Candidate forum

Dear Sue,

There will be a candidate forum tonight, May 6, 08, at the Canyon County Courthouse at 6:30. The legislative candidates in contested races will be there.


My message (Steve Thayn) is very simple. Idaho State government spends too much money. In the last 25 years, Idaho taxpayers have seen almost a 250 percent increase in the State budget (adjusted for inflation) with only a 49 percent increase in population.
Not only are we spending too much: the number one solution to address every problem is; spend more money. I suggest that problems can be solved by spending less. The State budget does not need to increase every year.
What is even more telling is 90 percent of the State budget goes to Education, Health and Welfare, and Corrections which are all dominated by liberal, big government ideas precisely why these budgets are the hardest to control. I believe we can
? improve education at less cost
? reduce social problems so social spending can be reduced
? as we improve education and reduce social problems prison costs will also decrease.
I believe it is time the Republican Party embrace social issues by applying conservative, family-friendly, limited government, free market principles; the tax and spend approach in use since the days of President Johnson?s Great Society programs have failed us. They cost billions of dollars every year while every social ill from poverty to drug abuse to crime to family breakdown have gotten much worse. The more we spend; the worse social problems get. It is time for a new approach. Money isn?t always the answer. I want to improve education and reduce social problems. My number one goal is not cut taxes; but, make things better.
I view myself as a problem solver that isn?t afraid to bring up difficult issues; yet, still able to work constructively with others. I believe this is why I have the endorsement of State Superintendent Tom Luna and Speaker Lawerence Denney. I would like to go back to the State legislature to apply conservative principles to social issues.

Please feel free to forward this email on to others.

Sincerely, Steve Thayn