Trustee districts needed
It is not surprising the North Idaho College vice president of community relations doesn’t see anything broken with the election of NIC trustees in Kootenai County. NIC trustees are mostly from Coeur d’Alene and never associate with the hinterland taxpayers of greater Kootenai County. How does that saying go: “Ignorance is bliss.”
Coeur d’Alene has the representation; the rest of us have the taxation!
Rep. Henderson’s bill to create districts for the election of NIC trustees is on target for more reasons than “taxation without representation.” The existing system encourages balkanization, with the current trustees adopting the cloistered vision and priorities of their Coeur d’Alene peers. NIC is losing the healthy variety of input available without greater countywide representation on the board.
The trustees should welcome representation from across Kootenai County, which would broaden the idea pool and strengthen education in the county. Why would anyone be opposed to greater representation and diversity of opinion?
This bill duplicates the way we elect our Kootenai County commissioners, which encourages qualified candidates into the election process. Broader representation and greater diversity of ideas: Who can oppose such a democratic outcome?
Fred Ebel
Post Falls