Hucks Interviews Stephanie Powers

Huckleberries: First, can you describe your Zone geographically?

Stephanie Powers: From Dalton Avenue north, between 15th & 95, all the way to Dodd Road (Dalton Gardens, Hayden & Hayden Lake). See Facebook page here.

• Huckleberries: What is it like to be running for a nonpartisan office in Kootenai County at a time when local Republicans are getting involved?
• Powers: It’s really difficult. You don’t know who your opponent is. The reason for a nonpartisan position is that candidates are looking to do what’s good for the local area. The focus is the kids. When you have party politics involved, you’re fighting an unknown.

• Huckleberries: Have you had any debates with your opponent Tom Hamilton ?
• Powers: No. He attended a community forum for the School Board when we were talking about the levy. I don’t know whether he was running for the School Board at the time. (Powers gave Huckleberries a printout of  Hamilton’s Web site in which T-shirts were used for fund-raising purposes that said “Hey U.N.! Leave U.S. Kids Alone! What’s In Your Schools w/line through “IB”, International Baccalaureate program.)

• More below

• Huckleberries: Have you encountered any unusual situations due to the political climate?
• Powers: I had called and requested to be on PTA agendas at Hayden Meadows, Canfield, Dalton, and Coeur d’Alene High Schools. In the past, that’s what you did. You called the chair as a candidate and got on agenda. The PTAs didn’t endorse. But (Tom Hamilton supporter) Duncan Koler called district office to allege that what I was doing was illegal. I honestly didn’t want to cause district any trouble. So I made the decision to not go to those meetings. Originally, PTA chair had asked if I would be OK with having Tom Hamilton there. I was OK with that.
• Huckleberries: In making the endorsements for both Post Falls and Coeur d’Alene School Districts, the Reagan Republicans picked your opponent and others because they were “fiscally conservative.” So they seem to be saying everyone else running isn’t. What do you say to that?
• Powers: Being fiscally conservative is the responsible thing to do. Fiscal responsibility and accountability is the biggest part of the job. We’re in a climate that we have to be responsible.
• Huckleberries: How will the education reforms of Superintendent Tom Luna effect the Coeur d’Alene School District?
• Powers: The reforms coming from the state are extraordinary. We will see education differently in the next 5 years than we ever have. We will see education differently in this community and this nation. When you have party politics driving things, it’s dangerous. I spent close to 5 years working with Albertson’s Foundation when they brought Change Initiative in. I have experience in education and business. It’s difficult to come in and make things happen in education solely from business perspective when you don’t understand how education system works.
• Huckleberries: What is the key differences between yourself and your opponent?
• Powers: I am running because I believe in kids and the system and the community. I’m running because I have the experience to do the best job. All my involvement and commitment in this community for last 20 years demonstrates that dedication. My opponent hasn’t been involved in PTA and knowing and understanding about the schools. He hasn’t been in the community that long.