Legislative District 3 Clark Vs. Vandenberg: Challenger Attacks Incumbent’s Length Of Service
Longtime state Rep. Marv Vandenberg is trying to hold onto the only Democratic seat in legislative District 3.
Meanwhile, two first-term Republican incumbents face challenges in the other two races in the district.
Vandenberg’s challenger, Jim Clark, portrays his opponent, as a nice guy who has been a politician for too long.
“He was first elected in 1950. His ideas aren’t fresh,” said Clark, who’s never held public office.
Vandenberg denies that.
But there’s one thing the Coeur d’Alene men agree on: Property tax relief should be the top priority of the next representative.
Education is another topic the candidates are hearing about as they ring doorbells.
In separate interviews, Clark dwells on the need to cut state spending.
Vandenberg voices special concern about protecting underground drinking water supplies.
Clark is a business consultant who’s delighted when people say he has their vote because he’s not an incumbent.
Vandenberg is a retiree who said he hopes his political experience will pay off in votes.
Alltus vs. Wasserman
In the other House race, Alan Wasserman and Jeff Alltus may offer voters the most clear-cut choice of any political campaign in North Idaho.
Democrat Wasserman, a longtime Legal Aid attorney, presents himself as a moderate in contrast to the “extremist” he considers Alltus to be.
Alltus, an insurance broker, is a staunch fiscal and social conservative, proud to be at the far right end of a conservative Legislature.
Wasserman lists the top campaign issues as education, population growth and access to health care.
“A fourth issue in this race has to be Mr. Alltus’ record,” he said.
He noted that Alltus has voted against funding Head Start, the Domestic Violence Council, the Idaho Council on Women’s Programs, and Idaho Public Television. Most distressing, he said, was Alltus’ 1995 vote to cut funding for the Human Rights Commission.
“I fail to see how anyone living up here and representing Hayden and Coeur d’Alene, given their reputation for intolerance, could do that.” Alltus said he is shocked anyone would assault his integrity by suggesting he’s racially intolerant.
His votes against such programs were not philosophical, but fiscal, he said. He was keeping a campaign pledge to cut government, he said, “and the way to reduce government is to reduce the budget.”
Both philosophy and budget concerns are behind his votes against some Health and Welfare bills. He said government provides too many social programs.
“They’ve gone from being a safety net to being a hammock.”
Medicaid, he said, “needs to be reformed. That’s a better word than ‘cut.”’
Crow vs. Sears
The state Senate race in District 3 pits incumbent Republican Gordon Crow against Democratic challenger Sam Sears.
Sears doesn’t have major complaints with Crow’s performance. But he would like to see a bit more balance in the Republican-heavy Legislature.
Sears would like to include land as well as houses in the homeowners’ property tax exemption.
“I think that would lower property taxes without the disruption of the One Percent Initiative,” he says.
Crow also opposes the initiative, which will also be on the Nov. 5 ballot. It would transfer school operating expenses from property taxes to the state’s general fund.
Mention tax exemptions, and Crow starts talking about sales taxes as well as the popular homeowners’ exemption. He says the state should evaluate all tax exemptions to see which are good and which aren’t. He implies that some sales tax exemptions could be dropped as a way of increasing state revenue.
Crow talks confidently of what he’ll do in his second term in the Senate. Sears isn’t sure Crow will have that second chance.
“Everybody’s vulnerable in political office,” he says.
, DataTimes MEMO: See individual profiles by name of candidate