Rem Fox's Last Comments on Caldwell City Council Election

Rem Fox Last Comment on Guardian Before Tuesday's Election In Caldwell

Rem Fox is running against sitting Councilman Jim Blacker and would like to say:

I would like to encourage all citizens to get out and vote  on Tuesday November 8th.  I would also  like to thank everyone who has supported me throughout the campaign.  I appreciate your support very much.  The local elections this year are one of the most important events for Caldwell in recent years.  Throughout the United States we have major political and economic issues.  Quite frankly, people are tired of the same old politics and most of us do not see new leaders emerge that look much different than previous choices.  Optimism seems to be at an all time low.  In Caldwell, a majority of the residents I have spoken to seem to be feeling defeated when you look at all the challenges at the federal level, the state level and the city level.  A big part of these challenges is the inability to solve issues between political parties and the general public.  A lot of people are scared and angry over the entire mess.

We could spend hours discussing the complexity of the problems this country faces but that will not change our situation.  What will change our situation is something that I truly believe in; we need to look for leaders who bring different and better skills to elected positions.  There are pockets of success for a few cities that have managed to accomplish a shelter from the huge federal events that have taken place the last 5 years.  How they did this proves to me that creative solutions, innovations, and community involvement with local government are highly important factors to success.

In Idaho, we are challenged by our state's location and distance to major population centers.  This makes economic recovery harder for us and simply equates to delay for our state in the time line of prosperity in any recovery effort.  On September 15th an article from the Brookings Metropolitan Policy Program ranks Boise with Detroit and New Orleans as one of the biggest American cities most stuck in the economic doldrums.  The article was titled “major metro cities stuck running in place”.  I saw this article title and immediately thought this is exactly how our entire valley feels.  If Boise is running in place, where does that leave Caldwell?

We all love our way of life here in Idaho and especially in this valley.  However, to pay for this lifestyle we also need jobs.  That means we need industry, companies, science, and infrastructure.  We also have to balance this need with environmental management and smart government decisions.  We cannot expect the cities around us to fix our problems.  Waiting for that to happen is simply waiting for erosion to stop.  There are reasons Caldwell has not seen the success the other cities in the Boise Valley have seen.  I would like to work for you to enable Caldwell to find its identity and become what the citizens our city expect and deserve.

Methods used in the past will absolutely not be the methods for success in the future.  We face global competition for economic prosperity and our foreign competitors have a more aggressive effort for success against us.  They have not had Middle American comforts and they want what we have already achieved.  We are going to have to get more innovative at every level to regain a competitive advantage in the global market and sustain a new level of continuous improvement to move forward for our own security, livelihood, and a decent economic future for our children.

Those that have met me and know me as a friend can attest to this fact; I am a very driven individual.  I do not take on an executive role, volunteer role, or project role without great consideration for those who have chosen to place their faith and equity in me.  If I choose to do something, it will be with full awareness and attention to obtain what is expected of me.  You should also know that the expectations I place on myself are far and above what most people ever even consider of me.  It is part of who I am.  I am an idealist, an optimist, and tireless.  What I am not; is a career politician.

What I do have is leadership, community interest, empathy, and desire to help this community reach the potential we all recognize in Caldwell.  I have invested interests in Caldwell and in greater Idaho.  I am well educated and vastly experienced and will bring all my skills to the table.  But come Tuesday, what I need is your support to vote for me to represent this community with nothing less than my best efforts if I get elected to the Caldwell City Council.  I am running against a long time local community citizen; Jim Blacker.  Jim has dedicated many years to this community and should be thanked for his contributions. Mr. Blacker has served more than two terms on the city council.  I see a need for a generational change moving forward. We absolutely have to work smarter and at less cost to taxpayers with Urban Renewal sun-setting in two years, property values continuing to decline and tax revenues shrinking as we move forward to make Caldwell an even greater place to live and raise our kids.

   
Please vote for Rem Fox Seat #5, City Council, in Caldwell.

Thank you so much for your time,
Rem