North Idahoans get short-changed

In 1994, Hayden Republican Gordon Crow won his first term in the Idaho Senate by campaigning on the notion that it didn’t make sense for North Idaho to send Democrats to the overwhelmingly Republican state Legislature. If North Idaho wants to be heard, he said, it should elect Republicans to represent the region in the dominant caucus.

North Idaho voters responded to that message and have been electing delegations full of Republicans since.

This year is no different. On Tuesday, Republicans’ advantage in the North Idaho delegation grew from 11-4 to 13-2 as Republican Joyce Broadsword of Sagle upset veteran Democratic Sen. Marti Calabretta of Osburn in District 2 and Republican Marge Chadderdon of Coeur d’Alene claimed the open seat vacated by Rep. Bonnie Douglas’ loss in a Democratic primary.

Unfortunately, North Idaho Republicans don’t have much to show for their response to Crow’s partisan call. None of the 15 members of the North Idaho delegation holds any of the 15 leadership posts in the two chambers. Last year, Rep. Wayne Meyer, R-Rathdrum, was the only North Idaho legislator to hold a chairmanship — that of the Ways and Means Committee — but Meyer lost his primary election in May and then a long-shot write-in campaign Tuesday. North Idaho held a handful of vice chairmanships and five spots on the Joint Finance and Budget Committee. But that’s nothing to brag about. Besides, the five northern counties will lose two vice chairmanships and three budget committee spots as a result of retirement and election losses.

Southern Idaho power brokers have ignored growing Kootenai County and North Idaho for too long. The region has fielded Republicans who should have been in legislative leadership or chairing committees already, such as Sen. Shawn Keough of Sandpoint, Reps. George Eskridge of Dover, Jim Clark of Hayden and, across the aisle, Rep. Mary Lou Shepherd of Wallace. Also, North Idaho has strong sophomores who won re-election in Republican Sens. Dick Compton, John Goedde and Democrat George Sayler, all of Coeur d’Alene.

House Speaker Bruce Newcomb and Senate Pro Tem Robert Geddes should make sure North Idaho is well represented in the 2005 session on important committees, such as budget, transportation and revenue and taxation. Moreover, they should find chairmanships for northern Panhandle delegates. On the other hand, North Idaho legislators should refuse to settle for political crumbs doled out by southern Idaho leaders. North Idaho delegates should have clout this year because southern Idahoans will need them in their corner to help address a possible water crisis bailout.

They should use that clout to gain key assignments for the good of their region.