Huckleberries interviews Kathy Kahn

• Huckleberries: How can you hope to succeed as a Democrat in a district (House District 2) that is heavily Republican?
• Kathy Kahn: You get out the vote. I wasn’t born and raised in Medimont. I was born in Coeur d’Alene and raised all over North Idaho. My parents moved around. I haven’t forgotten anyone I met or been friends with since second grade. I have a lot of encouragement on Facebook from friends I knew way back when.
• Huckleberries: Where is Rep. Barbieri vulnerable?
• Kathy Kahn: He preaches tax cuts and he legislates tax increases by raising my property taxes in the form of school maintenance and operation levies and bond elections. In my part of the district, my taxes have gone up 20-34% due to those M&O levies and school bonds. If the state would fund education as it should, we wouldn’t be seeing those property tax increases.
• Huckleberries: In your literature, you’re critical of Rep. Barbieri’s vote to cap the homeowners exemption. Why?
• Kathy Kahn: If I don’t get that exemption on the property tax, my property is going to go up. I’m not a rich person. But my home is at the top (of the exemption level now, as are many others) and it won’t get any more benefit.
• Huckleberries: You call yourself an “Andrus Democrat.” What’s that mean?
• Kathy Kahn: I’m moderate in my views about the environment. We all need to make a living in the woods although I’d love to keep them pristine. I’m fairly conservative.
• Huckleberries: How would you be able to better deal with women’s issues than Rep. Barbieri?
• Kathy Kahn: I’ve walked a mile or two in a woman’s shoes. I’ve had children. I currently raise a granddaughter. I have taught for 28 years and seen students whose lives were chaotic. I’ve helped them through situations that I don’t believe my opponent has experienced. He looks at a philosophy but I’ve seen the application.

Also (news releases re: Kathy Kahn’s candidacy):

Teacher Kathy Kahn to challenge Rep. Barbieri
Biographical sketch of Kathy (Kraack) Kahn
Kathy Kahn can inspire donations