Rasor runs to restore rights

SANDPOINT — After years of being politically active in the community, Sagle’s Cornel Rasor is making a second run for Bonner County commissioner.

Rasor, 51, who calls himself a genuine conservative, said he has seen a corrosion in the rights and freedoms of county residents, and he believes he can change that if elected.

“I’ve been watching the way we’ve losing our freedoms at every level, from the federal level on down,” Rasor said.

“I think county government is supposed to be the government that’s closest to us. So I can have an effect here getting some of the freedoms back that we’ve lost.”

As a self-described small government, fiscal conservative, Rasor would look to streamline county government by examining every agency for redundancies and cutting fat wherever possible.

“I believe that I will really exercise oversight over the budget and really shrink it. And it does need to be shrunk. We’re heading into difficult economic times and the last thing Bonner County residents need is more taxes,” he said.

Rasor lists low taxes, property rights and doing a better job on county roads as key issues he would like to address.

“We should have the ability to use our property the way we want without onerous fees and regulations,” he said.

In the District 1 race, Rasor faces fellow Republican John Reuter in the May 27 primary, with the winner challenging Democrat incumbent Todd Crossett in November.

Rasor said that while he likes and respects both men, he sees vast differences in the way each would govern.

“I’m a small government, genuine conservative and Todd — nice guy that he is — probably thinks government has more answers than I think it does,” Rasor said.

Rasor also points out that he is vehemently against Sandpoint’s Business Improvement District, which is managed by the Downtown Sandpoint Business Association. Reuter is currently president of the DSBA.

The BID, which Rasor calls corporate welfare, collects fees from downtown businesses in an effort to promote retail activities and public events inside the district, as well as general beautification and parking improvements.

“John and I differ completely on corporate welfare,” Rasor said.

Even with the competition, Rasor said he likes his chances of winning and will continue speaking with locals about their ideas until the election.