In Brief

by Inlander Staff


Anti-War March -- SPOKANE -- Local peace activists will join the ranks of protesters in Washington, D.C., San Francisco and Seattle this Saturday, when the Peace and Action Justice League (PJALS) and the Green Party of Spokane are rallying people to protest President Bush's plans for war against Iraq.


"There's a national movement behind all the demonstrations that take place on Saturday," says Rusty Nelson of PJALS. "The message is, 'No to the war on Iraq," and this is coming not just from the anti-war sentiment."


Nelson, who says PJALS has a permit from the city, says he'll be disappointed if less than 1,000 people show up at the Community Building.


At noon, when the march gathers, Gonzaga philosophy professor Tom Jeanot and the Green Party's Marianne Torres -- who's also a long time PJALS activist -- will be speaking. There will also be music by Melanie Luedders.


From the Community Building, the march will wind its way through downtown, ending at the Federal Building, where congressional candidate Bart Haggin will be speaking and Rosalie Sorrels will sing.


"It's important that people understand that among these protesters are people who would like to see Saddam Hussein ousted," says Nelson. "They just think it's a strange time for a pre-emptive strike against a country that isn't a threat to the U.S."





The march gathers on Saturday, Oct. 26, at noon at the Community Building, 35 W. Main Street, and reaches the Federal Building downtown, on Riverside and Monroe, about 12:30 pm. Call: 838-7870.





Term-Limits Again -- COEUR D'ALENE -- Citizens for Term Limits have successfully put term limits on the Idaho ballot once again.


"We spent $400,000 qualifying a referendum for the ballot, and the ballot question is, 'Shall the action of the state legislature in the repeal of term limits be upheld?' " says Donald Morgan, chairman of Citizens for Term Limits.


As it stands today, there are no term limits in Idaho. So, wait a minute, if voters say yes to Proposition 2 -- do they get term limits?


"No, this is where it gets complicated. If voters want term limits, they have to vote no on proposition 2," says Morgan, a stockbroker in Post Falls.


Term limits have already been on the Idaho ballot four times in the last eight years, this will be the fifth time. The term limits law was created via an initiative in 1994. In 1998, the legislature asked voters to repeal term limits, but once again voters supported term limits. Then finally, last year, the Idaho Supreme Court ruled unanimously that the term limits law was unconstitutional.


"A no on Proposition 2 would return us to the term limit law," says Morgan. That would mean that local, legislative and statewide offices, including the governor's office, would have eight-year limits. County Commissioners would have a six-year limit.


"It's not a lifetime ban; they can stay in office if they run as write-in candidates," says Morgan.


Earlier this week, Citizens For Term Limits filed a lawsuit with the Idaho Supreme Court seeking to stop taxpayer-funded organizations from using public funds to support the campaign against Proposition 2.


The Association of Idaho Cities and the Idaho Association of Counties, among others, have given $4,800 to Idahoans for Voter Rights, which opposes term limits. All the groups named in Morgan's lawsuit are supported by local taxes, but maintain they did nothing wrong. Supporting the opposition to Proposition 2 is much like lobbying the legislature, they claim.





Met Migration -- COEUR D'ALENE -- Metropolitan Mortgages and Securities Co., Inc. -- commonly known as Met Mortgage -- has just announced that it's moving part of its operations from Spokane to Coeur d'Alene.


Western United Life Assurance Company will move its administrative functions to North Idaho, but keep its executive offices in Spokane. Old Standard Life Insurance Company and Old West Annuity and Life Insurance Company both will move their administrative and executive offices from Boise to Coeur d'Alene.


A grand total of 50 jobs will be transferred to North Idaho.


In a statement, Met Mortgage President and CEO Paul Sandifur said: "We are neighbors to Idaho, and we are impressed with the business opportunities in that state. Our decision is based on extensive research of Idaho's favorable business climate and our ability to improve efficiencies."