Reclaim Idaho film screening announced

SANDPOINT — A documentary telling the story of Reclaim Idaho's successful ballot initiative campaign is being shown at the Panida Theater.

The independently-produced documentary will be screened at the Panida at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 8. The film tells the story of Reclaim Idaho’s successful 2018 ballot-initiative campaign in support of Medicaid Expansion.

The Panida Theater will require proof of vaccination or a negative COVID test before entry.

Reclaim Idaho co-founder Luke Mayville, who was raised in Sandpoint, will participate in a meet-and-greet prior to the screening. Mayville will also address the audience about opportunities to get involved in Reclaim Idaho’s current signature drive to put the Quality Education Act on the ballot.

The Quality Education Act would raise over $300 million a year in support of strong K-12 programs and better pay for teachers and support staff.

So far, the signature drive has collected over 42,000 signatures toward a goal of 65,000 valid signatures by May 1, 2022.

Idaho ranks last among 50 states in education funding per student. School districts across the state, especially in rural areas, lack stable funding for a wide range of programs—including programs like welding, carpentry, and agricultural science that provide students with job-ready skills.

According to numbers from the State Department of Education, the average Idaho teacher salary dropped by nearly $900 last year. And a 2018 report by the State Board of Education found that 1 in 10 Idaho teachers are leaving the profession each year.

Reclaim Idaho is the nonpartisan, volunteer-driven organization that spearheaded the Medicaid Expansion ballot initiative. The measure passed with 61% of the statewide vote. In addition to providing healthcare to over 100,000 Idahoans, Medicaid Expansion is bringing back over $400 million annually in federal funds to Idaho, shoring up Idaho’s rural hospitals, and creating thousands of jobs around the state.