vote 2023

Clason for Ashland School Board

The upcoming school board election is what I believe is the most important elected position. I am asking you to vote for Toria Clason for Ashland School Board.

You will not find her in the voter’s guide, as she missed the deadline. Do not judge her on that. She is a mother of 5, all in the district, married to John; a graduate of AHS.

Toria will bring a fresh voice to the School Board, ensuring every student, teacher, staff member, and parent will have a voice heard at the board level. Respected by everyone that knows her, she is hard-working and can come up with solutions to complex problems.

Join me in support by taking the time to vote, as ballots will be in the mail on April 28th.

Alan DeBoer / Former State Senator, Ashland Mayor, Ashland School Board Member

Kraus for RVTD board

I strongly support Denise Kraus for Position 1 on the Rogue Valley Transportation District board.

Denise knows how to improve service to the public while respecting budgetary constraints. She will devote her time and energy solely to RVTD.

Each of her two opponents, on the other hand, is running for multiple positions.

One, who is a full-time deputy district attorney in Siskiyou County California, is running for both RVTD Position 1 and for a Rogue Valley Sewer Services director position.

The other is not only running for the RVTD position, but for a Rogue Valley Sewer Services director spot and Position 2 of the Jackson County Rural Fire District No. 5.

Either they are throwing darts at a dartboard and hoping one sticks, or they are overestimating their abilities to run disparate organizations if all their campaigns are successful.

The public is not served well with either scenario.

David R. Gilmour / Central Point

No on Ashland parks measure

The Yes campaign for Ashland’s Food & Beverage Tax Measure 15-214 wants more of your money and is lying to you that the present tax can’t be used for street and park maintenance.

Capital expenses include: maintenance and repair of assets. Both Ashland streets and parks are assets.

A No vote would retain FBT funds shared by both park and street maintenance. Yes supporters are not telling you the measure extends the tax out to 2040 —17 years from now.

That extension would take $50 million of additional money from you and visitors.

You should participate in identifying specifically what you want your money spent on, before you commit to being taxed for 17 years. Remember: With a Yes vote, you give your vote away on this issue for 17 years.

Vote No.

Ted Hall / Ashland

No on Ashland parks measure

All five of the Ashland Parks & Recreation Commission members have ranked a $10 million pool as its top priority goal. APRC will combine $2 million in the CIP fund and finance $8 million in revenue bonds.

This could add $4 million in interest payments over the 15-year loan term. No information regarding expenses to staff, operate and/or maintain the pool that will contain three times as much water as the present pool.

If there is a financial downturn (fire, drought, pandemic), parks will have boxed itself and the citizens into paying debt service without sufficient revenue. Several elected officials have mentioned a separate parks district.

I will be voting NO on 15-214 to preserve the Food & Beverage tax revenue for the flexibility to spend on streets and/other necessary city projects.

Pat Turner / Ashland