Nampa Mayoral Race 2009

[Melissa Sue Robinson]

Wed. July 22, 2009
Dear Idaho Legislators, Nampa Mayor, and Nampa City Council Members,
Instead of waiting a long time for Idaho and the US economy to recover in order to create jobs and prosperity, as a Nampa mayoral candidate in the 2009 November general election, I propose that the State of Idaho legalize medical marijuana and become the first state to have drug manufacturing plants to process the THC needed for alleviating the pain for cancer patients and others. This would also be used for relieving eye pressure for those that suffer from glaucoma.
Hemp is a plant that would grow almost anywhere under Idaho’s varying climatic conditions, and could satisfy basic food, shelter, clothing and fuel needs, I.e. the bio-fuel industry for instance.. Therefore I also propose that these manufacturing facilities also have bio-fuel divisions which would utilize Cannabis sativa or plain old hemp in its manufacturing process.
The fibers from hemp can be used to make clothing, rope, paper and building materials. Its oil can be used in cosmetics, paints, varnish and medicinal preparations. Hulled hemp seeds are an excellent source of protein.
Hemp will grow without the use of pesticides and herbicides, and it can reach maturity in as few as 100 days. Fewer toxic chemicals and dyes are needed when making it into a cloth, which resists mold, mildew and UV rays. Hemp paper is naturally acid-free and is long lasting, perhaps for hundreds of years. It can be made with fewer chemicals and less energy than paper made from wood cellulose.
China, Russia and France have successful hemp industries and Canada’s is growing. Farmers in the Canyon County area (starting with Nampa), could be part of that industry. This would not only put Nampa on the map, but it would create thousands of jobs which would include trickle down jobs that are recession proof. Eventually we could grow this crop and add manufacturing plants in other Idaho counties.
In order to implement this plan it’s time to convince our conservative citizens that we would not be manufacturing pot for recreational use but THC and hemp for the uses noted above. Let’s do this before some other state like Washington, Oregon, California or Michigan takes this opportunity away from us.
The Committee to Elect Melissa Sue Robinson
[e-mail]
www.equalityidaho.org

[Melissa Sue Robinson]

As a person that has seen cases of elderly people getting ripped off by salespeople, con artists, and relatives, I intend on advocating for a new law in Idaho that addresses this issue.

Elderly abuse is a reprehensible act and I want to bring a spotlight to it.
I want legislation in Idaho that would increase penalties for financially exploiting vulnerable adults, who in most cases are seniors, making it punishable by up to 15 years in prison and a $15,000 fine, or three times the value of stolen property, whichever is greater.

I also want to prohibit perpetrators from inheriting from the victim's estate.


As a Nampa mayoral candidate, I want an ordinance that addresses this issue as well and I will start advocating for the ordinance at city council meetings starting in August.

[Melissa Sue Robinson]

