Dalen and Thrift disagree on planning

Two Westminster men bring stark differences in their approach to government, and those differences were in contrast during last night’s forum.  John Dalen, a self-professed constitutionalist, promotes a free market method to government.  Dalen’s denouncement of zoning succeeded in engaging one of his opponents, Joel Thrift.  Thrift takes pride in accomplishments made by the current county government, such as improvements in rural fire protection and education priorities.  But responding last night to Dalen’s claim that government planning doesn’t work, Thrift said nor does “random chaos work.”  A third candidate for the District Four seat, Julian Davis, sat between the two and, at one point, insurance agent Davis challenged Thrift when Thrift claimed that even though the county has made fire protection improvements, a policyholder must ask his insurance agent for a premium reduction.  “That’s not true,” Davis interjected.