Allred is what Idaho needs for a governor

Dear editor:

Idaho needs a governor who has a vision for the future; someone who is able to bring smart, creative, 21st century leadership to the statehouse.

Keith Allred is that person.

Keith grew up in Twin Falls in a family of long-time ranchers. He and his wife, Christine, are intelligent, well-educated, hard-working people who held prestigious teaching careers in the East.

Five years ago they returned to Idaho because they value this state and want to raise their children here.

They are the kind of people who, after a long day of campaigning, took the time to let the kids who helped in the AFAD parade take turns riding their horses.

Keith Allred is running for governor because he believes in everyday Idahoans and our ability to solve problems.

He has a history of working with people who bring diverse backgrounds and ideas to the table. He is committed to taking the best ideas offered and putting them to work.

He puts people, not special interests, first. For example, our current state tax structure includes loopholes that favor old, established businesses to the disadvantage of smaller, new businesses and individuals.

Despite having four years in office, Gov. Otter has not tackled this ineffective and outmoded tax structure. This is true even though national statistics tell us that 80 percent of new jobs may be generated by the small-business sector.

Keith Allred wants to close the special interest loopholes that don't make sense in today's economy. By leveling the tax playing field, he believes Idaho can lower the overall tax burden and let the market -- not political favoritism -- sort out which businesses thrive.

Public education is also a high priority for Keith Allred, as it is for so many of us.

According to the Idaho Statesman, Idaho ranked 49th in per-pupil spending before the 2009 $128 million dollar cut in the K-12 budget!

Higher education is in trouble too, with a $48.3 million dollar cut for the 2009-2010 school year.

We need a leader in the statehouse who will provide adequate funding for schools and assure that funds are spent wisely, so our children receive Idaho's Constitutional promise of a "thorough public education."

Furthermore, that needs to happen now, not sometime in the future when it may be easier. Each year that we allow someone's education to be shortchanged by crowded classrooms, outdated textbooks, four-day weeks, missing programs, or college costs that are out-of-reach for average families, we hurt that person's chances to be successful in tomorrow's competitive economy.

Keith Allred knows the importance of investing in education today so tomorrow will be brighter for our young people and for Idaho.

Finally, I support Keith Allred because he is an outdoorsman and a sportsman. I live in Idaho because I love to hunt, fish, and hike. Others are here because there are places to ride mountain bikes, horses, or snow machines or to backpack or camp. These opportunities will be available to future Idahoans only if all parties, including outdoorsmen, landowners, ranchers, and all levels of government recognize each other's interests and commit to cooperation and compromise, as Rep. Mike Simpson has tried so hard to accomplish.

Keith Allred will provide leadership at the state level to make that happen.

Stephen Goddard