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My Blog
Here are my writings about issues as your County Commissioner in our community. Please feel free to share and submit comments. If you like what you see, please subscribe for future posts.
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The Appeal Hearing for Allyson Knapp's Homestead Exemption
Why This Decision Matters After three days of testimony, the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) deliberated and voted to maintain the Homestead Exemption (HOEX) for Allyson Knapp. I am aware that this outcome was not the decision the County Assessor supported, and I do not take lightly the concerns he raised. This was a difficult decision, and I carefully reviewed all documentation and testimony presented to the BOCC before reaching my conclusion. Cases like this are rare,

Bruce Mattare
3 days ago4 min read


"Personality" is NOT a POLICY
Likeability is crucial in politics as a core component of electability, often acting as an initial filter for voters That quote is an adaptation of a phrase often associated with Stanford professor Robert Sutton's book The No Asshole Rule . Its idea is that poor behavior is not a substitute for sound policy. In today's upside-down world, it seems like people focus on how good (or bad) a person is -- as opposed to the policy that person espouses. It's this intentional effort o

Bruce Mattare
Jan 84 min read


Happy Thanksgiving
It's been a while. A lot has happened and is happening in your county government. In the coming days and weeks I will start reporting on the important issues, what is happening in your county government and how it affects you. Meanwhile, I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving and an opportunity to enjoy family and friends. Sincerely, Bruce E. Mattare

Bruce Mattare
Nov 26, 20251 min read
Saving Tax Dollars...One Decision at a Time
As a representative committed to the well-being of our community, I believe every tax dollar should be spent with purpose and...

Bruce Mattare
Oct 24, 20241 min read


Why Are My Tax Dollars Paying for A Service That Isn't Available to Me?
That's the question many county residents ask. This concern highlights a growing issue with our current public transit system. While the...

Bruce Mattare
Oct 22, 20243 min read


Is It an Automatic "NO" on Law-Enforcement Technology?
Above is one of many license plate readers in our community. Further, this technology is already installed on many law enforcement agency...

Bruce Mattare
Oct 19, 20246 min read


Government Inefficiency and Higher Property Taxes
Whether it's business or government, there's always organizational inefficiency. The question is, "to what degree?" In government it is...

Bruce Mattare
Jun 21, 20243 min read


President Donald J. Trump
I had the good fortune of seeing President Trump speak in person this past weekend. It was an amazing experience to be so close to such a...

Bruce Mattare
Jun 10, 20241 min read


Why We Need Strong Public Safety in Kootenai County
The above image is linked to a video from Theo Wold. He worked for the Trump administration, was Raul Labrador's Campaign Manager, former...

Bruce Mattare
May 24, 20241 min read

Bruce Mattare
May 18, 20240 min read


New "Dashboard" Reveals Health of County Services
Great News! We finally released a creation of mine: The Growth Dashboard of County Service Levels (click here). You see, in the private...

Bruce Mattare
Mar 10, 20244 min read


Big Turnout Last Night
Last night Sheriff Norris held his re-election kickoff party at the Coeur d'Alene Inn. The turnout was amazing and it was great to see...

Bruce Mattare
Feb 1, 20241 min read


Good News: Looks Like We Have a Win for Taxpayers
As many of you know, I've expressed a lot of concern over the Justice Center Expansion project. Mostly because up until today, we never...

Bruce Mattare
Jan 23, 20242 min read


The Shocking Truth About County Waste
I get a lot of questions from constituents asking how much money is really wasted in our County budget. The short answer is: None. Sure,...

Bruce Mattare
Jan 19, 20241 min read


Crime Town Hall a Success!
Last night we held a first-of-its-kind town hall the county's criminal justice system and the crime it's fighting. In it you will see how...

Bruce Mattare
Jan 17, 20241 min read


Why You Will Be the One to Pay for Growth Here
It's true. Sure, there's an Impact Fee statute, but it has a catch that works against you, the county taxpayer. Please allow me to...

Bruce Mattare
Jan 5, 20245 min read


Happy New Year for 2024?
I first want to say "Thank You" to each and every one of you who supported me and had confidence that I would do a good job as your...

Bruce Mattare
Dec 31, 20233 min read
Assessor Secretly Recording Elected Officials' Conversations
The BOCC had a public meeting today to discuss the Assessor recording employees and other elected officials without their knowledge....

Bruce Mattare
Dec 28, 20231 min read


The Truth About Sitting on Non-Profit Boards
Last week I wrote about how emotion can overtake our decision-making process, especially when it comes to political candidates and...

Bruce Mattare
Dec 18, 20233 min read


UPDATE: Is Your 911 Emergency Dispatch Imploding?
UPDATED: Since we increased pay to EQUAL the pay of Spokane County dispatch, we have received so many applications that our 911 Dispatch...

Bruce Mattare
Dec 11, 20233 min read
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