Stivers to seek District 2 State Senate seat

Published: February 17, 2010

COEUR d'ALENE - James Stivers isn't afraid to take a stance on hot topics. "You have to take a position," Stivers said. "Running and hiding, that's the most frustrating thing for voters."

Right after his recent announcement to run for the District 2 State Senate seat, the DeSmet Republican offered his opinion on the Coeur d'Alene Tribe's proposed legislation that would allow tribal officers to arrest and detain non-tribal members on the reservation - a controversial topic around Benewah County, St. Maries and Plummer, which sit inside the district.

"What the Tribe has been trying to accomplish doesn't seem consistent with the concept of Tribal sovereignty," he said. "I'm still waiting to find out what the true motivations are and what the true objectives are behind this proposal."

Stivers, 50, is making another run to represent the district, following his 2008 primary election loss to Seat 2 incumbent Sen. Joyce Broadsword.

Stivers said his grassroots campaign geared at economic reform will resonate with voters during his 2010 run - and help the state avoid federal reliance if he's elected.

Stivers' ideas to boost Idaho's economy include encouraging small business production by abolishing property taxes for them, and implementing a state-owned bank, like the state bank of North Dakota that is not a member of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.

The state bank would then allow the state to borrow its money interest free, and save taxpayer money, Stivers said.

"Everyone I talked to about that idea, it makes sense to them," he said. "The neat thing about it is, it's not just theory. North Dakota has been practicing this for a long time. It's a small state of 700,000 people, how is it they can come up with a budget surplus in the greatest recession since the Great Depression?"

He said Idaho shouldn't rely on the federal government to create jobs, and should stand up to government trying to prevent the state from accessing its natural resources on federal lands. That land should be utilized by Idaho companies, he said.

"I think the federal government has gone in the extremist route in that way," he said.

Stivers has been an Episcopal overseer - a minister to a group of ministers - since 1995. He is married to wife Kay, with seven children, and owns a house-painting business, Stivers Painting and Decorating.