I appreciate the opportunity to clarify any misunderstandings about the motivation for my candidacy for Ada County commissioner. Plain and simple, I am in this race because my travels and discussions around the county make it clear that we are ready for true change.

I am also in this race because of the encouragement of my friends and colleagues. They believe I represent the best of what Ada County Democrats hold as our core values. They see in me the conviction toward ethics and integrity that we all want back in public servants. They see in me a person who would hold office for one and only one purpose: to represent and serve the citizens of Ada County. They see in me someone with good management skills for a true management — not political — position. As the saying goes, potholes are neither Democratic nor Republican. They just need to be fixed.

I believe I represent the values that we all want in our commissioners. What I am not and never will be is business (and politics) as usual! True change in the Ada County Commission takes someone willing to stand up and fight to stop Dynamis from becoming an expensive boondoggle. True change takes someone to bring all of Ada County’s leaders together to plan for the new round of growth that is coming. True change takes leadership in health care issues in which I have more than 30 years’ experience. True change takes someone who will not only talk about fiscal responsibility, but hold to that responsibility, including a top-to-bottom review of all departments to see where we can do better. True change takes someone who values county employees who work hard every day and deserve respect. True change takes someone willing to end the redundancies and administrative burdens, which the county has been unwilling to change, that drive us all bonkers. True change is the leadership to end the backroom deals, divisiveness and destructive behavior we see now.

If you want to fix the commission, business and politics as usual is not going to work. Know that I am not business as usual and I am certainly not a body filling a position because someone told me to. What I am is someone committed to true change. I would appreciate your support to bring that to the Ada County commission.

Thomas M. Howell is a Democratic candidate for Ada County commissioner.