Matthee is the right pick to represent us

Karen Mathee, candidate for Idaho House Seat 1A, fits my idea of a good representative. Karen wants to support our families.

What I noticed first about Karen was her loyalty to her own family ethic: "do right by others." In my mind, this is the core value of Sandpoint and Bonner County, and why I live here. Her balanced platform, clarity of understanding, and local focus will make her a good representative for our interests, able to work well with other legislators to solve problems — instead of creating them. Her solutions would bring back our doctors, fund our schools and libraries, and address a tax system that favors the wealthiest Idahoans.

An example of her clear thinking: Create a permanent fund in the state treasury to support public school facilities. Fund schools on the basis of needs — give every student the learning environment they deserve. Do away with local school bonds. Instead Funds could come from the $5.2 billion in sales tax exemptions that are never reviewed and never expire — some have been in place since the 1960s. If just 10 percent of those were ruled obsolete, it would free up half a billion every year for schools.

NANCY GERTH

Sagle