[Vision2020] North Idaho Concerns (was: Last Wilderness)

[Ken]

On Monday 02 July 2007 18:22, Tom Hansen wrote:
> Ken stated:
>
> "First, if one is to refer to the current state of this area of this
> state, it is more aptly referred to as northern Idaho."
>
> The purpose of my "North Idaho" claim is two-fold.
>
> 1)  A vast majority of native Idahoans (of which my spouse is a proud
> member) born north of Riggins have, for virtually ever, referred to this
> region as "North Idaho".

I'd rather not quibble over nitpicks about adjectives versus proper nouns, 
even though I used such a nitpick as a segue into a statehood discussion.

> 2)  There were attempts to establish a Northern (more appropriately
> "North") Idaho before Idaho was even a state.

The nineteenth century diplomacy and politics of the United States westward 
expansion are interesting reading, generally, and, in particular, reveal 
that divisions which existed then are still felt today. An example on point 
are the distinctions understood between northern and southern residents of 
the Idaho territory. In those days the northern residents accepted a state 
university in their part of the territory in exchange for the state capitol 
being built in Boise rather than Moscow. These days southern Idaho 
legislators redirect highway construction budget funds from northern Idaho 
projects (e.g., to widen the ancient goat trail into a twentieth century 
highway) to southern Idaho freeway construction without so much as an 
apparent fare-thee-well in return.

I suspect analogous simmerings have been felt in eastern Washington with 
respect to the Puget Sound area transportation problems and financing 
challenges, even though this year's funding distribution was a little more 
generous.

> http://www.tomandrodna.com/Idaho

I saw a copy of that with the Sunday Spokesman-Review on a recent week-end. 
I don't think the present problem with respect to rearranging northwestern 
state boundaries would be so much that Uncle Sam would take on a Dickensian 
demeanor and say No to the question "Please, sir, may I have more?" but 
rather the citizens of the region researching, studying, and educating 
themselves about the benefits and difficulties of reorganization.

Yes, some long-term regional project management would be necessary to 
accomplish such a set of changes. Once it is apparent that net benefits are 
possible to be achieved, writing federal and state transition legislation, 
three new constitutions, and coordinating old-state to new-state statutes 
and regulations through the changes in sovereignty, while admittedly a lot 
of work, would not be an impossible set of tasks.

There would be a very large number of details to consider, though, not the 
least of which would be electorate education about a set of unique issues 
concerning a set of once-in-a-lifetime votes.


Ken Marcy