Donna Gow

Questions:

1. What inspired you to run for elected office?

2. What unique qualifications would you bring to office that no one else could match?

3. What are the most important issues facing the community? Why?

4. How do you plan to address these issues?

5. If elected, what legacy would you hope to create? Why?

6. What do you most look forward to after you are elected?

7. What are your views on public education in Idaho and Bonner County? Do you think the state should provide more or less funding for public education?

8. What are your views on the proposed Newport silicon smelter?

9. What are your views on Proposition 1 to authorize betting on historic horse racing?

10. What are your views on Proposition 2 to expand Medicaid in Idaho?

11. Is there anything the county can do to ensure fairness in tax assessments?

12. Do you agree with the county’s handling of damaging boat wakes?

13. Do you agree with the county commission’s ongoing efforts to simplify land use codes and processes?

14. Do you support the county’s road-maintenance approach or would you like to see something different?

15. What’s the harshest criticism you expect to face on the campaign trail and how would you respond to such criticism?

16. If you could only get one thing across to voters during your campaign, what would it be?

Name: Donna Gow

Office you are seeking: Assessor

Education: High school grad, many junior college classes and 500 hours appraisal education

Occupation: lead commercial appraiser Bonner County Assessor’s Office

Family: Married to George for 44 years, 2 grown married sons, Gregg currently in the U.S. military earning 2 Bronze stars married to Linsey with 1 son, and Michael a Battalion Chief with Selkirk Fire married to Laura with 3 sons.

Address: Hope

Website: donnaegowforassessor.com

1. I have heard concerns from the public and staff regarding the current management.

2. My 28 years experience in the Bonner County Assessor’s Office, the fact that I have appraised mobile and manufactured homes, residential, commercial, industrial, and condominium properties.

3. I believe one of the most important issues facing the community is controlled growth. We have evidence that growth is occurring and we can see in other communities that without proper planning, problems happen.

4. As assessor, I have no control over this issue.

5. The legacy I would like to create as my term as Assessor is that the public feels that they are treated with respect, courtesy, and helped to the best of our ability and that employees enjoy coming to work everyday because they are also treated with respect and courtesy.

6. Accomplish the goals I have stated throughout my campaign. Establish better relations with the public, realtors, and contractors; utilize existing resources; build a user friendly data page for the Bonner County Assessor’s web page.

7. ?From what I know, Idaho and Bonner County have made great strides forward as far as teachers, teaching and financing. I think the state should contribute more funding. We have not returned to the same funding we had prior to the recession.

8. I don’t have enough information to make an informed decision.

9. My understanding is that horse racing is already legal in Idaho.

10. For years the federal government has cut back on Medicaid payments and the federal government is over a trillion dollars in debt, I wonder where the money is coming from. I would like to see alternatives. Some doctors charge for treatment based on the patient’s income.

11. There are a few policy changes that need changing to ensure tax assessment fairness.

12. I don’t have enough information to comment, and this subject has nothing to do with the office I am seeking.

13. I do.

14. ?Again, I don’t have enough information to comment and this subject has nothing to do with the office I am seeking?.

15. ?That I don’t have enough management experience. I have worked under 5 different assessors with different management styles and I learn from others and know how to deal with people.

16. ?You need experience in the field you are going to manage.