Think local, vote Stolley for sheriff

I support Travis Stolley for Boundary County sheriff. In listening to the candidates and reviewing their websites, some things seem appealing on the surface, but others are deeply concerning.

I am a person of faith. But I bristle when I see the mixture of church and state. In past elections, we saw political signs in area churches and politicization of the pulpit. Candidate Jon VanGesen, on his website, trumpets his faith. That’s a red line for me. I applaud his faith, but I still remember high school civics class and the separation of church and state. Also, the $200,000 settlement against him, lack of local endorsements, and the website seemed King County polished.

Dave Schuman was a “no vote” as soon as I saw him trumpet his association with the Constitutional Sheriffs & Peace Officers Association and the Idaho Constitutional Sheriffs Association. Both organizations think that the state of Idaho and the U.S. government are subordinate to the county sheriff. I can’t support this insubordination.

There are many things I like about Travis Stolley:

Local – Part of a multi-generational family that has called Boundary County home, he has a slew of endorsements from local people I admire and trust including the current Bonners Ferry police chief as well as past police chiefs and sheriffs.

Qualifications – Stolley displays impressive qualifications, but the one that stands out the most for me is school resource officer for all Boundary County schools and DARE instructor. There is great value in a police officer who knows students intimately, can encourage good behavior, and sometimes handles problems with a soft hand.

Neighbor – I’ve spoken with several neighbors of Stolley’s who sing his praises. I feel he will police neighborly.

I close by saying this is nothing about VanGesen or Schuman as people. I’d probably like them as friends. Just not for the sheriff.

DR. MARTY BECKER, DVM

Bonners Ferry