[Vision2020] Risch on Prop 2

[Mark Solomon]

How broad is the coalition of Idahoans opposed to Prop 2? ...

Risch said the many groups that have come 
together to fight Prop 2 have formed the broadest 
coalition on a political issue he's seen in his 
career. "I've seen strong coalitions put together 
before," he said, "but I've never seen one, I 
don't think, that is quite as diverse as this 
group is. I think that probably tells you 
something about this."


Read the whole story.....

Mark S.
*******
Spokesman Review -- Eye on Boise
<http://www.spokesmanreview.com/blogs/boise/>http://www.spokesmanreview.com/blogs/boise/

Prop 2 opponents crowd governor's office
By Betsy Russell


Gov. Jim Risch stood shoulder-to-shoulder with 
Sen. David Langhorst, D-Boise; Nampa Mayor Tom 
Dale; and Sen. Brad Little, R-Emmett, today to 
speak out against Proposition 2 on Tuesday's 
ballot, the anti-takings initiative. The room was 
packed with Prop 2 opponents, including 
representatives of chambers of commerce, 
conservation groups, cities, counties, 
developers, Realtors, big business, the League of 
Women Voters, the Ada County Highway District, 
GOP legislators, and more. "As you can see from 
the cross section of people that are here today, 
there is broad opposition to Proposition 2," 
Risch declared.

Becky McKnight, spokeswoman for "This House is My 
Home," the group sponsoring the initiative, 
attended and handed out fliers calling Prop 2 
opponents "nothing but a front group for 
environmental extremist groups like Greenpeace 
and left-wing billionaire George Soros."

When a reporter asked Risch about that charge, he 
responded amid laughter, "Well, y'know, I've been 
accused of a lot of stuff, and now the list is 
complete." He added, "In this particular 
instance, I think what you have to do is look 
around this room, and you see some people here 
that are very conservative, you see people here 
who own a considerable amount of property, you 
see people who are strong environmental groups, 
and they've all come together to say that this is 
a bad idea for Idaho."

The measure has been billed as a way to limit the 
government power of eminent domain, but it 
actually doesn't change Idaho's eminent domain 
laws, other than adding some definitions, because 
it mirrors legislation that already passed this 
year. Instead, the operative part of the 
initiative is a sweeping new regulatory takings 
law, which would require local governments to pay 
landowners if new land-use restrictions prevent 
them from developing their property to its 
"highest and best use." Similar initiatives, 
funded by New York real estate investor Howard 
Rich, were proposed in seven states this year and 
are on the ballot in four, including both Idaho 
and Washington.

Risch said, "We're all Idahoans here - we really 
know what's good for Idaho and what isn't."

McKnight said afterward, "I felt very intimidated 
as a homeowner Š being in there with a bunch of 
politicians who will say anything and do 
anything." But she added parenthetically that she 
did want to praise Risch for his efforts to help 
get needed supplies to troops serving in 
Afghanistan, where her husband is deployed.

Former Congressman Larry LaRocco, whom Risch 
faces in Tuesday's election in the race to be 
Idaho's lieutenant governor for the next four 
years, said both he and Risch agree on Prop 2 - 
both oppose it - and Risch already had made that 
view public. "I simply think he's using the 
governor's office in the last-minute closing days 
of the campaign to wring out every ounce of 
publicity he can get as governor," LaRocco said.

Risch said the many groups that have come 
together to fight Prop 2 have formed the broadest 
coalition on a political issue he's seen in his 
career. "I've seen strong coalitions put together 
before," he said, "but I've never seen one, I 
don't think, that is quite as diverse as this 
group is. I think that probably tells you 
something about this."
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