[X] Ted Dunlap – governor

Four years ago I debated Jerry Brady (D) and Butch Otter (R) for Idaho governor. They were trying to outdo each other spending state money and initiating new programs like the community college. I provided the conservative counterpoint.

I observed that the real estate market boom in Idaho was dependent on the markets of the Southeast, Southwest and Pacific Coast USA. At that time, those markets had already died. The influx of out-of-state money into Idaho’s real estate market was about to stop. It was obvious to anyone who was looking, but Butch and Jerry weren’t looking. They were buying votes by promising to spend more money that they assumed would just keep on coming into Idaho coffers forever..

Today Butch is seeing recovery just around every corner. Unfortunately, when we round each “next corner” there is another set of muggers preparing to make our crumbling financial situation even worse.

The sooner we abandon the Pollyanna view, acknowledge the seriousness of our economic situation and make plans based on what we are really facing, the better off everyone in Idaho will be. There are numerous expenditures the state makes that were added to the budget during times of plenty. They need review, and in many cases, elimination.

I am running as a candidate for Idaho governor to get THAT message into the public debate. I will be adding pieces to the puzzle of a trimmed-down state budget here on this website in the next few months. Check back every once in a while as I discuss everything from getting the state out of the Alcohol business to what we can learn from Zimbabwe’s economic collapse.

Thanks for looking
Ted Dunlap