Charles Staelens Jr. legally changed his name to Melissa Sue Robinson in 1998, a little more than year before he had a sex-change operation.
Since then, Robinson's ex-wife has moved in with Robinson's identical twin brother. The trio continues to spend time together.
Robinson may sound more like a candidate for the "Oprah", which the trio appeared on in Sept. 2005, than a candidate for Mayor. But the Nampa resident — the first transgender person to run for Nampa Mayor — not only is used to her story getting publicity, she sees it as a plus.
When she appeared in the pages of The National Enquirer in January of 2003, on German TV, which covers all of Europe, and on Oprah, "that helped me get my name out," she told others in an interview.
Robinson's name and face are familiar in other geographic locations. She has run unsuccessfully in the Lansing Michigan mayoral race in 2003, for the Michigan Senate, and the Lansing School Board. She also ran in the Democratic primary for the 68th state House District that covers the city of Lansing against incumbent Mike Murphy, a former Lansing City Council member and minister who has held the office for four years.
"When you get to my age you want to give back to society," the 58-year-old Robinson said. "Politics is a perfect way to do it, especially at the local level."
Robinson's name will be listed on the November ballot along with Mayor Dale and others that choose to run.
Robinson isn't deterred by the tough road ahead. She hopes her candidacy and her work at an organization she started called the National Association for the Advancement of Transgender People helps others better understand the transgender community.
While at least 275 openly gay men and women have been elected to offices at the local, state and federal levels, there are two known transgender candidates serving in elected offices — a city councilman in Rapid City, S.D., recently announced he is getting ready for a sex-change operation, and theres a Mayor in Oregon who's transgender as well, according to a national advocacy group.
Robinson isn't getting any help from the advocacy group, Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund, which is based in Washington and identifies, trains and supports openly lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender candidates and officials.
Victory Fund spokesman Dave DeCicco said Robinson didn't meet the organization's criteria for funding .
"We know it when we see it," DeCicco said. "Looking at Melissa, we didn't think it would be a wise endorsement at this time. She has run for a handful of elected offices and has not won. Perhaps she is running in the wrong geographical area."
Robinson knows her campaign will be hard work, but she isn't overwhelmed. She compares it to the work she did growing up in Michigan, going door-to-door to offer lawn mowing services and selling everything from greeting cards to candles.
When Robinson was Chuck Staelens, he was the president of a construction and home improvement company from 1986-98. Despite his success in a male-dominated career, Staelens always thought of himself as a woman.
"When I got in my 40s, I knew that if I didn't do it then I was never going to do it and I didn't want to live my life never doing it," she said of the decision to have a sex-change operation. "I wanted to get everything right in my life. By changing into a woman that righted myself."
Robinson's ex-wife, Linda Staelens, said she was devastated by her husband's decision to become a woman, but said the two have remained close friends. Staelens is the manager of Robinson's Mayoral campaign.
"She's my friend and someone I've known since 1981," Staelens said. "I've probably spent more time with her than with anyone else in my whole life. I would miss her if she wasn't around."

[Melissa Sue Robinson]

If I am elected Mayor of Nampa I promise citizens that no matter what our budget looks like there will absolutely be "No" Cuts to the Nampa Police and Fire Department, as employee numbers pertaining to these services are not only essential, but in my opinion they aren't subject to review under any circumstance pertaining to any budget cuts.

-Melissa Sue Robinson

[e-mail]

www.equalityidaho.org

[Melissa Sue Robinson]

Transsexual Mayoral Candidate in Nampa Idaho wants to legalize Marijuana. She's also going to fight for an anti-discrimination and hate crimes ordinance in Nampa that not only includes anti discrimination, but protection against hate crimes that are for gender identity and expression. To view a speech by her go to:

http://www.youtube.com/watch...

[Melissa Sue Robinson]

If mayors of Nampa were elected on the basis of how interesting their lives are, Melissa Sue Robinson would win hands down.
No other candidate in this year’s general election can boast of a full-page spread in the National Enquirer, being featured on Oprah's show entitled "when one twin changes their gender", in the Fall of 2005,
Or of having been a successful business owner who gave it up to after she decided to become a woman.
Robinson, 58, an Michigan State University graduate with a degree in humanities, is running for mayor in the general election against incumbent Tom Dale.
Robinson was Charles Edward Stalens Jr. when he ran for an at-large seat on Lansing, MI. City Council in 1997. For a businessman with little time to campaign, he garnered a respectable 700 votes.
In 1998 Stalens sold his 25-year-old Lansing home improvement business to a partner because he knew the men he employed would “have a hard time working for me” after the next step: a sex change.
“You reach a stage in life where you can’t take putting on the male façade any more,” said Robinson, now an collector for Qwest Communications,“so you have to go for it.”
Robinson underwent psychological counseling and hormone therapy to develop breasts and smoothe out her skin. In 1999, she underwent surgery at the University of Michigan to become a woman.
She also divorced her spouse, Linda, but they remain “best friends,” Robinson said.
And in a twist, Robinson added, his former wife fell in love with Robinson’s identical twin brother, Warren Staelens. The two are to be married, Robinson said.
It was that development that attracted the attention of the National Enquirer. It ran a full page story in January 2003 headlined:“He’s a she now—and his twin is his ex-wife’s lover!”
Except for incorrectly reporting that Robinson had had breast implants, the Enquirer story was accurate, Robinson said.
The story quoted Robinson’s ex-wife as saying,“I was devastated. But after a couple of months I accepted it and moved on with my life. We are still friends and go somewhere about once a week.”
Continued the Enquirer:“’After Chuck became Melissa, I waited 22 months before dating her twin,’ Linda said.‘He was interested in me, so we started going out together.
‘But I’m not trying to replace Chuck with Warren. Warren is nothing like Chuck was. They are totally different. The only way they are alike is in their looks.’”

