To the Editor
The new high and wide transportation corridor now being developed will facilitate the export to Asia of billions of dollars worth of American manufacturing jobs. Idahoans and Montanans will subsidize international corporations and foreign governments…. true, however, the real debate on the Mega loads is not to let them use or not use the road. The real debate surrounds commerce and the activity of it and why this equipment was not built here.
The mega load debate is a microcosm of the larger challenges we face as a region and a state. We have limited the utilization of our forest to the detriment of our infrastructure and our schools. We were forced into the introduction of a non-essential experimental animal and further hindered our economy.
Today the United States ranks 9th in the 2011 Index of Economic Freedom, we should be 1st, our government should promote commerce not limit it. Commerce creates jobs and raises the standard of living for all. An increase in jobs broaden are tax base; taxes which build and maintain our roads, support our schools and provide our security. When we restrict commerce through regulation and excessive taxes we limit ourselves and our responsibility to society.
Thank You,
Jim Chmelik
Idaho County Commissioner
Cottonwood

Letter to the Editor:
I think it is interesting that Tom Luna, the Superintendent of Public Instruction, wants to cut 700 teaching positions after the teachers supported electing Stan Olson, an educator instead of a business man. Tom Luna wants to replace these teachers with laptop computers and have two mandatory classes each day (what about the students that need human contact to learn?)  Why not take that $4.3 million each year and upgrade our current IT systems and make sure every student has access to a computer for at least one period each school day.
   Betsy Russell of the Spokesman Review reported October 20, 2010 that K-12 Incorporated, a for-profit education vendor based out of Virginia, “donated $25,000 to a Nampa-based political committee… which immediately spent $25,000 on an Arizona firm to handle broadcast advertising and production in an independent campaign was supporting the re-election of incumbent state Superintendent of Schools Tom Luna.” Whose interests are more important to Superintendent Luna - K-12 Inc.’s shareholders or the parents and students of Idaho?  
During the campaign for his election Tom Luna stated how well educators were doing, but now that he was reelected, he says we need overhaul the educational system because the system is “broken.” Why did Luna not state his proposals before the election or is he just a true politician?  We need our children to be educated because businesses moving into the state looks at the educational system and funding and not just the tax breaks. If you are upset about some of the proposed changes in education contact your legislators!
Kim Uhlorn
Culdesac, Idaho

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