Reuter: Cities have right to decide issue

SANDPOINT — City officials need the authority to protect their residents as they see fit, according to former Sandpoint councilman John Reuter.

As both a Republican and one of the architects of Sandpoint’s anti-discrimination ordinance protecting individuals based on sexuality and gender identification, Reuter said he was disappointed by a party recommendation to nullify those decisions.

“To me, this issue is about individual liberty, which is a founding principle of the Republican party,” he said.

Reuter spearheaded the ordinance in 2011, working with city attorney Scot Campbell to craft the language and establish a system for addressing grievances.

The Sandpoint ordinance establishes a council to consider complaints on a case-by-case basis, Reuter said.

The Sandpoint City Council passed the measure in December that year. That decision made Sandpoint the first Idaho city to adopt such an ordinance — Boise, Moscow, Ketchum, Coeur d’Alene and Pocatello followed in later years.

Reuter said he understands his fellow party members’ mindset: they  want to protect business owners’ ability to hire employees as they see fit. However, he said in Sandpoint’s case, every consideration was made to protect small businesses and individuals’ religious freedoms.

“It simply isn’t true that these ordinances give certain people any special rights,” he said.

Reuter’s position is backed by Republicans in high places, he added. Gov. C.L. “Butch” Otter recently commented that state politicians shouldn’t be working against the authority of local governments.

“I applaud Gov. Otter for already coming out publicly and stating cities have a right to take these actions,” Reuter said.