District 5 Issues
Every person in District 5 benefits from prosperity, opportunity and freedom. We have in abundance the crucial factors that impact our prosperity, including creativity, talent, and innovation. Yet, the District 5 counties, Benewah and Latah, are in the bottom third of all counties in Idaho in terms of prosperity. In the Idaho panhandle only Kootenai and Bonner counties have a higher prosperity score. My objective on this site is to present information that will help improve our prosperity and support the repeal of any legislation that hinders our success. This will include the protection our quality of life and the rural amenities we all value. I believe three major areas have the greatest impact on our communities.
Natural Resource Use:
If it were not for the significant private timber holdings of Bennett Lumber Company and Potlatch Corporation there would be little, if any, timber production in District 5. Cutting of timber on USFS lands has almost ceased and will not likely increase in the near future. The district also consists of many small farm operations to the east and primarily grain farms on the western edge of the district.. The smaller farms raise and sell hay for feed and a few have developed value-added businesses such as cheese making(Brush Creek Creamery), ice cream production(Sticky Fingers Farm), and sustainable agriculture(Tourmaline Farms). Every effort should be made to:
Better Education and Job Training:
We are extremely fortunate to have the major state university in our district. The College of Agriculture Extension Service touches all counties in the state, thus providing local resources that enhance the lives of people in the local communities in our district. A major lack in our district is non-college job training beyond the high school level. A major effort should be made to:
More Jobs in Your Community:
With the declining natural resource base, it is important to expand the non-natural resource industrial base in our district. Industries such as FabTec near Moscow, The Potting Shed in Troy and PNW near Potlatch provide jobs for many local people, yet are not dependent on our natural resources. Legislative action at the state level can have a significant impact on the ability of new companies to locate in rural communities. We need to:
Every person in District 5 benefits from prosperity, opportunity and freedom. We have in abundance the crucial factors that impact our prosperity, including creativity, talent, and innovation. Yet, the District 5 counties, Benewah and Latah, are in the bottom third of all counties in Idaho in terms of prosperity. In the Idaho panhandle only Kootenai and Bonner counties have a higher prosperity score. My objective on this site is to present information that will help improve our prosperity and support the repeal of any legislation that hinders our success. This will include the protection our quality of life and the rural amenities we all value. I believe three major areas have the greatest impact on our communities.
Natural Resource Use:
If it were not for the significant private timber holdings of Bennett Lumber Company and Potlatch Corporation there would be little, if any, timber production in District 5. Cutting of timber on USFS lands has almost ceased and will not likely increase in the near future. The district also consists of many small farm operations to the east and primarily grain farms on the western edge of the district.. The smaller farms raise and sell hay for feed and a few have developed value-added businesses such as cheese making(Brush Creek Creamery), ice cream production(Sticky Fingers Farm), and sustainable agriculture(Tourmaline Farms). Every effort should be made to:
- Increase value-added opportunities for farmers.
- Support right-to-farm legislation.
- Oppose regulations hindering value-added enterprises.
Better Education and Job Training:
We are extremely fortunate to have the major state university in our district. The College of Agriculture Extension Service touches all counties in the state, thus providing local resources that enhance the lives of people in the local communities in our district. A major lack in our district is non-college job training beyond the high school level. A major effort should be made to:
- Increase support for the University of Idaho, especially its outreach to rural areas.
- Increase support for our local public and private schools.
- Increase the skills and leadership training opportunities in our rural areas.
- Expand work force development opportunities.
More Jobs in Your Community:
With the declining natural resource base, it is important to expand the non-natural resource industrial base in our district. Industries such as FabTec near Moscow, The Potting Shed in Troy and PNW near Potlatch provide jobs for many local people, yet are not dependent on our natural resources. Legislative action at the state level can have a significant impact on the ability of new companies to locate in rural communities. We need to:
- Support legislation promoting small businesses that wish to locate in rural communities.
- Support regional and cluster developments such as the Potlatch Industrial Park.
- Support increased efforts to provide modern information and communication technologies in rural areas.
- Pursue non-natural resource based business opportunities in the district.