[Melissa Sue Robinson]

Dear Citizens of Nampa,
My name is Melissa Sue Robinson and I am hereby announcing my intentions to run for Mayor of Nampa, ID. in the November 2009 general election. I am running because I'm progressive and feel that Nampa's a city that needs progressive people in city government. With many years of political and business experience I would bring that experience to your city government. I'm a 58 years old telecommunications worker, and former owner of Design Masters Construction Co, Inc.(a 25 employee small business formerly based in Michigan) in which I was President for 10 years. At age 41 I pursued my Bachelor of Arts degree in Humanities from Michigan State University and acheived that with a high GPA within 3.5 years by taking 4-5 classes per semester. This major was interdiciplinary i.e. english,history, psychology, and religion. In 2006 I was instrumental in getting an anti-discrimination ordinance passed in Lansing, MI. with the aid of many people. Nampa is growing and it's demographics are becoming very diverse. I am very well rounded and can hit the ground running. Most of all with my successful business experience, I can help bring new employers to our city, as I know what employers want and how they think. I can acheive my goals with the aid of talented people that I would bring on board.

www.equalityidaho.com

[Melissa Sue Robinson]

Citizens- I found this in the Idaho Press Tribune on July 17th

Trial starts on attack of Nampa shopper

By Rebecca Boone/The Associated Press

Updated 6 hours 46 minutes ago

Federal case involves allegations that beating of local man was racially motivated

BOISE — Four shoppers plotted an attack against a 24-year-old man they encountered in the aisles of a Nampa Wal-Mart, then followed him to the parking lot and beat him — all because the man is black, a federal prosecutor told a jury Thursday.

Make no mistake-Under a Robinson administration (in Nampa), not only will these offenders that commit hate crimes be tried under federal laws, but they will be arrested first under Nampa's tough anti discrimination, racial profiling, and hate crimes ordinance that I not only intend on pushing for, but we will get it passed one way or another. I am tired of Idaho and Nampa being thought of in error, as a place that practices discrimination and hate crimes. These acts are only committed by the few, but need to be stopped NOW!

[Melissa Sue Robinson]

About Melissa Sue Robinson and Progress For Nampa

While Nampa is a City that shows promise with it's fine shopping, great parks, newer subdivisions, quality schools, and many places to dine, it still has a long way to go pertaining to keeping up with demographics and a growing population. Nampa's population is becoming very diverse and needs to keep up with this diversity by creating the best business and social environment in the State of Idaho. We will become a model for progress and economics in Idaho and the United States under my leadership. We will do this with:

1. Tax breaks and grants for new and existing businesses

2. Nampa's first "fair" anti-discrimination laws

3. Infrastructure improvements i.e. roads and transportation

4. A new indoor/outdoor city market downtown

5. Major investment in the arts, support for our many churches (they will not be left out), and an amusement park and minor league baseball stadium on the Western edge of town
Home Services Links Campaigns Contact Us

Dear Nampa Citizens,

while other cities slash police and fire budgets, we will keep every sworn officer and every firefighter on the job. Instead of slashing we will add new community police officers to help keep our neighborhoods safe. We will maintain a balanced budget with no layoffs and no tax increases.We will do this by attracting new business to Nampa under my leadership. It's time that we showed Idahoan's that Nampa is a force to be reckoned with. Only positive, confident, and highly motivated people will be appointed to help me in these tasks. People with great compassion for all of it's citizens. I realize that we won't change everything overnight but the groundwork will be laid under a Robinson administration. This is my promise to you!

