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Illinois Valley News, Cave Junction, Ore. Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Commissioner candidate Lesh
pitches ‘Alaska Plan’ at AFP
By SCOTT JORGENSEN
IVN Staff Writer
John Lesh, one of 11
candidates for Josephine
County Commissioner Posi-
tion 1, addressed members of
the county chapter of Ameri-
cans for Prosperity (AFP)
during its meeting on the eve-
ning of Thursday, April 8 at a
restaurant in Grants Pass.
Approximaely 30
people were present, in-
cluding commissioner
candidates Rycke Brown,
Ed Bowers and Simon
Hare.
Lesh began by read-
ing from a prepared state-
ment. He said that he
grew to admire commer-
cial fishermen while at-
tending high school in
S.E. Alaska, and entered
that occupation after
graduating from high
school and serving in the
military.
Mostly, Lesh dis-
cussed his philosophy on
governance.
“The growth of govern-
ment was supposed to im-
prove our benefits and make
us more secure and prosper-
ous,” Lesh said. “But the re-
sult was the opposite.”
Lesh lamented what he
characterized as the gradual
addition of regulations and
bureaucracy.
“The people most af-
fected were those who pro-
duce the products society
uses to make our lives con-
tent,” he said.
Americans were granted
the rights to life, liberty and
the pursuit of happiness by its
founding fathers, Lesh said.
“These rights are bless-
ings from God, not from gov-
ernment,” Lesh said. “Our
government was formed to
protect these rights. I believe
that our primary responsibil-
ity is to live up to our Consti-
tutional principles.”
Whoever is elected com-
missioner, Lesh said, should
“begin the task of dismantling
the excessive rules, regula-
tions, permits and high fees
presently in place.”
Lesh said that his plat-
form consists of establishing
a “strong pro-development
position,” compelling state
and federal agencies to coor-
dinate their plans with those
of the counties, forming a
savings account and having
county government live
within its means.
Also discussed by Lesh
was a piece of his platform he
dubbed the “Alaska Plan.”
In the mid-1970s, Lesh
said, Alaska began leasing
land on its North Slope to
companies for the develop-
ment of natural resources.
Those leases were “astro-
nomically high,” he said, but
enabled the state to become
immediately wealthy.
The state of Alaska took
money raised from non-
renewable resources and be-
gan putting it into a fund,
Lesh said. Approximately 75
percent of the money went
toward funding government
services, and the remainder
was put into a “permanent
fund,” he said, that voters can
access and politicians cannot.
Lesh said that throughout
the years, his family re-
ceived around $30,000 in
dividends from the state
of Alaska, with checks
ranging from $200 to
$1,200.
Because of those poli-
cies, Lesh said Alaskans
are “very savvy in vot-
ing” and tend to turn out
heavily in elections.
“It makes them very
interested,” Lesh said.
Lesh said that there is
currently more than $30
billion in Alaska’s per-
manent fund. He said that
a similar program could
be established in Jose-
phine County through reve-
nue off the uses of resources
on federally owned land, and
stated the Alaska plan is an
“idea that certainly has some
merit.”
But during a subsequent
question-and-answer session,
Bowers, also an Alaska na-
tive, said that Lesh’s proposal
“will not work here.”
“Your program is unreal-
istic,” Bowers said. “Run the
numbers.”
Bowers said that Alaska
is the “greatest welfare state
in America.”
Lesh was set to respond
to Bowers’ remarks, but Jack
Swift, chairman of the Jose-
phine County AFP chapter,
intervened. Swift said that the
group does not allow debates
at its meetings.
Children’s Fair & Pet Parade
Saturday, May 1, 10 a.m.-1 p.m.
Jubilee Park
F i s h i n g B oo t h
Free Snacks
B i k e He l m e t s
P E T P A RA D E
11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
REGISTRATION
10 a.m. - 11:15 a.m.
Dress up your pet!
Don’t forget your leash!
