Candidates speak at forum

During a recent candidate’s night, Bonners Ferry city councilmen David Gray and John Langs  spoke about their experience and teamwork.  Challengers spoke Mike Klaus, Tom Mayo and Roger Fraser focused on fresh perspective. 

Chris Clark, although running unopposed, on Nov. 3 expressed admiration for leadership during Thursday’s event hosted by Bonners Ferry Chamber of Commerce.

Chamber President Brett Brown presented questions to each candidate prepared by those who attended.

The current budget situation brought the question of how each candidate would suggest increasing revenue or decreasing spending.

Langs expressed concern for spreading budget cuts evenly through the city departments.

“Each city department is special, fire, police, etc., but each one of them must take the hit equally,” Langs said.  “I want to  make sure there are no favorite sons in the budget cut.”  If I am re-elected we will get those cuts.”

“Those of us that remain on council won’t be popular, but we can not increase (revenue) we are limited,” he continued.  “This is a unique time for people who set policy; we are going to be cutting the expense, but I think its cruel to lay anybody off.”

Mayo agreed with Langs and had thoughts about resources such as a resort tax instead of adding to the burden of community.

“Times are tough,” said Mayo.  “Unemployment with Welco (closing) will probably be raised as high as 16 percent or more. It is going to be hard to get more money out of the community.  The citizens aren’t any better off than the city itself,” he said.

Klaus would like to evaluate each department and make sure they are not lop-sided in any area.

“I think you have to look at each department individually, see if you’re a little heavy in that (any given) department and that is where we really ought to make the cuts,” said Klaus.  “But I really don’t know enough right now to tell you where that would be, but I think you’d have to take that kind of approach.”

Gray commended the city administrators  and departments for cutting the budget as required by law.

“We had to balance the budget.  That is the law in the state of Idaho.  Our departments did an excellent job,” said Gray.  “We cut to the bare bone; we did not want to see any layoffs or any wage cuts.  We had $75,000 budgeted for liquor and we are going to get $5,820 more, so liquor came through this time.”

Clark said the recovery in our economy will come from corporations cutting back and smaller governments should follow the lead.

“I think there is recovery on the horizon, “ said Clark. “I believe it is because companies are cutting back and have gotten very lean and have gotten very efficient and those are the same keys to city government-to get lean, mean and  efficient.”

“I could tell at budget time this year I was pretty well overwhelmed,” he continued.  I will be a lot sharper next year and I will be knowing what to look for.”

Fraser said he would like to give the administrators what they need and try to figure out how to make it happen without raising taxes.

“I have been to city council meetings and have watched these guys kind of have at it, trying to figure out how we are going to meet state and federal mandates and I am definitely not a fan of raising taxes unless it is an absolute necessity,” said Fraser.