Idaho Statesman’s endorsement for state Senate seat in Boise goes to Melissa Wintrow
Rep. Melissa Wintrow, D-Boise, has been an outstanding representative for District 19 over the past three terms.
Not only has she been a consistent, reasonable and respected voice of opposition as a member of the superminority party in the Legislature, she has also proven to be an effective legislator.
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Most notably, she has introduced and passed a series of landmark laws that have reformed how sexual assault kits are tracked, processed and tested in Idaho. Her legislation has won bipartisan support and has forever changed what once was a seriously flawed system.
We expect more great things from Wintrow as the District 19 state senator, a position she is seeking to replace Sen. Cherie Buckner-Webb, who did not seek reelection.
The Idaho Statesman editorial board endorses Wintrow to replace Buckner-Webb in the Senate.
Wintrow’s opponent, Republican Aaron Tribble, shows an openness to consider a host of solutions to Idaho’s problems, such as public education funding and criminal justice reform.
But Tribble was short on knowledge in some key issues, such as Medicaid expansion and impact fees, and some of his suggestions for things like school vouchers, a California-type Prop 13 solution for property taxes and a more libertarian approach to the coronavirus pandemic made this an easy choice for the board.
Wintrow identifies teacher pay and public education funding as one of the biggest challenges Idaho faces, and she also lists criminal justice reform as one of her top priorities.
Wintrow sits on the Idaho Criminal Justice Commission and on the Public Defense Commission.
“We are spending a lot of money on imprisoning people and monitoring them, instead of really focusing on how we can do upriver solutions and think about what is causing us to incarcerate,” Wintrow told the editorial board. “I mean, we have one of the lowest crime rates in the country and one of the highest incarceration rates, so, you know, that’s an indication to me, we need to look at sentencing reform, we need to look at our attitudes about crime as a culture. We need to see who we’re actually incarcerating.”
Wintrow also sits on Idaho Gov. Brad Little’s Coronavirus Financial Advisory Committee, making difficult decisions on how to spend $1.25 billion in federal coronavirus relief money.
As part of that work, Wintrow put together a proposal to allocate $15 million in rental assistance for Idahoans, which was approved.
Wintrow recognizes the need for property tax relief, an issue that came to forefront during the most recent legislative session but did not get resolved. She favors raising the homeowners exemption and tying it to an index. She also favors increasing the state’s circuit breaker program, which offers property tax relief to homeowners who are low-income, elderly or veterans.
But she also recognizes that public education has become a big portion of many Idahoans’ property tax bills, and she advocates for increasing state funding for education to get supplemental levies off the tax bills in dozens of school districts.
To get school construction bonds off property taxpayers’ backs, she also favors impact fees to developers to help pay for new schools.
Wintrow supports raising the minimum wage in Idaho gradually from the current federal standard of $7.25 per hour, which hasn’t been changed since 2009, while Tribble does not favor changing it.
She also favors increasing the credit given to Idahoans to offset the state’s sales tax on groceries, reasoning the credit benefits lower-income residents. She does not favor eliminating the grocery tax altogether because it would put a hole in the state budget without a replacement.
Wintrow also supports Medicaid expansion as approved by voters, does not want to make the initiative process more difficult than it already is and she supports adding the words “sexual orientation” and “gender identity” to the Idaho Human Rights Act.
We strongly urge voters in District 19 choose Melissa Wintrow as their next state senator.
This story was originally published October 11, 2020 at 4:00 AM.
BEHIND THE STORY
MOREHow we write endorsements
Who decides the endorsements?
Members of Idaho Statesman editorial board interview political candidates, as well as advocates and opponents of ballot measures. The editorial board is composed of journalists and community members. Members of the Statesman editorial board are: Statesman editor Chadd Cripe, opinion editor Scott McIntosh, opinion writer Bryan Clark, newsroom editors Dana Oland and Jim Keyser and community members John Hess, Debbie McCormick and Julie Yamamoto.
What does the endorsement process entail?
The Statesman editorial board meets with political candidates and asks them a series of questions about policy issues. The editorial board discusses the candidates in each race. Board members seek to reach a consensus on the endorsements, but not every decision is unanimous. The editorial board generally will not endorse a candidate who does not agree to an interview with the board members.
Is the editorial board partisan?
No. In making endorsements, members of the editorial board consider which candidates are well-prepared to represent their constituents — not whether they belong to a particular political party. We evaluate candidates’ relevant experience, their readiness for office, their depth of knowledge of key issues and their understanding of public policy. We’re seeking candidates who are thoughtful and who offer more than just party-line talking points. The editorial board will endorse both Republicans and Democrats. We make recommendations about who the best-qualified candidates for these jobs are.
Why are endorsements unsigned?
Endorsements reflect the collective views of the Statesman’s editorial board — not just the opinion of one writer. Board members all discuss and contribute ideas to each endorsement editorial.
Do I have to vote for the candidate the Statesman endorses?
Of course not. An endorsement is just our recommendation based on the candidates’ backgrounds and their answers to editorial board questions.
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Of course you can. We encourage voters to do their own research and choose the candidate who best represents your views.
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