DONNA CAPURSO SEEKS BOUNDARY COUNTY, ID COMMISSIONER’S SEAT
[Bonners Ferry] – Boundary County businesswoman Donna Capurso has formally announced her candidacy for the position of Boundary County Commissioner for District 2. Capurso is seeking the Republican nomination in the primary to be held on May 17th, 2016.
When asked why she was going to run for the Boundary County Commissioner’s seat currently occupied by Walt Kirby, Capurso stated: “To put it simply, I am absolutely fed up with the incursion of all the federal government alphabet soup agencies that are trying to control our lives, all at the behest of a federal administration that tramples our U. S. Constitution, ignores the rule of law, seeks to take away our God given rights and is methodically taking away the land in our county through the U.S. Forest Service and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.”
As a resident of Boundary County, taking the federal government to task is not new to Capurso. In January, 2012, the USFWS attempted to designate 375,562 acres of Boundary, Bonner and Pend Oreille Counties as Caribou Critical Habitat for 1 to 4 Caribou that would wonder into Idaho from Canada which is their native habitat. The Bonner County Commissioners invoked “coordination” which requires federal agencies to meet with local authorities on matters that affect their counties and this coordination meeting was held at Priest Lake.
In addition to writing an article on this subject to make the public aware of the issue, Capurso attended and spoke against the USFWS actions for economic reasons and the fact that that the residents of these counties would lose any kind of access to these acres for recreation as well as a livelihood for loggers and others. Capurso was disappointed that the three commissioners at the time, Ron Smith, Dan Dinning and Walt Kirby were all invited to participate in this coordination effort that day, but did not show up.
Capurso stated “our commissioners missed an opportunity to represent ‘We the People’ in this endeavor but fortunately, the Bonner and Pend Oreille County Commissioners were able to stave off this take-over of our land. This USFWS action came very close to impacting the economy of an entire region in order to justify the banning on federal lands of off-road vehicles, snowmobiles, skis and snowshoes, hunting, fishing, livestock grazing and logging as well as any other human activity.” Capurso expressed concern over future actions of the USFWS stating “make no mistake, the USFWS has the Canadian Lynx and Wolverine on their agenda to set on us next.”
While serving as chairman of the Boundary County Republican Central Committee (BCRCC), Capurso was asked to assist Bonners Ferry resident Jeremy Hill in August, 2011 when he was charged and then arraigned on federal charges for shooting and killing a grizzly bear while protecting 4 out of 6 of his children and faced a year in prison and a $50,000 fine if he had been convicted. Capurso interviewed Hill and wrote an article which went viral on the internet in 48 hours bringing this travesty of justice to the American public.
Capurso stated, “This community came together like no other I have ever seen, and after major pressure, those charges were dropped as long as Jeremy paid a $1,000 civil fine. To me, that was extortion by Wendy Olson, the U.S. Attorney in Boise who was appointed by Obama. When did a bear become more important than a child?” The grizzly bear became listed as an endangered species in 1975 and starting in 1999, the USFWS began their plan to distribute grizzlies in the Selkirk mountain range recovery zone.
Capurso is also concerned about the Canadian Grey Wolves that, according to local residents, have been sighted in Boundary County. She states, “back in 1995, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service introduced 35 Canadian Gray Wolves into central Idaho. Since then these wolves have multiplied and are now roaming in huge packs with counts varying from 800 to 2000 in Idaho and it has been estimated that they increase their numbers by 30% yearly. These huge wolves decimate elk herds as well as other wildlife, and ravage farm animals. These imported wolves also carry Hydatid Disease, a parasitic disease that affects both humans and other mammals, moose, elk, deer, cattle, sheep, dogs, and other animals. This is just one more example of the incompetence of the USFWS.”
Capurso brought up the recent Islamic Refugee Resolution. “We as a community have other issues to deal with in regards to the federal government. Just two months ago, the topic of Syrian refugees coming to Boundary County was on the commissioner’s agenda. I emailed my contacts and asked people to show up for this important meeting. The commissioner’s meeting room does not hold very many people and when 107 people showed up, it was quickly moved to the extension office behind the courthouse. Discussion ensued and a new meeting was set up for December 7th. Having had experience writing resolutions for the BCRCC, Commissioner Pinkerton asked me to write a resolution for him to present to the commissioners at the next meeting, which I did.
Because such a large crowd was expected to show up at the extension office, it was moved to the Boundary County fairgrounds, where 325 people showed up. I was amazed and so proud of our community that so many people took the time out of a work day to be involved with this important issue of Syrian refugees and the danger of Islamic terrorists infiltrating our county. The commissioners all voted to pass the resolution and it was sent to the governor after a few minor changes.”
When Capurso was asked what her plan is to make changes, she responded as follows: “Boundary County has some big challenges and there are solutions, but they will take hard work and a determined tenacity. Just imagine Boundary County as being a prosperous and self-sustaining place where our children and young families don’t have to leave the area to find jobs in order to be able to provide a good living for their families without destroying the quality of life we enjoy here. 70% of our county is under control of the federal government and my number one priority would be to work towards getting those lands under the control of the state.
I will be putting up a Facebook page with information on the equal footing doctrine, the American Lands Council, the Western Coalition of States and getting a strong coalition of Idaho counties on the same page. It is no secret that there is power in numbers.” She also plans to address other issues that Boundary County faces and to write articles to keep the public informed on Facebook. “If I am elected, it will be my humble privilege to serve the people of Boundary County and be “The Voice of ‘We the People’ for this community.”
Donna Capurso can be reached via email at DonnaCapurso2010@gmail.com or by phone at 267-6506.
Go, Donna!