Newcomers Jeff Nafsinger and Dori Healey face off for Idaho House seat. Here’s our pick
The Idaho Statesman’s editorial board endorses Jeff Nafsinger’s bid for a seat 15B in the Idaho House of Representatives.
Nafsinger has deep roots in the local area. He’s worked for many years selling plumbing supplies — the kind of work that gets you out in the community, where you get to understand the problems facing a wide variety of Idahoans.
And it shows. Nafsinger has a clear vision of the problems facing Idaho, and he has articulate proposals to solve them.
Nafsinger’s opponent is Republican Dori Healey. We simply don’t know much about Healey, despite efforts to find out. We invited her to an editorial board interview, but she declined. She didn’t answer questions for our voter guide. Her campaign social media accounts have been very infrequently updated.
She appears to be simply a placeholder, a way to make sure there is an R on the ballot. There’s no shame in that, but it doesn’t make a strong case for a vote.
Nafsinger, on the other hand, is working hard to understand the issues facing his prospective constituents, and he has reasonable approaches to solving them.
He told the editorial board that he’s hearing the biggest complaints about property taxes. Examining local property taxes in his district, it seems one of the biggest contributors to rising taxes is the fact that the homeowners exemption has been frozen since 2016 — a main contributor to rising property taxes statewide.
He proposes to re-index the exemption, transferring the tax burden that has shifted from businesses onto homeowners back to where it was originally.
Nafsinger takes seriously the Legislature’s constitutional obligation to provide “uniform, thorough and free” education to all Idaho children. He opposes efforts to undermine that by voucherizing education funding, allowing public schools to be drained of funding.
And Nafsinger has another welcome priority — returning a bit of normalcy to the legislative session. Recent sessions have been marked at various times by rising extremism, conflict, silliness and cruelty. It would be welcome for the people’s house to be focused primarily on fixing the real issues that face Idahoans, issues like those Nafsinger emphasizes, which have long topped the list of Idahoans’ priorities in public policy surveys.
We don’t expect to find Nafsinger slaying imaginary dragons like critical race theory or porn in libraries. We expect that he will focus on making sure kids can read and do math, and to find ways to fund those priorities that don’t break homeowners.
That would be a most welcome change.
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, assistant editor 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.
Can I disagree with the Statesman’s endorsement?
Of course you can. We encourage voters to do their own research and choose the candidate who best represents your views.
Want your say?
Readers are encouraged to express their thoughts by submitting a letter to the editor. Click on “Submit a letter or opinion” at idahostatesman.com/opinion.
Want more opinions each week?
Subscribe to The Idaho Way weekly email newsletter, a collection of editorials, columns, guest opinions and letters to the editor from the Opinion section of the Idaho Statesman each week. You can sign up for The Idaho Way here.