Region receives long-overdue legislative voice

North Idaho — and Bonner County more specifically — received some long-overdue recognition from Republican Party leadership in Boise with the appointment of local legislators to key committee positions.

Five-term Sen. Shawn Keough, R-Sandpoint, was named vice chairwoman of the Joint Finance and Appropriations Committee and freshman senator Joyce Broadsword was named vice chairwoman of the Health and Welfare Committee.

Rep. George Eskridge continues to serve on JFAC and was named co-chairman of the interim Energy Committee, which is expected to hear a number of big issues in the upcoming session.

Freshman representative Eric Anderson was named to the Affairs, Energy and Technology and Commerce and Human Resources committees, both of which are expected to hear issues that should impact the state in big ways.

Kootenai County legislators also received key appointments and leadership positions when appointments were announced last week.

It can legitimately be argued that North Idaho legislators have been long overlooked in appointments or received positions on "big ticket" committees in equal proportion to southern Idaho. That didn't happen this year. From key committees to leadership posts, Bonner and Kootenai county legislators are in a position to bring a North Idaho voice to the process in a way that hasn't happened for a while.

Yes, southern Idaho has a larger population, but North Idaho is growing — in fact, Bonner and Kootenai counties are among the fastest growing in the state. Our voice is important and must be a vital part of the legislative process. That hasn't always happened — in the past the region has been shut out or downplayed as a minor player.

This year, the legislative leaders finally recognized that North Idaho's voice must be a key part of discussion and debate in order to draft legislation that works for all of Idaho — not just one region or another.

Here's to a successful session.

Caroline Lobsinger is managing editor of the Bonner County Daily Bee.