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Editor:

In his debut column, retired lobbyist and Republican stalwart Steve Ahrens tries to explain why electing Republicans to every constitutional office is a good thing and electing Boise Democrats to the legislature isn’t.
Republicans like Ahrens argue that a growing delegation of Ada County Democrats can’t get anything done in a Republican dominated legislature and that urban issues like public transportation, air quality and community colleges will go unattended. Recent history proves otherwise.
Republicans have lost credibility on the issues Ada County voters care about most. When up for re-election, local Republicans invariably parrot their Democratic opponents’ calls for protecting the region’s air and water, establishing a community college system, investing in our schools and universities, and planning for public transit. But their records tell another story.
Rep. Julie Ellsworth (R-District 18), one of five Boise incumbents recently defeated by Democrats, served 10 years in the legislature, most notably as the powerful Majority Caucus chairwoman. Instead of advancing Treasure Valley issues, Ellsworth toed the line of the House’s ultra-conservative, rural leadership. For all the clout she supposedly wielded, Ada County ended up with nothing to show for it.
Contrast that with two-term Sen. David Langhorst (D-District 16), whose effectiveness as a legislator belies his relative inexperience. Langhorst led the charge in creating a Treasure Valley air quality commission. He has assembled bipartisan support along the way, and proved he has the skills and disposition to reach across the aisle and forge much-needed solutions to our region’s air quality.
Republicans have also failed to lead on local-option taxes. Though the Republican Party professes to stand for local control, it has persistently denied local governments in Idaho the ability to raise revenue for needed public transportation projects. The Boise Metro Chamber has sounded the alarm on this issue. Idaho Democrats have been advocating such local control for more than six years. Yet Republican legislative leaders have squelched any debate of the matter, as Treasure Valley commute times grow longer.
Thus, while it may appear that an urban Democratic caucus has an uphill battle in the legislature, a unified caucus of Ada Democrats who can be outspoken champions of the Treasure Valley’s needs will likely have more of an impact than the outgoing Republicans, who had little sway over leadership, and who were more inclined to bite their tongues and quietly cast losing votes than they were to actually move issues forward.
A strong Democratic delegation can and will take their case to the people. Witness the coalition of Democrats, including Jerry Brady and Rep. Wendy Jaquet, who succeeded this year in driving Sempra Energy out of the Magic Valley when the company sought to pollute our air with Idaho’s first coal-fired power plant. Democrats drew attention to the issue, public outcry reached a fever pitch, and Republicans eventually bowed to the people’s will and agreed to pass a moratorium on coal plants.
Closer to home, will the tone-deaf Republican leaders, beholden to Idaho’s traditional industries and blind to Idaho’s changing economic landscape, dare ignore more than one-third of the state’s population, where more than 65 percent of Idaho’s new jobs are being created? Perhaps, but at their own peril.
In the meantime, local Democratic representatives, undeterred by their numbers, will continue to make a difference by eschewing divisive social issues and remaining focused on protecting our quality of life, addressing the challenges of urban growth, and advancing our modern economy.

Brian Cronin
Ada County Democratic Party chairman
Boise

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