support the “Republican team” of Cindy Agidius and Mitt Romney. Hum.. Is the party disavowing the other two Legislative candidates? 

Sue 

From: Tom Hansen 
Sent: Monday, November 05, 2012 1:21 AM
To: Moscow Vision 2020 
Subject: [Vision2020] Show You Care; Vote Schmidt, Ringo, and Jordan

Courtesy of the Letters section of today's (November 5, 2012) Lewiston Tribune.

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Re-elect Ringo

Shirley Ringo has our vote. Ringo supports funding to ensure the Idaho constitutional mandate of a free and equitable public school system. Her opponent supports tax credits to home school parents.

Ringo opposes the Luna Laws, her opponent supports them.

Ringo supports measures that encourage citizens to vote. Her opponent supports the closed primary and would have U.S. senators be chosen by the Legislature.

Ringo supports Social Security and would work to make it stronger; her opponent would privatize social security.

Ironically, every position listed above applies not only to Ken Devries but to every Republican candidate for the Idaho Legislature from District 5 and every Republican Latah County candidate. Every one of them takes the same stand. Every one - no exceptions.

Ringo supports Medicaid, Medicare and other health care programs; her opponent would see them reduced or eliminated altogether. For us, that is the critical distinction.

This spring, our daughter, who has a life-long disability, lost state support that allowed her to hold her job at Rosauers. Many of you know her - she has worked there nearly two decades. The Legislature cut funding and refused Medicaid that would have allowed her and other Idaho citizens to continue to work and live independently.

Ringo was our ombudsman. Through her efforts our daughter continues in her job. We are grateful to Idaho taxpayers for their support. We are grateful to Ringo for her assistance.

Vote wisely and re-elect Shirley Ringo to the Idaho Legislature.

Norman and Sue Hovey

Moscow

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Schmidt, Ringo, Jordan

Dan Schmidt, Shirley Ringo and Paulette Jordan deserve your vote for 5th District, Idaho Legislature.

Sen. Schmidt, a family physician, offers knowledge and experience in health care which is a vital and timely issue. Schmidt is honest and does not offer knee-jerk responses to issues.

Rep. Ringo has worked hard on JFAC for adequate funding for Idaho's public education system. Ringo's seniority on JFAC should not be thrown out in favor of a newcomer.

Paulette Jordan, candidate for Idaho's House, is smart, articulate, well-educated, hard-working and she gives one great confidence that she will be an excellent legislator.

These three very accomplished professionals have integrity and intelligence. They don't offer bumper-sticker messages to voters. They don't promise results that are beyond the legislative jurisdiction to deliver. They have not sworn allegiance to some party platform as some opponents have done, but instead they will work for all their constituents.

I urge you to vote for Dan Schmidt for Senate, plus Shirley Ringo and Paulette Jordan for Idaho Representatives in District 5.

Betty Benson

Moscow

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Seeya at the polls, Moscow, because . . .

"Moscow Cares"
http://www.MoscowCares.com

Tom Hansen
Moscow, Idaho

"We're a town of about 23,000 with 10,000 college students.  The college students are not very active in local elections (thank goodness!)."

- Dale Courtney (March 28, 2007)





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