Boise is facing a housing crisis, and the Legislature has paralyzed local options | Opinion

Boise housing market in crisis

This election year an issue that consistently comes up for voters, is affordable housing.

In Idaho, rent has increased by 40%. First-time home buyers are finding few homes on the market and the cost to be prohibitive.

This past year a bill was passed in the Legislature to repeal an ordinance that prevented landlords from denying rental applications based on source of income. The application fee cap of $30 for rentals was repealed, making it expensive for renters to apply for rentals.

Despite many legislators support for government not to interfere with local issues, this denied local governments the ability to come up with solutions that work for them, making it difficult to solve housing issues.

The Housing Trust Fund has not been funded in over 30 years. The legislature did put $50 million into a workforce housing fund which built 1200 units; however this is not ongoing and additional investments are needed.

Keeping Idahoans housed should be a top priority for all legislators. The Homeless Coalition would like to encourage everyone to vote and in doing so to look at the candidates positions on the pressing issue of housing.

Linda Beebe, Boise

Helping students with the news

In today’s era of constant connectivity, students are frequently exposed to troubling headlines and harsh rhetoric that pervade the news, while social media offers an unfiltered glimpse into turbulent environments. One of the greatest issues we face as educators and parents is how to guide students through complex global topics. When having these conversations, consider:

• Promoting open, respectful discussion is paramount. My team at Idaho Technical Career Academy encourages a thoughtful, empathetic environment where students learn to respect diverse opinions.
• Look at history before forming an opinion. For example, if one studies the First and Second World Wars, one can see how different events and outcomes have shaped things geographically and politically and set the stage for where we are today.
• Ask questions, lots of questions. It’s good to ask questions, learn and form one’s own opinions. We encourage students to be active learners who gather as much information as one can about a topic or situation.

Having these discussions provides support that fosters resilience and helps them navigate the emotional challenges often tied to current events. Together, we can help young people navigate these challenging times and shape them into the citizens our country needs.

Kristi Granier, Meridian

There’s no porn in libraries

Southminster Presbyterian Church was recently tagged in a social media post decrying the church’s “Little Free Library” because ours, like many, has a sign welcoming book donations, especially commonly banned books.

The main concern in the post was that Southminster borders Grace Jordan elementary school. The poster seemed concerned the church is making pornography accessible to children.

Unless someone has been sneaking Playboy magazines into the library (which is consistently monitored) there is nothing pornographic in the little library. There may be books with subject matter or characters some may not appreciate, but that doesn’t make them pornographic.

Here are some other things the author may not know, but should:

Southminster provides 90% of the donations in Grace Jordan’s community pantry. Church members volunteer as classroom readers. We host community Easter Egg Hunts and Trunk or Treats — with no motive other than being a good neighbor.

Also, Southminster’s pastor doesn’t have much say in what goes into the Little Free Library or even that we have one. Decisions such as this are left to the church’s board of elders. So demonizing our pastor, who is a gifted child of God, will get you nothing but a bunch of ticked off Presbyterians.

Rebekah Harvey, Boise

Oppose Proposition 1

Concerning the jungle primary part of Idaho Prop 1: Primaries are not elections. A primary is the method for a political party to select its best candidates for the subsequent general election. Anyone who wishes to vote in a party’s primary must be a member of the party. Why should a non-member expect to vote in a party’s primary?

Republicans win most Idaho elected positions because other parties usually don’t select candidates that reflect views of enough Idahoans. Rather than putting forward more popular candidates, other parties (especially Democrats) are pushing for jungle primaries. They know they can’t win in a fair general election. So they want to sneak into the Republican primary and tilt the balance to achieve their desired outcomes.

The ranked choice voting part of Prop 1 is also unfair, but that’s a topic for a different letter.

Vote no on Prop 1.

Keith Olson, Garden Valley

Support Proposition 1

I was proud to be part of the hundreds of non-partisan supporters of the Open Primaries Initiative on July 2. We crammed onto the steps of the Idaho State Capitol and cheered on the organizers for their successful campaign to get this initiative on the November ballot. Again, please take note, it was a non-partisan event with citizens from all walks of life, many faiths, from all over the state, veterans, Republicans and Democrats alike.

Like many others, I am registered with a party that I have so little in common with today. It is the party my parents believed in but like many who spoke July 2, I maintain my registration because it is the only way I can vote in a primary election. The Idaho Republican party has a stranglehold on our elections. More than 25% of our registered voters can’t vote in a taxpayer-funded primary election — but we have a way to fix the problem.

Please, vote yes on Proposition 1 and take back the power of the people!

Sue Fillman, Meridian

Ranked choice voting is good

The Idaho primary system often results in extreme candidates, as only a small, ideologically driven minority of voters participate. This skews nominations toward candidates who cater to the extremes, leading to greater political polarization. Voters in general elections are left choosing between extremes, with moderate voices largely sidelined.

However, open primaries and ranked-choice voting offer more balanced alternatives. Open primaries allow all voters, regardless of party, to participate, ensuring that independents and moderates have a say. This broader participation forces candidates to appeal to a wider audience, resulting in more moderate nominees.

Ranked-choice voting ensures that a candidate wins with majority support. Voters rank candidates by preference, and if no one gets a majority, lower-ranked candidates are eliminated, redistributing their votes. This encourages candidates to seek broad appeal, reducing the chances of extreme candidates winning.

Together, open primaries and RCV promote moderation and better reflect the will of the people, making for a more representative and less polarized political process.

Terry McDevitt, Boise