Letters to the editor: Idaho Freedom Foundation, taxes, librarians, running for office
IFF
In logic, mathematics and philosophy, the acronym IFF refers to “if and only if.” IFF also represents the name of Idaho Freedom Foundation. How ironic that favorable ratings are granted to our state legislators if and only if those lawmakers vote as the organization recommends.
Cecilia Merz, Boise
Taxes
I am sitting here trying to understand the thinking in the legislature concerning the grocery tax and property tax. The grocery tax seems very simple. Do away with the sales tax on food, except prepared ready-to-eat items. That would be fair to all the taxpayers of Idaho. The money saved from taxes could go to buy more food or saved for future use. The SNAP program could be a suitable guide on this.
As far as the idea of dropping the property tax, the taxpayers of Idaho have not asked that the property tax be abolished. They just want a fair system for dealing with it. We don’t need to reinvent the wheel, we just want somebody to use their head to fix this. Dropping the property tax for an 8% sales tax is not helping anyone. What happens when the sales tax receipts can’t cover the budget? Your choices are limited for a fixable idea. Plus, remember, everyone would get stuck with an 8% sales tax to live with. What about the surplus? What is holding up a decision to help the schools? You folks are running out of time. Do something!
Scott William Murray, Boise
Librarians
Threaten my mom and my wife?!
Eagle Rep. Gayann DeMordaunt introduced a bill that would threaten librarians with criminal prosecution. I grew up the son of a librarian. I married another. Each offered me challenging books to read. Mom encouraged me to read that classic coming-of-age literature, Trappist monk Thomas Merton’s “The Seven-story Mountain.” I’m confident some would consider it obscene. She also encouraged me to read “The Night They Burned the Mountain,” by gay writer Dr. Thomas Dooley. My late wife encouraged me to read so many challenging books I can hardly count them.
Both these learned, loving and compassionate women recommended books to readers from early childhood to old age. To think that you would have placed them in criminal jeopardy is a moral abomination. I call upon all sensible Idaho legislators to vote NO on this repugnant bill. I want no librarian worrying about giving a child “Danny Dunn and the Anti-Gravity Paint” or any other book that might outrage moralists or physicists.
Mike Lynott, Boise
Run for office
I noticed a number of letters to the editor opposing library censorship, voter suppression (this by a candidate for secretary of state!) and other infringements on freedom by the Republican-dominated legislature. Friday I received a censorious false allegation from the so-called “freedom foundation” pretending a responsible Republican legislator was evil because he voted for the appropriation for higher education.
Yet when I look at who has filed for legislative races in my county (Canyon), I find mostly extreme members of the Republican majority, including the brother of a current Nampa legislator. If you want things to be different, you need to stop complaining, enlist help from your commonsense friends and file to run for office by this Friday. Contact your local political party or registrar of voters to find out how. Your vote counts, but your active participation counts more! Odd that the Canyon County Elections Office can’t produce a list of registered voters in the new legislative districts before election date filing ends!
Bob Solomon, Caldwell