DFO: Gookin Has Role To Play

I’m going to hate myself in the morning for saying this. But Dan Gookin should continue to be involved in local activism and politics. Sure, it’ll take awhile to recover from the bruising campaign that ended Tuesday night with a 29-vote loss to Councilwoman Deanna Goodlander. Gookin should take comfort in the fact that, in football terms, he and his players have moved the ball to their own 49 yard line. Mayor Sandi Bloem and the City Council are on full alert re: all things Lake City Development Corp — and plan to extend an olive branch. The late Ron Rankin fought for more than three decades to rein in Idaho property taxes and ultimately remove school maintenance & operations from the property taxes. His goal was realized in incremental steps and ultimately fully when then Gov. Jim Risch lobbied successfully during a special section to switch the school M&O from the property tax to the sales tax — after Rankin’s death. Gookin & Co. have accomplished much in 30 months. Rankin told me many times that it wasn’t important whether her won or lost his many races for various positions, from highway commissioner to governor. It was more important that he advanced his cause. Gookin can advance his cause and help bring this divided city back together, if he changes his approach, from one of antagonism to one of principled compromise. If not, we’re in for another municipal donnybrook in two year — DFO .