VOTERS GUIDE
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AN EDITION OF THE IDAHO PRESS-TRIBUNE // MYMERIDIANPRESS.COM // 10.23.15
Get to know the candidates for mayor before the Nov. 3 election
Adam Eschbach/MP
KALEB HOMAN
Adam Eschbach/MP
MONTE PALMER
Photo by Lee Cohen
TAMMY DE WEERD
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Incumbent
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Age: 20 Occupation and relevant work experience: Political science major at the College of Western Idaho; overnight staff at Wal-Mart in Meridian n Past political experience, including campaigns: N/A n Education background: Current college student; 2013 graduate of Rocky Mountain High School n Contact: Phone: 208-859-6762 Email: KalebHoman@yahoo.com
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Age: 36 Occupation and relevant work experience: Painting contractor and a small business owner for 15 years n Past political experience, including campaigns: “The same as Ronald Reagan before he was elected governor of California — none.” n Education background: High school equivalency at Boise State University; 15 years of business experience n Family: Married with three boys ages 17, 14, and 7 n Contact: Website: Tattooedpolitician.com Email: tattooedpolitician@gmail.com Facebook: facebook.com/tatooedpolitician Phone: 208-407-5575 n
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Age: 56 Occupation and relevant work experience: Meridian Mayor since 2004; Treasure Valley Partnership and the Association of Idaho Cities chairwoman; involved with Meridian Chamber of Commerce and owns a business with her husband; Boys & Girls Clubs of Ada County board member; Meridian Mayor’s Youth Advisory Council founder; Meridian Senior Center advisor and founder of the Mayor’s Senior Advisory Board. n Past political experience, including campaigns: Parks Commission, Planning & Zoning Commission, City Council, mayor n Education background: Some college. n Family: Married to husband Jan, four children (Bart, Tara, RoAnne and Janelle), and grandchildren n Contact: Email: MayorTammydw@gmail.com Website: MayorTammy.com n
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Candidates race for mayor’s office, city council seats
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eridian’s population has almost doubled since Tammy de Weerd was first elected as mayor in 2003. De Weerd said her experience leading the city through this immense growth, as well as through an economic recession, make her the best choice as mayor in by Holly Beech the Nov. 3 election. hbeech@mymeridianpress.com But two challengers see © 2015 MERIDIAN PRESS a need for improvement. Candidate Kaleb Homan, a 20-year-old political science major at the College of Western Idaho, said continued rapid growth could deplete resources. “I think the city should slow it down to the point where it is a steady growth that allows the resources that we have to be plentiful and not strung out,” he said in the Meridian C M Y K
Press candidate survey. Candidate Monte Palmer, a 36-year-old painting contractor, said one of his top concerns is how Meridian’s population growth is burdening the West Ada School District. Monte is chairman of Meridian’s Promise, an organization founded by De Weerd that seeks to create a healthy environment for youth. “I am … deeply concerned with our education system that is being thrown to the wayside by the city at the expense of its desire for population growth,” Palmer’s survey reads. In her survey, De Weerd said one of her top concerns is also schools — specifically funding for schools and having adequate school facilities and services. A top priority, she said is “working with the stakeholders to develop better tools that require the state to meet the needs for our children.”
Voters will decide Nov. 3 who they want to lead Meridian through the next four years. Learn about the candidates, their views and their priorities in this week’s Voters Guide edition of Meridian Press. In next week’s edition, Meridian Press will run survey answers from the three Meridian City Council candidates, all of whom are running unopposed. Incumbent Genesis Milam is seeking her second term in seat 5. Newcomers Ty Palmer, who barely lost to Milam in 2013, and Meridian Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Anne Little Roberts look to take on seat 3 and seat 1, respectively. Those seats are currently held by retiring councilmen Charlie Rountree and David Zaremba.
Candidate Q&A, page 3