EXPRESS ELECTION ENDORSEMENTS

This year voters in the valley's cities are privileged to have a
surfeit of sparring candidates from which to choose. They will also
decide on the fate of a marijuana initiative in Hailey.

This newspaper's endorsements are just one piece of the decision
puzzle for voters. They are made after careful study of the
candidates' understanding of local government structure, positions
on issues and experience.

We looked for candidates who understand the difficulties facing the
valley's businesses and employees, the critical need for workforce
housing, the need for all the valley's cities to address common
problems and the need to protect the valley's clean air, water and
open spaces. In Ketchum, we looked for candidates who favor
aggressive moves to facilitate development of new hotels.

Here are this year's endorsements:

Sun Valley

- - For mayor, Jon Thorson: Sun Valley voters should hold on to his
experience for a second term. He led the city out of its insular
ways and joined it in a quest with other valley leaders to address
common problems like housing. He helped repel legal challenges to
ordinances that protected hillsides and property values.

- - For two four-year council seats, Blair Boand and Joan Lamb: The
city needs the calm and sensible leadership of these experienced
hands. Boand is running for his second term. Lamb is a first-timer
who comes with experience as the chair of the Sun Valley P&Z.
Both know when to hold 'em and when to fold 'em on planning issues.
Both are easy-going, good listeners and don't take positions before
they think them through. Both would engage the city actively with
Sun Valley Resort and other valley cities.

- - For one two-year council seat, no endorsement: Both Milt Adam and
David Chase would bring out-of-the-box thinking to the council.
Voters who want the city to engage more fully with the rest of the
valley will vote for Chase, while those who want the city to roll
back contracts with the YMCA and La Alianza will want to support Adam.

Ketchum

- - For two four-year council seats, Larry Helzel and Curtis Kemp:

With his background in finance, Helzel would fill a huge need. That
background in a former councilman helped the city move ahead with a
new downtown plan, acquisition of the Town Center property, and
creation of an urban renewal district to recapture city tax
revenues. His top priorities are addressing the shortage of
workforce housing and hotel development.

Kemp is thoughtful, well-informed and experienced. He is a member of
the Planning and Zoning Commission. As a former board member of the
Sun Valley/Ketchum Chamber and Visitors Bureau, he is well versed in
challenges facing local businesses, supports workforce housing and
favors clearing up the zoning uncertainties faced by hotel developers.

Hailey

- - Vote 'No' on marijuana initiative:

Hailey voters should understand they're being used as guinea pigs in
a wider attempt to legalize marijuana in Idaho with this ballot
initiative. Similar questions failed to make the ballot in both
Ketchum and Sun Valley.

Because Idaho state law and U.S. law take precedence on the status
of marijuana, the initiative, even if passed, is an invitation to
expensive legal challenges that undoubtedly would ensue.

The proposed ordinance attempts to tie the hands of police in drug
enforcement and would force Hailey to lobby the state Legislature to
legalize marijuana statewide. Sensible Hailey voters will decisively
end this gambit by voting against the question.

- - For Mayor, Rick Davis: Voters should award him the seat he's
wanted for a long time--he's earned it. As a member of the City
Council, Davis is now an old hand at Hailey politics. He well
represents the sentiments of most Hailey residents in his desire to
improve the city's vibrancy and quality of life. He's tuned in
to the needs of Hailey businesses and residents alike. One of his
first acts as mayor should be to appoint his novice opponent to a
Planning and Zoning post.

- - For one four-year council seat, Fritz Haemmerle: The former Blaine
County Prosecuting Attorney is passionate about keeping Hailey from
the vigor-sapping fates of its northern neighbors, which have lost
both full-time residents and businesses to the pressures of
high property values. He understands details of issues like fire
department consolidation and is articulate about addressing them.

Bellevue

- - For three two-year council seats, Steve Fairbrother, Larry Plott
and Gene Ramsey: None of these candidates disagree on significant
issues or on the future of this perennially cash-starved city.
Fairbrother and Plott have served on previous councils. Ramsey is a
newcomer. Bellevue would be well served by all three.