FILLIOS: Don’t believe opponent

A mailer from County Commissioner candidate Greg Delavan is either inaccurate or blatantly dishonest.

The budget is growing because Kootenai County is one of the fastest growing counties in the country, and Delavan’s claim that the County budget is now $101 million is true. Most of the increase and most of the budget is funded by fees and grants; property tax only funds $49 million of the budget. Delavan claims that the county fund balance has been reduced to $7 million, while the truth is that the balance is really $18 million, the main decrease in the balance used for jail expansion. Accuracy and honesty seem to be a problem for Delavan.

Delavan’s claim that County Commissioner Chris Fillios has no problem taking foregone taxes belies the fact that Fillios publicly decried taking foregone taxes repeatedly during the FY20 budget meetings. Perhaps Delavan should have attended the budget meetings rather than relying on gossip.

Delavan references his termination as Airport Director as a qualification for County Commissioner. He was fired by not one but two Boards of County Commissioners as a result of his failure to keep up with the needs of airport users.

Delavan then asks if tax bills have declined over the last three years. The County component of some property owners’ property tax bills actually has declined, according to research by a previous County Commissioner.

Delavan’s mailer is so riddled with inaccuracies, it raises a question: Is he misinformed and ignorant or is he a liar? If Delavan failed as Airport Director, and is truth-challenged, how can we trust him to manage Kootenai County?

Vote for integrity. Re-elect Chris Fillios for County Commissioner.

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Kootenai County