Former legislator plans new run

Former state Rep. Wayne Meyer wants to reclaim a seat in the Idaho House but he’s not saying who he will run against.

Meyer, 56, said he needs to talk to a few more people before deciding whether to run against Rep. Phil Hart, R-Athol, who beat him in the 2004 primary, or Rep. Jim Clark, R-Hayden Lake. He must make a decision by the March 17 filing deadline.

The Rathdrum bluegrass farmer, who served five terms, said he has stayed involved by serving on policy committees for the Coeur d’Alene and Rathdrum chambers of commerce. He also served on a committee on water issues in which he lobbied Idaho legislators for money to protect and study the Spokane Valley/Rathdrum Prairie Aquifer.

“I bring 10 years of experience in the Legislature,” Meyer said, adding that he fought for education, the funding of the North Idaho College Health Sciences building and the local-option sales tax.

Meyer was diagnosed with colo-rectal cancer last year and has two more chemotherapy treatments left. His last test showed he was negative for cancer, Meyer said.

“I still have the interest and enthusiasm necessary to be involved in the issues that are important to the state and in particular North Idaho,” he said.