We received an email from a reader  with a detailed comment about the proposed “Education Corridor.”  He identified himself to us.   Please read his comment and then add your own:

This area needs two things, NOW.  First we need a higher education system that meshes with the needs of the community and the surrounding area.  That means we need more technical-vocational training opportunities.  NIC does a pretty good job, they need to expand that area of their program.  There are immediate needs for skilled technical jobs from Sandpoint to Moscow and the opportunity to receive training in those areas is pretty skimpy around here.  Way too many of our kids are going to Spokane for this training.  The high school educators need to better assess the needs of their students, rather than just funneling them into “college” so they can get a degree in art history, or some other nebulous field.  Not every kid is college material, sorry, that’s the truth.  Electricians, diesel mechanics, plumbers, carpenters, they’re the high paying skilled labor jobs that local employers are begging for. 

Secondly, and maybe even more importantly, we need a newspaper that gets us the info we need in order to make informed decisions.  There is a lot of shady stuff going on “Right here in River City.”  This CDA Press should be at the forefront of demanding transparency in local government and holding elected officials feet to the fire on the way they conduct OUR business, with OUR money.  Essentially the CDA Press is facilitating the lack of transparency and secretive nature of the CDA city council, LCDC, NIC and SD 271, just to name a few.

CDA mayor and other council members promise no taxpayer funds for the Kroc center, $3 mil of city money is spent to fill a hole, without bids.  They remove someone from the P&Z Commission because they were asking tough questions of the ruling elite.  No investigation by the CDA Press. 

LCDC is running around totally unchecked to the absolute financial glee of some current and former CDA council members and local wealthy contractors. No investigation by the CDA Press but they did fire the person who was letting us know about these things (see above).
 
SD 271 and their never ending school levy requests.  We are asked to approve another levy because they totally mismanaged the last levy and diverted taxpayer funds, without our knowledge, input or consent, to other purposes.  No investigation by the Press. 

NIC WANTS, does not NEED, $10 mil for the EDU corridor.  Why is this large chunk of land the only tract being considered?  This potentially valuable land will forever be removed from the tax roles of Kootenai County.  Post Falls Mayor Clay Larkin has offered some good alternatives, why is no one seriously looking at this option or seeking even more solutions.  The CDA council and LCDC are only too quick to help in this endeavor for the old mill property. Why?  This cozy little operation needs to have the light of day shed on it.  Mr. Chesrown did not become a multi-millionaire by being a nice guy. 

Let’s go CDA Press, time to get some answers for your readers, the taxpayers, your neighbors and your customers.  This should raise some interest at the CDA Press.

 Please add your thoughts, pro or con, to this reader’s comment.