Incumbent Rep. Steve Miller, R-Fairfield, said he’s running on his record. Challenger Richard “Dick” Fosbury, a Democrat from Bellevue, said he’s running because Idaho can do better.
In the end, District 26 voters will decide which candidate’s promises hold more sway. At the Pizza and Politics debate between the two men Wednesday night, the role of the state in terms of education, healthcare and land management were hot-button issues for the audience of some 150 people at Wood River High School.
Miller is a born-and-raised Idahoan who owns a ranch near Fairfield. He has represented the the district for one term and has a background in political service in Camas County. Fosbury, made famous by his Olympic high-jumping past, has lived in the Wood River Valley for nearly 40 years. He was the longtime corporate president of Galena Engineering and owns a local farm.
Miller said he voted for the Federal Lands Interim Committee to study whether Idaho should seek to take over and manage lands currently under federal jurisdiction because he thinks the state could be a better steward than federal agencies. He said Idaho could net up to $70 million by utilizing federal lands for timber harvesting and the like.
“We have to approach this like a business,” he said.
Miller also opposes proposed national monument designation of the Boulder-White Cloud Mountains north of Ketchum.
“It works better the way it is now,” he said, arguing that the designation would disrupt mining claims and close roads.
“Is there anywhere the government has increased control where there’s been more access?” he asked.
Fosbury took an opposing view. He said taking over federal lands is against the constitutions of both Idaho and the United States. He admitted that it is a “complicated issue” and said there were solutions to concerns about access. On the local national monument designation, Fosbury said he can understand all sides of the issue but believes the designation is the best course of action.
“If it happens, we’ll need to work hard to protect our access and the lands,” he said.
One area both politicians were in agreement on was the deteriorating state of Idaho’s roads and bridges. Miller said early maintenance is inexpensive, but the more it’s delayed the more pricey repairs become. He said he recommends a road and accessory tax for motorists, “as many as we can”, to spread out the cost of repairs.
Fosbury said the lack of legislative funding allocated to roads and bridges this year was unacceptable.
“[Political reasons] are not an excuse to defer funding,” he said, citing $260 million in “arrears” to infrastructure maintenance.
On the subject of unequal educational funding throughout Idaho school districts, Miller said “the difference is in school support.” He also said there is “money available for levies at the end of the day.”
An audience member described the challenges small and rural school districts have with lacking supplies and four-day school weeks.
Fosbury countered that the Wendell School District’s levy override failed and the state has “transferred the cost of school operations to local districts.”
He said it’s the state’s job to “level the playing field” and find funding to support small school districts, suggesting an online sales tax collection as one possibility.
An audience member asked about Idaho’s refusal to accept the Medicaid expansion as a part of Obamacare. Fosbury said more than 100,000 Idahoans are falling between healthcare gaps and perhaps the state needs to change the definition of Medicaid in order to cover them. Miller said Idaho needs to negotiate with the federal government, potentially taking on direct primary care with the federal government covering surgical costs.
Both candidates had concerns about the water security of District 26. Fosbury asked Miller how he’d deal with water calls from the southern portion of the district. Miller answered that these matters are dealt with between spring owners and not legislatively, and have been ongoing since this spring. He supports an aquifer recharge, as well.
Miller asked Fosbury about his previously published statement about the difference in property values contributing to educational disparities across the district.
“Living in Blaine County, we have higher property values than all of the other counties in our district,” he said. “That’s led to some inequities in funding for our local school districts.”
Fosbury said it’s critically important that education is properly funded throughout the state.
The election is Tuesday, Nov. 4.