Campaign Statement
Practical Leadership for Education, Agriculture, Working Families & Tourism Communities
Campaign Phone
(208)944-5667
Campaign Email
AnitaforIdaho@gmail.com
Phone
(208)944-5667
Office Sought
State Representative for Idaho's Legislative District 26 Seat A
I want to see the needs of the people addressed. Cuts to education, Medicaid, rural hospitals, mental health and disability services, women's health, our LBGTQ populations is harmful and alarming. The wealthiest in Idaho will benefit from tax reductions while the rest of us will suffer the consequences as programs and services are cut. Following the Big Ugly Bill does not help meet the needs of the people--education and training opportunities, medical care and services, have been all been impacted. Affordable housing is another major issue, especially in tourist-centered economies. Federal policies have put agriculture at risk of bankruptcy. Gas, groceries, insurance are all sky high. We need better for our people! We need change now!
I have over 30 years working in education as a teacher and then as a college administrator. Collaborating with others to identify and solve problems, to plan and develop programs and services that created new job opportunities, that strengthened communities. My experience includes working with low income, first-generation and Indigenous populations to provide education and training to increase their opportunities. Employers, non-profits and education institutions worked together to identify economic options that would fit the community.
On a personal level I am passionate about serving others. I believe that our problems should be solved by listening to constituents. Solutions should serve to benefit all, not just those at the top.
My deep understanding of the many aspects of education systems will be helpful--demographics, budget development, staffing, professional program requirements, program planning, development and assessment. My positions took me to rural areas in Wisconsin, northern California, northcentral Washington and Colorado with a tourism-based economy.
As a teacher I joined the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) and the National Education Association (NEA) because I believe teachers' professional associations are important to maintaining the status and respect of teachers. These organizations insure teachers a place at the table. Hopefully, my compassion will positively affect decision making and resulting consequences.
The expression, "If you keep doing the same thing, you will keep getting the same results" prevails in Idaho. Over the last five years Idaho's legislators created a $4 billion deficit budget crisis by providing the wealthiest among us with major tax cuts. An additional $50M was taken from the education budget to fund private schools with vouchers/tax credits affecting your local public schools' resources.. Rather than solve this problem, legislators and the governor have chosen to gut programs and essential services by reducing their budgets with 3% holdbacks and mandating an additional 1% reduction. These cuts push costs to local taxpayers. We need responsible budgeting that protects people, programs and services. I will help!
