Legislative race splits voices

A retired operating engineer union member who lists property tax relief and more money for schools as two of his biggest priorities is challenging Rep. Dick Harwood, R-St. Maries, for the Legislature’s District 2B House seat.

District 2 covers the southern part of Bonner County as well as Shoshone and Benewah counties.

Richard Taniguchi, a Democrat, moved to Idaho about three years ago after spending most of his life in Utah. He said the Legislature needs new voices from a fresh perspective to better serve Idaho residents.

“There needs to be more balance,” Taniguchi said. “It seems like when there’s so much power on one side that they do the work for themselves and not for the people.”

Harwood said if District 2 voters want a change they should get one but he thinks he’s doing a fine job.

Vying for a fourth term, Harwood points to his committee appointments as a sign that he provides a good voice for the people in his district.

Harwood has a seat on the legislative budget writing committee, meaning he has a say in how much state taxpayer money gets spent and where.

“That’s a tough committee to be on because it takes you two years at least to start getting the hang of it,” Harwood said.

The book that explains the committee process is about 4 or 5 inches thick, he said. “It takes you that long to figure out the book, almost.”

He also serves as vice chairman of the environment, energy and technology committee and has a spot on the judiciary, rules and administration committee.

“It’d be a shame to elect someone who’s not going to have them committees to be on,” Harwood said.

Taniguchi said he knows that it’ll take time for him to learn the legislative ropes but said that shouldn’t be a reason not to vote for him.

“I’m sure one time Harwood, six years ago, had that learning curve,” he said.

Both Taniguchi and Harwood said further lowering property taxes is one of the biggest things they’d like to work on in the Legislature. Harwood would like to do something about how property is assessed, such as creating a mechanism that considers the average income of residents when assessing value.

Taniguchi said he’s been spending a lot of time talking with senior citizens about their concerns and what can be done to make their lives easier. He’s concerned about the rising cost of health care and about what government-subsidized food is costing senior citizen centers.

“Some of their concerns are even getting enough money to feed the senior citizens,” he said. “Sometimes, the prices are even higher than what’s at Costco.”

Taniguchi also said he’d like to focus on increasing the number of Idaho high school graduates who go to four-year colleges or trade schools.

Harwood points to Taniguchi’s short time in Idaho as a sign he’s not well-versed in Idaho issues, but Taniguchi said he’s been around long enough and has talked with enough people to know the issues. His wife, Linda, is a Grangeville native.

Harwood has done things in the Legislature that have angered Native Americans, such as insisting that the word “squaw” is not derogatory and opposing a state economic development grant to the Coeur d’Alene Tribe, his district’s largest employer. He insists he has nothing against tribal members, he just opposes the way the tribe operates.

“If you’re a nontribal member, you don’t have a voice in tribal government” even if you live on the reservation, Harwood said.

He also said he has a problem with the way the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency operates, calling the agency “the biggest polluter of the Silver Valley.”

“They put more pollution in the river than anybody else,” he said, referring to the Silver Valley mine Superfund cleanup effort.

Taniguchi said he’s eager to provide new leadership for District 2 and wants to work with veteran legislators to learn the ropes and help them with issues.

“It’s so strong one way now, they don’t need to listen to anybody,” he said.

The general election is Nov. 7.