Bail, Bondsman
After a monumental grassroots effort, we mustered up 49% of the vote in favor of a new school — a far cry from the 66% super majority required by the State of Idaho. The worst thing after SIX tries … I’m impressed that we almost split the vote.
Nearly half the voting people in Salmon were willing to make a sacrifice for the next generation!
I did hear complaints the proposed K-8 school’s design wasn’t just right (as opposed to our ancient middle school with #2 dripping out of the pipes and through the ceiling). And maybe it’s possible that if we changed some key design elements, we’d attract a whole new crop of yes voters.
For instance, Salmon has a big Demolition Derby tradition. Why not use the playground as the Demo Derby site and change the school mascot from the Salmon Savages to the Wreckers. The proceeds from the gate, beer garden, and halter top and mullet contests would service the bond debt.
Photo from yellowjeeproad.com
Or Greg Mortenson could come out from under the cloak of Three Cups of Tea shame and build schools in Salmon. 
Rotary International could join in the fun and send dentists and optometrists to provide much needed medical services for the children.
Or the Lemhi-Shoshones could be invited back to town and asked to build a casino with a school attached. How beautiful to be able to upgrade our plumbing thanks to the craps tables! For sure we’d have to drop the Salmon Savages thing, but if it keeps the taxes we pay for school buildings lower than the taxes we pay for the county landfill, the compromise might be a necessary evil (besides, we don’t have to exclude the Demolition Derby and the Wreckers idea, do we?).
There is a 66.6% chance that I just need to simmer down and have 3 cups of tea.
Podunk Meets Paradise 
I mixed my 3 cups of tea with whiskey, but I’m still steaming…. Maybe I need more whiskey? Less lemon? Dunno……
I love my people.
Well, Gina, I can surely relate to your rant. Here in Jerome it took 7 bond votes to get one passed so that we could build a new elementary and middle school. The elementary building was on the verge of being condemned and the middle school not much better. But the older voters kept saying–“This was good enough for me. . . ”
Good luck with your next one. You can’t give up, even if you want to!
BTW–I have more than great admiration for Greg Mortenson, so I hope you know that the media went way overboard in their condemnation of him and his side of the story was never put out to the public. But then, that’s for another day. If you want the whole story, let me know. I’ll fill you in. . . .
Norma Odiaga
Ever since teachers and firemen ruined the economy with their greed over wanting the crappiest healthcare money could buy and fancy teeth-cleaning, raising funds for education has been a tough road. Seems especially so here in the Gem State where the quality of public education appears to have settled into its own permanent parking space in national ranking at #47. (Perhaps Mr. Luna uses his own background in Weights & Measures to round that up to 18.)
Maybe if your locals could link raising education funds to mandatory invasions of ‘Uterused Americans’ you’d have a shot with the state legislature? (sigh)
Especially if we could do it at the demo derby. Thanks Bert.
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