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Near the close of 2019 legislative session, Rep. Sage Dixon reintroduced his No. 1159 anti-initiative bill in four pieces to the State Affairs Committee. This was the bill that was vetoed by Gov. Brad Little after enormous pressure from we, the people. Dixon’s diced-up four bills are simply one bad apple cut into four rotten pieces. Ignoring procedural rules, they quickly passed through our GOP-controlled House, but were then left unattended by the Senate at the close. It’s expected Dixon will be at this again in the 2020 session.

Same questions: Why are stricter requirements attached to citizen-sponsored proposals than lawmaker-sponsored proposals? How can cutting our time for collecting signatures by half (nine months instead of 18 months) be helpful for rural citizens? And now the biggest “why” to this issue, why is this so important to Dixon??

When you follow the money, you usually find answers. Citizens need to research ALEC, a corporate-funded organization that drafts models of state-level legislation. They are focused on rolling back our constitutional right to have citizen-sponsored initiatives. Its reported Dixon attended as Idaho’s chair and his campaign donations listings with the Idaho Secretary of State show large contributions from ALEC and big corporate sponsors.

We, the people, are being over-shadowed by corporate special interests. This is what’s deeply wrong with politics today everywhere. And here in North Idaho, it goes by the name of Sage Dixon. For a representative, he does not represent we, the people, well. Sage Dixon needs to be removed from office.

REBECCA HOLLAND

Sandpoint