The residents of Hayden, Hayden Lake, Rathdrum and other points in northern Kootenai County are among the best represented in Idaho.

Veteran state Rep. Jim Clark, R-Hayden Lake, and freshman state Sen. Mike Jorgenson, R-Hayden Lake, provide Legislative District 3 with two strong voices to lobby for continuing U.S. Highway 95 reconstruction, aquifer protection and property tax reform. But the three-member delegation could be upgraded significantly by restoring a strong representative to the remaining House seat.

Two years ago, District 3 Republicans chose former Constitutionalist Phil Hart, of Athol, over incumbent Wayne Meyer, of Rathdrum, as their nominee. At the time, Meyer was chairman of the leadership-laden Ways and Means Committee and served on the budget-writing Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee. Now, Meyer is challenging Hart in a primary rematch. District 3 voters can upgrade their solid delegation by voting for Meyer.

During his five terms in office, Meyer used his clout to fund the new North Idaho College Health Sciences building, to pass the county local-option tax bill, and to protect the Spokane Valley/Rathdrum Prairie Aquifer. By contrast, Hart jeopardized a massive road-funding bill that included an upgrade to U.S. 95 between Garwood and Sagle by voting against it in his Transportation Committee before changing his position for the final House vote. Questions about Hart’s judgment also were raised in 2005 when the public learned that he owed $90,000 in back income taxes, penalties and interest, and that the trust for his home hadn’t paid property taxes in two years.

In the other District 3 Republican primary rematches, voters should reward Clark and Jorgenson for their good work by re-electing them.

If Jorgenson did nothing else during his first term as a state senator, he deserves re-election for his work to repair relations between the Legislature and Idaho Indian tribes. As chairman of the Idaho Council on Indian Affairs, Jorgenson confronted Republican leadership for not sending important matters involving the tribes to his council before tackling them, such as attempts to torpedo the voter-approved Indian gaming initiative and to grab reservation gasoline taxes. Jorgenson successfully lobbied in committee to stop those attempts. Jorgenson’s appointment, as a freshman, to head the council and be vice chairman of the Education Committee underscores his effectiveness. He is running for re-election against a former state senator, Kent Bailey, of Hayden.

Clark has been called many unflattering things. Quirky. Arrogant. Bulldog. Maverick. He’s all of that and one more thing, too: effective. Clark can drive other committee chairmen and other North Idaho legislators crazy with his unpredictability, but few know the ins and outs of Idaho law as he does. He sponsored key legislation establishing a rainy-day fund, which helped Idaho survive tough economic times earlier this decade, and fought in the Senate this session for a bill to provide major property tax relief by shifting the cost for school maintenance and operation to the sales tax. The plan failed, but by only a few votes.

Opponent Geri DeLange is gaining experience as a Hayden Lake councilwoman, but she can’t match Clark’s committee assignments, successes or clout.