Debate distances candidates

BOISE – The Republican and Democratic candidates vying to be Idaho’s next governor agreed Monday that the supermajority for school construction bonds should be lowered to 60 percent – but they disagreed on just about everything else.

While Democrat Jerry Brady spoke in favor of preserving “the beautiful streams, clean water, pure air” that he said make Idaho Idaho, Republican Butch Otter derided wilderness as “lockup” and “a nice place for you to go walk around and take pictures.”

Brady came out against Proposition 2, the initiative that would require payment to landowners for “regulatory takings,” while Otter said he’s undecided on it. Otter opposed Proposition 1, the initiative to require a big increase in education funding, while Brady backed it. Brady opposed HJR 2, the constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage, civil unions or domestic partnerships, while Otter endorsed it.

Brady called for banning “canned hunts” where high-paying customers shoot elk inside private compounds with high fences; Otter said, “I think there is a place for them.”

The two even debated about debating. Otter claimed he passed on a live televised debate on Idaho Public Television because organizers refused his request to include more than just the Republican and Democratic candidates. However, that debate is still scheduled – between Libertarian Ted Dunlap and Brady on Oct. 29. The fourth candidate in the race, Constitution Party candidate Marvin “Pro-Life” Richardson, also declined to participate.

“I’ve found often in this campaign you change your answers quite frequently,” Brady told Otter. “This is all news to us – this is a new answer.”

Brady and Otter had their first face-off of the campaign Monday at a forum sponsored by the City Club of Boise. They were the only two candidates featured. The two will face off a second time Thursday in Lewiston.

Questions from an audience of 350 posed to the candidates by moderator Jim Weatherby, a political scientist, prompted the perhaps surprising agreement on the school bond issue. Idaho currently requires local residents to vote by a two-thirds supermajority to raise their own property taxes in order to build a new school.

“I would not reduce it to a simple majority,” Otter said. “I would reduce it to at least 60 percent.” At the same time, he said, he’d have school bond issues on the ballot at the primary or general election, rather than on other dates throughout the year. “We’ll turn out a lot more people to the process,” Otter said.

Brady said he agreed on both counts.

But the agreement stopped there.

Brady said he “vehemently” opposed Gov. Jim Risch’s tax reform plan, which raised Idaho’s sales tax to 6 percent last week while lowering property taxes. “The worst thing about this is it leaves a $150 million hole in support for education, which we desperately need,” Brady said.

Otter backed the bill. “We have never not appropriated an increase for education,” he said.

They had similar disagreements on Proposition 1, to increase school funding, which Otter initially endorsed in July, then changed his mind in August and opposed. Otter said at the time that he thought the Risch tax shift took care of the issue.

But Brady noted that the Risch plan was aimed at shifting funding for schools – not increasing it. Proposition 1 would force an increase in school funding of more than $200 million a year.

Otter responded, “Proposition 1 does not tell us where to get the money, Jerry.”

The measure originally called for raising the sales tax by a penny, but also said that if lawmakers already had raised it to 6 percent – which they did as of Oct. 1 – they’d have to find the money from other state sources.

“Proposition 1 puts a budget for the first time in Idaho on automatic pilot, and I think the Legislature needs to bear that responsibility and I think they’ve done it well,” Otter declared.

On Proposition 2, the initiative to require local governments in Idaho to pay landowners if new regulations reduce their potential profits from fully developing the land, Otter said he’s undecided.

“I have been going back and forth on Proposition 2,” Otter said. “I’ve listened time and time again to both sides, and quite frankly I’m still confused because I don’t know exactly what it says.”

Protecting private property rights, Otter said, is “part of my core belief.” But, he added, “I also see the harm that it could potentially do to the cities being the architects of their own destiny. So I haven’t decided.”

Otter added to laughter, “But I will before I vote.”

Brady countered, “I know my mind on this subject and I’m against it. I know what’s in it.” Brady noted that the measure is largely funded by a wealthy out-of-stater, Eastern real estate investor Howie Rich, “who is spending his money to come in here and try to change the way we protect our way of life.”

“This … is a wolf in sheep’s clothing, folks. We should understand it and we should be very clearly against it,” Brady said.

The election is Nov. 7.