Vote For Melissa Sue Robinson, For Mayor (2009) For Nampa, For Progress, For the Future of Our Citizens, and For Diversity!

In Michigan (where I am originally from), Governor Jennifer Granholm, proposed and acheived tax breaks for the movie and alternative fuel industries. Many movie studios and alternative fuel factories are being built, thus creating jobs. These breaks are also going to nano-technology employers. I know if Michigan can do this we sure can. Nampa can and will take the lead in these areas under my leadership -Melissa Sue Robinson

[Melissa Sue Robinson]

Nampa Advocates for Change

If elected Mayor I will pull together a large number of enthusiastic young people who want to make a difference in Nampa. This group will help the Mayor stay connected and in touch with issues important to 20 and 30 somethings and take on initiatives and projects relevant to making Nampa a better place. This group will be called "Accelerate Nampa" or "Nampa Advocates for Change" , and will take on beautification projects and projects that help low income families and seniors. One purpose will be in helping keep homes and yards fixed up. It may also keep some of our young from joining gangs by giving them another option

When elected Mayor I will institue the "GO GREEN INITITAVE AND PLEDGE!

THE CITY OF NAMPA IDAHO

GO GREEN! PLEDGE

I pledge to take the following actions to reduce my own carbon footprint and help make

Greater NAMPA a greener place to live, work and play.

I will….

�� Bike, walk, carpool, or use public transportation to get to work one time per

week. According to the Colorado-based Smart Trips Web site (www.smarttrips.org ), a person who bikes 10

miles back and forth to work three times a week saves $840 a year on gasoline, burns 54,000 calories and

coughs out 76 fewer pounds of carbon dioxide emissions into the air.

�� Replace 3 incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs

immediately and replace all other incandescent bulbs with CFL’s as they burn

out. According to the EPA, if every home in America replaced just one incandescent light bulb with an Energy

Star CFL, it would save enough energy to light more than 3 million homes and prevent greenhouse gas

emissions equivalent to those of more than 800,000 cars annually.

�� Use re-usable containers for water bottles, grocery bags, etc. According to the EPA, over

380 billion plastic bags, sacks and wraps are consumed in the U.S. each year.

�� Unplug my cell phone chargers and turn off my computer when it’s not in use. The

New York Times states that 40 percent of all electricity used to power home electronics is consumed while the

products are turned off.

�� Participate in my community’s recycling program. According to the E.P.A, recycling

aluminum cans saves 95 percent of the energy required to make the same amount of aluminum from its virgin

source, bauxite

[Melissa Sue Robinson]

Transgender activist runs for mayor in Idaho
By JESSIE L. BONNER, Associated Press Writer NAMPA, Idaho (AP)- About a block from a street concert in downtown Nampa, Melissa Sue Robinson strolls with purpose into a trendy coffee shop - the unofficial liberal embassy of this sprawling Republican stronghold in southwest Idaho.
Dressed in a cream-colored pantsuit, a political flier clutched in one hand, a soft brown leather purse in the other, she orders a mocha and takes a seat as a group of teenagers stare at her from near the door.
Read More At: http://www.komonews.com/news/57567137.html

[Melissa Sue Robinson]

Nampa's Crime Rate

http://boise.craigslist.org/pol/1425436092.ht... (politics)

[Melissa Sue Robinson]

Melissa Sue Robinson Answers your Questions

http://boise.craigslist.org/pol/1443675232.ht...