Recreation district backers will try again

Overwhelming voter rejection of a recreation tax district in Bonner County has left supporters more determined to try again.

“It’s not over,” said Robert Pierce, a local veterinarian who helped lead the effort.

Fueled by a large number of absentee ballots, a measure aimed at raising tax dollars for recreation needs failed Tuesday by 5,814 to 769, a ratio of more than 7 to 1, final unofficial figures showed. Of the 1,323 absentee ballots, 1,259 were against the measure, Bonner County records showed.

The measure, backed by the Sandpoint Centre Corp., would have created a taxing district to generate revenue for projects including a community center, golf courses and public transportation. The measure did not address how much money would be collected or how it would be spent.

The outcome was expected, especially after a strong campaign among opponents who mailed out pre-addressed postcards so that local and nonresident voters could request absentee ballots from the county clerk.

Pierce said he was more surprised at the low turnout overall – about 40 percent of voters cast ballots – than by the results of the vote. “The awareness was horrible,” he said.

– JoNel Aleccia

BOISE

Panel told water work shouldn’t be put off

Sorting out who has rights to how much water in North Idaho would take nine years and cost more than $16 million, state officials say.

Getting started with the work of adjudicating water rights would cost $1.3 million next year, legislative budget writers were told Wednesday.

The biggest share of the work would involve the Spokane Valley/Rathdrum Prairie Aquifer, the sole source of drinking water for half a million people in Kootenai and Spokane counties. When members of the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee wondered if the project could be put off, Idaho Water Resources Director Karl Dreher said, “The risk, at least on the Rathdrum Prairie, is that we’ll find ourselves in litigation with the state of Washington.”

Thirteen North Idaho legislators have co-sponsored HB 545 to start the process by doubling fees for those seeking to settle their water rights.

– Betsy Z. Russell

BOISE

House supports using copters in wilderness

The House overwhelmingly endorsed a resolution Wednesday in favor of allowing helicopters to land in Idaho wilderness areas so state Fish and Game Department workers can put monitoring collars on wolves.

“The helicopter would be on the ground from 15 seconds to a maximum of 30 minutes in a clear area where no vegetation would be disturbed,” said sponsor Rep. Ken Andrus, R-Lava Hot Springs. “This is the best management tool, and it’s not intended in any way to kill wolves or prepare for killing wolves.”

The nonbinding measure, passed 67-2, sends a message to Congress stating the Legislature’s position.

The House unanimously approved another resolution asking the federal government to accept Idaho and Montana’s plan to quickly remove wolves from Endangered Species Act protections.

– Meghann M. Cuniff