SMALL PETS ONLY
P l a y D o ug h F u n
Seed Planting
Science Activity
Child ID
Beading
Salmon Tent
Lots More
Students of the Month
March Students of the Month** and Most Improved Students* were honored at Lorna Byrne
Middle School in Cave Junction. (Rear, from left) Samantha Frederick**, Jaycee Fredrickson*,
Amanda Brooks**, Meagan Flores*, Patricia Gleason**, Maddie Parker **; (front, from left)
Principal Damien Crowson, Scooter Boone*, Eric Miller**, Steven Humphries*, T.J. Buckmas-
ter**. (Photo by Illinois Valley News )
Battle of the Books entrants from Lorna Byrne Middle School in Cave Junction did well at the
Three Rivers School District competition Saturday, April 10. First-place champions are (rear,
from left) Shawn Laney, Joss Vawter and Brian Bemis; the LBMS second-placers are (center,
from left) Kynan Nordal, Russell Benson and Alia Parker; and taking fourth place were (front,
from left) Samantha Milner, Nicolette Pinder, Celeste Meek and Misty Rhodes; and Edilet Rod-
riguez, not shown. Battle of the Books competitors must read a selected group of 12 books.
They compete as teams to answer detailed questions about all the books. Their coach is Mary
Trammell, LBMS science teacher. (Photo by Illinois Valley News )
Illinois Valley
FUN ACTIVITES &
GIVE-AWAYS
F a c e P a i nt i n g
Rotary Club of Illinois Valley salutes
Lorna Byrne Middle School
CAR SEAT SAFETY
I.V. Fire District will be on site
to check car seats and boosters
for proper installation.
Car Seats available at $20 and
$10 for Booster Seats.
Proudly Sponsored by
Josephine County Commission on Children and Families
Siskiyou Community Health Center
Southern Oregon Goodwill Industries * Head Start * Early Head Start
Jo. Co. Health Dept. * Early Childhood Services
I.V. Boys and Girls Club * I.V. Lions Club * I.V. Fire District
I.V. Family Coalition * Aflac * Oregon Caves
Siskiyou Field Institute * GP Masonic Lodge
Kerby Belt Masonic Lodge * CJ Kiwanis Club
Dome School * College Dreams
Memory is a way of holding onto the things you love,
the things you are, the things you never want to lose.
~ Author Unknown ~
- IVHS School Menu -
Sponsored by
SISKIYOU
COMMUNITY
HEALTH
CENTER
25647 Redwood Hwy.
Cave Junction
541-592-4111
THURSDAY, APRIL 22
Pasta with marinara / meat
sauce, bean & cheese burrito,
chicken burger, cheeseburger;
cheese, barbecue chicken or
supreme pizza; Italian or turkey
& cheese sandwich, spicy
chicken wrap; chef, antipasto
or garden salad
FRIDAY, APRIL 23
Nacho supreme, corn dog,
spicy chicken burger; cheese-
burger; pepperoni, cheese,
supreme or taco pizza; ham
& cheese or turkey & cheese
sandwich, turkey wrap; chef,
garden or Mandarin chicken
salad
MONDAY, APRIL 26
Beef soft tacos, chicken strips,
spicy chicken burger, ham-
burger; pepperoni, cheese,
vegetarian or sausage pizza;
ham & cheese or turkey &
cheese sandwich, turkey
wrap; chef, garden or
Mandarin chicken salad
TUESDAY, APRIL 27
Chicken fajitas, BBQ chicken
sandwich, chicken burger,
cheeseburger; pepperoni,
cheese or Hawaiian pizza;
Italian or turkey & cheese
sandwich, spicy chicken wrap;
chef, antipasto or garden salad
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 28
Taco salad, sweet & sour
chicken rice bowl, spicy
chicken burger, hamburger;
pepperoni, sausage, cheese or
Italian griller pizza; veggie or
turkey & cheese sandwich,
turkey wrap; chef, garden or
Mandarin chicken salad
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