With the retirement of Sen. Michelle Stennett, D-Ketchum, two candidates are on the ballot for the Senate seat representing Blaine, Lincoln and Jerome counties the reconfigured District 26. Here are sitting District 25 Rep. Laurie Lickley, R-Jerome, and Ron Taylor, D-Hailey, in their own words.
If you could make one change to the state budget, what would it be?
Idaho’s sales tax is now the same as its corporate income tax: 6%. Is there an aspect of Idaho tax policy you’d like to change?
Would you support raising the minimum wage in Idaho? Why or why not?
Should abortion be a crime in Idaho? And, would you support legislation to eliminate the exceptions that exist in Idaho’s trigger law?
What’s one bill that passed in the last session of the Legislature that you would have liked to stop? Why?
Laurie Lickley
Place of residence: Jerome
Previous public experience: Idaho House of Representatives, two terms/four years; Idaho Behavioral Health Council; Southern Idaho Economic Development Organization; University of Idaho Extension Advisory Board; Northwest Pacific Fisheries Board; vice chair, House Resources and Conservation; Idaho Foodbank; youth basketball coach; Rotarian.
Education: University of Idaho, B.S. degree in agricultural economics.
Why are you running? “I am a mother, a grandmother, a small-business owner, and a passionate advocate for creating an Idaho our children will be proud to inherit. District 26 deserves a senator with experience who will work civilly, collaboratively and cooperatively with diverse stakeholders on issues that matter and long- and short-term solutions that stand the test of time.”
1. We did a nice job of balancing our budget and returning record tax relief and investments in education, youth mental health, and infrastructure. Additionally, we put $241 million into the Budget Stabilization and Public Education Stabilization Fund—the state’s two rainy day funds. We cannot look back; we must look forward.
2. Yes, I would like to see vape products in Idaho taxed on parity with other nicotine delivery devices like cigarettes. Currently, they are taxed only at the 6% sales tax. This could be earmarked for mental and behavioral health and substance abuse programs identified in the Idaho Behavioral Health Council’s Strategic Action Plan.
3. Not currently. Why or why not? In 2021, the average wage per hour in Idaho was over $23 per hour, and the median is $17 per hour.
4. I have supported pro-life legislation, but criminalizing mothers and doctors has no place in Idaho law, and I am committed to making sure we have exceptions in place to protect the health of our mothers. I am trusted by the medical community, supported as the candidate to rectify some of challenges with the current law.
5. H575 was signed by the governor and did not have my support in the House because it singled out only counties, while cities and other taxing districts retain the ability to enter long-term leases. Counties may be forced to seek judicial confirmation as the sole means to comply with their statutory obligation. (Editor’s note: This legislation amended the maximum duration of county leases for courthouses or jails from 30 years to five years.)
Ron Taylor
Place of residence: Hailey
Previous public experience: 27 years as firefighter and paramedic with Wood River Fire & Rescue (rank of captain) and Ketchum Fire Department; one year county Planning & Zoning; 30-plus years of volunteer service with Crisis Hotline, Mountain Humane, Wood River Trails Coalition, Wood River Land Trust; in 2022, received the President’s Volunteer Service Award in recognition of public service.
Education: University of Utah (anthropology and genetics), paramedic school, fire academy.
Why are you running: “I have spent my career in public service, and I want to bring that same energy to Boise on your behalf—to be the kind of politician who serves the needs of his constituents, including working to protect quality education, standards of living, water resources, access to public lands, and the freedoms of all Idahoans.”
1. Idahoans have demanded meaningful property tax relief from the Legislature. The state could give real property tax relief by paying off school districts’ bond/levy debts, while providing compensation to districts without bonds/levies. This action would benefit all school districts in the state and provide tax relief to citizens.
2. At the start of the last legislative session, Idaho’s corporate tax rate was 6.5%. Starting in January 2023, Idaho will move to a flat tax of 5.8% while the sales tax remains at 6%. Implementing a progressive tax across all brackets would be fairer for all Idahoans.
3. Idaho’s minimum wage is $7.25/hour, which is neither livable nor competitive with bordering states. Idahoans trained in-state leave for better wages, exacerbating a diminishing workforce. Blaine County’s median wage is $64,000. The median home costs $950,000. Raising the minimum wage is just one step to address this crisis.
4. No. Women should never be criminalized for making difficult decisions about their reproductive healthcare. I would, therefore, never vote to eliminate the few remaining legal exceptions. Women’s lives are not dispensable, and it is appalling that they are being treated as such.
5. My opponent voted for Idaho’s restrictive abortion bills, which banned abortion, criminalized medical professionals, and gave bounty rights to the family members of rapists (S1309 and S1385). I would have voted and passionately fought against these bills. Women deserve the right to make medical decisions regarding their own bodies.
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