Letters to the editor: Initiatives, dam breaching, voting act, public lands
Idaho initiatives
I want to urge state Reps. Codi Galloway and Steve Berch of District 15 to vote no on the upcoming Senate Bill 1110. I listened to the citizen testimony given last month and the people were overwhelmingly opposed to this bill (including those from rural areas), yet it was still passed out of committee. Our current legislature is an embarrassment and does not represent the people it claims to. Rural Idahoans are able to vote on the initiative once a proposal makes the ballot so how are they being denied a voice in the overall process? This is prioritizing rural over urban voters and is a transparent attempt to make it impossible to pass a ballot initiative on medical marijuana in 2022. With the way they are acting, you’d think that people are trying to legalize cocaine and meth, rather than something that could improve people’s health and provide tax revenue (which is currently being lost to Oregon and Washington) to help build infrastructure desperately needed in Boise after our recent growth. They need to stop fighting progress and think about what’s best for our citizens.
Samantha Grapes, Boise
Protect the land
We witness the change of our state. Pristine farms and ranches converted into cookie cutter subdivisions. We witness the results of developers selling our state to benefit their personal bank accounts. At what point do we sell our state such that folks who have lived here now find it intolerable to now be here. Where does it end? Where is there left to go? Is it progress to turn our wilderness state into another southern California? Yuck.
The “Preserve McCall Plan” is typical developer salesmanship to prostitute our land, heritage and people for more money, more progress.
Somehow, I thought that Gov. Little, who has a heritage of working the land, in sheep and cattle ranching, would realize the value of public lands. I’m all for his idea of increasing the funding of public education, but selling our heritage to do that…. typical developer hoopla that has been the problem of Idaho for 10 years now.
At what point does it end, folks? When will we choose people and heritage over money? Obviously not on Gov. Little’s watch. Idahoans are getting fed up with all this change. Politicians: Please stop now all this “selling Idaho” shenanigans.
Andrew Armstrong, McCall
Dam breaching
Rep. Mike Simpson’s recent dam breaching proposal views a possible future without water held behind the four lower Snake River dams. It also suggests that such a future has already been considered by some, if perhaps unwittingly.
Consider a longstanding dam and hydroelectric facility. Suppose we know that continuing to operate the facility blocks 10 river miles of fish passage, from the dam’s toe to the head of the full pool reservoir. We cannot correctly measure that distance using the false baseline of zero obstructed miles on a never-dammed river. Instead, the measurement itself states the difference between the baseline of zero obstructed miles if power production ends and 10 obstructed miles if power production continues.
Acknowledging the correctness of the obstruction measurement therefore puts zero obstructed river miles in play, whether from dam breaching or from something else. Sen. Mike Crapo thinks we should use the proposal to “jump-start” and “give additional fuel” to collaborative solution efforts, perhaps because the proposal supports correct long run scientific thinking about the problem. Sadly, Sen. Jim Risch seems unwilling to begin without a silver bullet. But it is nice to have half of Idaho’s Congressional delegation start looking in the right direction.
Brett Crow, Boise
For the People Act
I urge U.S. Sens. Mike Crapo and Jim Risch to support the “For the People Act.” It is imperative that we protect U.S. election integrity and do not fall prey to gerrymandering or voter suppression.
As Idaho’s senators, I know they likely have a few concerns regarding reelection. While I do not consider myself a conservative, I am fully aware that Idaho still tends toward being a conservative stronghold. That being said, it is important that each voice in our great state is heard, be it conservative or liberal. I hope Sens. Crapo and Risch will agree that voting rights are imperative to the functioning of our state and our country and they will stand up for those rights and support “For the People Act.”
Piper Cabaltera, Boise