Kootenai County Commission, District 3 Panabaker, Piazza, Wells

The Kootenai County Commission’s approval of a controversial railroad refueling depot prompted two Coeur d’Alene men to try to oust incumbent commissioner Dick Panabaker.

Panabaker, who represents District 3, feared his March 6 vote in favor of the Burlington Northern and Santa Fe Railway depot could entice election opponents. But as Tuesday’s election draws near, Panabaker believes public angst over the decision has subsided.

“I think people understand that we did what we had to do,” Panabaker said. “I think we did the best out of a tough situation.”

All three candidates agree the Kootenai County Jail should be expanded, but differ on how that work should be paid for. And the three Republicans also say keeping property taxes down is a high priority.

Greg Wells and Rich Piazza are trying to unseat Panabaker. Both are 53, own a business in Coeur d’Alene and list the depot as one of their major reasons for seeking office for the first time.

“That got me perturbed, especially when I found out another site was available,” Piazza said of the BNSF depot site located over the Spokane Valley-Rathdrum Praire aquifer, the sole source of drinking water for 400,000 people.

Wells, who primarily is running as a tax relief candidate, also ripped the commission’s depot vote.

“That upset me terribly,” Wells said. “Maybe it’s time for somebody with a little different perspective.”

Panabaker was allowed to run only after an Idaho judge in March delayed a voter-approved term limits law until it could be reviewed by the Idaho Supreme Court.

Wells and Piazza said they hope Panabaker’s vote on the depot will backfire, especially since two county hearing examiners recommended denying the project and residents overwhelmingly opposed the depot. The facility is now under construction near Rathdrum.

Said Wells, “Panabaker defied the will of the people.”

Piazza likes his chances of ousting Panabaker, saying “I think enough people want a change.”

Piazza said the commissioners received enough comment to know residents didn’t want the depot.

Panabaker defends his vote to approve the depot - which was approved by Commissioner Dick Compton, but opposed by Commissioner Ron Rankin.

Panabaker’s decision to defy voter-approved term limits also has his opponents swinging at him. “People voted in term limits and he’s running again. He doesn’t have to run, but a judge says he can,” Wells said.

Piazza would not criticize Panabaker’s decision to run. But he attacked 6th District Judge Randy Smith’s ruling.

“I think we should abide by what we vote on,” Piazza said. “If (judges) change it, they should put it back on the ballot and let voters decide.”

Panabaker argued that term limits would eliminate institutional knowledge that is necessary for efficient government. “We have term limits if people vote,” he said. “I just wish more people would vote.”

Voters must also decide Tuesday whether to increase the sales tax by a half-cent to expand the jail. The tax increase would raise $24 million over five years, half of which would be used for property tax relief.

Wells does not support the sales tax. “Fundamentally, this county is supposed to operate on a balanced budget. That’s the law,” he said. “But this group of commissioners have developed what I call a credit card mentality.”

Wells does not dispute that the county needs a new jail, but insists commissioners should “set money aside each year until there is enough money to build it.”

Piazza also agreed the jail expansion is necessary.

Panabaker said he’d rather be spending the money on programs the keep children out of jail. “I would have preferred not to build new buildings and jails,” he said. “But the reality is that those things needed to be done. You either address them or let them go and eventually they will come up and bite you.”

Wells and Piazza want to increase the $50,000 homeowners’ property tax exemption, but offered no solutions to make up the lost funds.

“We have had inflation of property values and that (home owners) exemption has stayed the same for the last 20 years,” Piazza said. “I think it’s time legislators should look at that and increase that a little bit.”

Panabaker said he has fulfilled his promise to hold taxes down, pointing out that the property tax levy rate is down 20 percent since he took office.

“Property values could have raised, but that has nothing to do with what we do,” he said. “Other than the Juvenile Detention Center, which voters passed, and the jail, we have not got back to the voters for help.”