The Idaho Statesman recently published a letter to the editor from me, but it was cut. The complete letter as submitted is printed below. When I used to serve on The Statesman’s editorial board, one of my duties included editing letters and I understand the need to occasionally do this.
However, The Statesman has given Tony Jones many opportunities to lobby against anyone (other than him) living on Hammer Flat, so it is unfortunate they could not print at full length my single letter exposing Jones’ hypocrisy. As long as I’m at it, here and here are the documents relating to the illegal subdivision, which is a few miles east of Boise.
“As a public relations consultant who assisted Skyline Development, I am proud of my role in helping earn approvals for The Cliffs. Unfortunately, due to the economy, this visionary planned community never got the chance to carry out habitat restoration and environmentally conscious development on the Hammer Flat plateau.
“I have listened to Tony Jones for years and his latest opinion, ‘Fewer humans may be just what Hammer Flat needs,’ compels me to write. While Jones calls for Hammer Flat to be kept free from encroachment, he himself lives there. While he demands we follow development rules, he lives in an illegal subdivision. While he decries unplanned development, his remote living choice requires he burden neighborhoods with his traffic. While he advocates environmental stewardship, he drives on sediment-spewing dirt roads and soils Hammer Flat through his septic system. While he presses for fiscal responsibility, he relied on Boise taxpayers to extinguish 2006 brush fires that threatened his private Idaho. While he rails against development, his business, www.rmecon.com, does economic feasibility studies for developers.
“I hope the Statesman mentions Jones lives on Hammer Flat next time it publishes one of his opinions saying no one should live on Hammer Flat.”
