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Position 1
Question 1
What do you believe to be the most important issue
facing our city and why?
Ron Edinger
Responsible growth: It is important that we keep a
balanced population in our city. I do no want to see our
community become the haves and the have-nots. This type of
division of our citizens in not healthy for any city.
Dan Gookin
Growth. It's coming. Growth is good, but it must be
handled intelligently, with foresight . Taxpayer dollars
should not be used to stimulate growth. And above all,
growth must pay for itself. We must look toward long term
solutions now to preserve our quality of life, extend our
infrastructure, and protect our green spaces.
Question 2
Recently, a lot of discussion has centered on the
need for providing affordable, workforce housing for our
city’s teachers, police officers, firefighters, and other
working citizens. What are two ways you believe the City can
help facilitate affordable, workforce housing in Coeur
d'Alene?
Ron Edinger
We need to work strenuously with the Idaho Housing
Finance Assoc. (Jack Beebe), to see if we can assist these
programs, through some acceptable city fee adjustments, if
possible. We need to provide a housing environment for all
incomes.
Dan Gookin
One way for government to help facilitate affordable
housing is to let private enterprise have more
participation. Projects like Habitat for Humanity are
providing homes in our community now. It's a proven model
that should be encouraged. We need to continue to find other
private enterprises that are willing to address the specific
needs of the groups referred to. The second way to make
housing more affordable is to use the tool of economic
development to help attract career-level jobs to Coeur
d'Alene, just as has been done in Twin Falls and Post Falls.
With the increased income that career-level jobs bring,
workforce housing will not longer be as great an issue.
Question 3
What is your position on the development of the
current Stimson DeArmond lumber mill into an Education
Corridor/University Place and why?
Ron Edinger
Go for it! in everyway possible that we can. Education,
education, education, contributes a stronger workforce, and
a higher pay scale. It will offer increased academic and
trade skills. It is an encouragement to our young and others
that they can work for a higher education, with possibly
less debt.
Dan Gookin
Education is vital to the future of Coeur d'Alene. We
need to support institutions like Lewis-Clark State College
and the University of Idaho which are brining more 4-year
and Masters degrees to our citizens. This helps spurs the
growth of high-income jobs in the area. As your future
councilman, I'll do all I can to support NICHE and provide
for the future of education, all while assuring that every
taxpayer dollar is well spent. An Education
Corridor/University Place would be a valued asset to this
community; Costs need to be justified, and all options for
locations should be looked at.
Question 4
Do you support urban renewal districts and tax
increment financing as an economic development tool? Why or
why not?
Ron Edinger
Yes! It has been a helpful asset to our city. This
concept is being used all over the country to improve
cities. This is not just a concept in Coeur d’Alene. The
Coeur d’Alene Library, Kroc Center, Mill River Park,
Riverstone, Chamber of Commerce Building, and our ever
popular centennial trail, to name a few projects assisted by
Urban Renewal Funds. These are projects, for everyone to use
and enjoy. I have to respect and trust the decisions made by
the LCDC Board. These members are long time residents of
Coeur d’Alene. They care about Coeur d’Alene. They want,
like the rest of us to make our city a viable and prosperous
place to live. I believe the positives outweigh the
negatives.
Dan Gookin
Urban Renewal is a necessary tool that can be used in two
ways. First, to provide infrastructure and support for
future growth. Second, to provide economic opportunities to
bring long-term career-jobs to the area. Because the
public's money is being spent, urban renewal must provide
benefits to everyone in the public, either through jobs or
by providing infrastructure that the public always owns.
This is how urban renewal should work. It's how urban
renewal works in Post Falls. It obeys the Idaho State
Constitution. And it is how urban renewal will work when I
am on the City Council.
Question 5
What programs or policies would you propose or
support to balance Coeur d’Alene’s economic growth and
quality of life?
Ron Edinger
Continued support for Jobs Plus. We need to work hard to
provide a living wage and affordable housing.
I believe we need to build more positive attitudes in our
city. I have seen more negativity growing in our city. Let’s
try to put that energy into a positive force and look what
can be accomplished. I want to do a better job of getting
the facts and accurate information out to our citizens.
Sometimes people are negative, because they don’t understand
how city government works.
Coeur d’Alene isn’t perfect, but I’ll keep listening to the
people and continue working hard to make improvements for
all our citizens.
Dan Gookin
First, I want to maintain the character of Coeur d'Alene.
Visually that means we must protect our green spaces
Developers must be encouraged to work around existing trees
and maintain natural features. I favor expanding the park
system, allowing for community gardens and numerous small
neighborhood parks, especially in the established parts of
town. Second, I'd like a police substation on the east side
of town. That were crime is on the rise and where the police
response times are longer . Third, we need to do more to
support small business, the growth engine of Idaho. Codes
and fees should be reviewed to ensure that the City is doing
everything possible to encourage business, and to see that
employees are treated equitably. Finally, there a lots of
good rules and ordinances in this city. These laws and
ordinances must be enforced and enforced equitably with
accountability.
Lucas Braden, Public Affairs
Manager
(208)415-0109
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