Letters: Bounties on libraries? What madness will the Idaho Legislature think up next? | Opinion

Have you noticed a plethora of bills using the threat of monetary damages and civil suits to achieve their desired outcomes — interference in our families? And now they target our librarians! Preposterous!

If you are so afraid of what your child might learn at the library then don’t take them there. Opt your children out of the prescribed school library program. If you are worried about a librarian ‘grooming’ your child then don’t allow your child to anywhere near a library and forbid them to check out books unless they have your permission.

I urge the libraries to fortify themselves with some defensive tools. No library cards for anyone under the age of 13 no matter how curious they are. Only allow parents to make those decisions for them and get the librarians out of the liability.

Our community cannot be enhanced by the constant attacks on one of our most endearing community resources — the library. Leave our libraries alone.

Erin Michelle Logan, Boise

Lawmakers should move to Oregon

Why don’t those legislators (and their supporters) who want Eastern Oregon to join Idaho move themselves out of Idaho and into Eastern Oregon? Create the state of NO — no public education, no Medicaid, no books, etc. Reasonable Idaho legislators can then use our tax dollars to discuss important issues like property tax relief and housing the homeless.

Anne Olden, Boise

Corrupting the Office of Performance Evaluations

HB68 would do away with the Joint Legislative Oversight Committee (JLOC). JLOC is charged with overseeing the research that the Office for Performance Evaluation (OPE) conducts. “What is this committee and what does it have to do with me?” you may be wondering. OPE conducts research on state policies and programs. It looks at how efficiently Idaho agencies are run in a nonpartisan way.

We need a bipartisan (4 Republicans and 4 Democrats) committee overseeing state programs; otherwise, as one person testifying against the bill put it, “you have the fox guarding the hen house, and I don’t care what color the fox is.”

OPE has been doing a great job: it’s won a national award and has been serving for 30 years. JLOC, in its capacity to oversee, has also been doing just fine. I say if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Contact your legislator and tell them you want JLOC left alone, so the OPE can continue to do its work.

Meg Fereday, Boise

Oppose wolf killing plan

Loss of biological diversity upon which all living things depend is one of the biggest concerns for the health of the planet. Last December, 188 governments met to codify global action to protect and conserve biodiversity. Yet here in Idaho, Idaho Fish and Game’s policies facilitate and support the killing, trapping of native wildlife.

The draft wolf management plan justifies the killing of 60% of the wolf population because “wolf depredations on livestock and negative impacts on big game” neither of which is substantiated by evidence. Wildlife Services serves the livestock industry uses aerial gunning to take out entire packs. The “non-profit” Foundation for Wildlife Management advocates for more killing, hunting, trapping, and snaring of native wildlife.

IDFG’s management policies violate ecological science and the principles of the North American Model for Wildlife Conservation. Apex predators are critical for ecosystem health.

Blaine County Commissioners wrote to IDFG: “Wolf hunting and trapping are not compatible with our intense outdoor recreation uses on public lands, our values of coexistence with wildlife, and our recreation economy.” The Wood River Wolf Project has shown for 15 years that non-lethal deterrents work yet IDFG continues to manage with killing.

Let IDFG hear from you by Feb. 22.

Christine Gertschen, Sun Valley