It’s time the leaders of our community speak up to state some facts about the Greater Idaho issue.

How about the Chieftain figuring out who the big money is behind all the flyers and signs: If not big mining interests salivating over our forests and minerals the way they can do what they want with these public lands in Idaho, who then?

How about our commissioners reminding us of some budget facts — what’s our budget in dollars, and how much of this does Salem contribute beyond what the county generates in revenue by itself? And what are the chances Boise will want to match that big percentage gap using Idaho’s various revenues such as their sales tax on our groceries? Tell us.

Education professionals please respond to the flyers’ omissions, given that Idaho spends $8,376 per student (ranked last nationally) vs. $14,400 in Oregon (ranked 20th). Are our young families with children aware of this headline coming right out of Idaho, “NEA: Idaho Ranks Last in Per Pupil Spending,” from Idaho Ed News, May 10, 2022 (Idednews.org)? And Idaho’s own Coeur d’Alene Press headline which reads “Idaho Among Least Educated States,” (cdapress.com, Feb. 10, 2022). And this from propublica.org, April 13, “….Inside the Worst Funded Schools in the Nation.”

From our health care professionals — what can we expect from Idaho in support of our nationally ranked and admired health care facilities, from a state which sent us their overflow of COVID patients, and is now sending its women to Oregon and Washington for care, not to mention wanting to arrest their friends or family for caring for them on their way here? Idaho has fewer doctors, dentists, mental health care providers per capita than the majority of states (https://247wallst.com/state/this-is-where-idahos-health-care-system-ranks-in-the-us/), ranking it as one of the states with the worst health care systems.

These facts from our leaders will help us see whether the flyers we’re getting are about Greater Idaho or a Lesser Oregon.

John Baker

Wallowa