Mixing it up with Minnick

Published: January 31, 2010

COEUR d'ALENE - Frustration and anger over the state's economy and the country's politics spilled over into the usually congenial gathering of the Panhandle Coalition on Saturday. Nearly double the normal crowd of about three dozen turned out at the Lake City Senior Center for the weekly morning meeting, which on top of the regular state legislators included Idaho U.S. Rep. Walt Minnick.

The Democrat was asked pointedly by James Sheek of Coeur d'Alene if he plans to run again, and how he plans to win on the Democratic ticket if he does.

"You sound like my wife," Minnick said, then acknowledged he is raising money and putting together a staff. He described his first term in office in the U.S. House of Representatives as a "learning curve."

"I'm less concerned with winning than doing a good job," he said. "I look at what makes sense for my kids and grandkids."

Politics has been more about pointing fingers than finding common ground on which to solve problems, he said.

He later responded sharply to the statement by businessman Ron Nilson that Minnick had told a Rotary group he supported proposed legislation known as the employee free choice act that would give workers more power to join unions.

"I would appreciate you not misstating my position," Minnick said.

Asked by another if he supports a single-payer plan for healthcare reform, his answer was that he does not.

"It is workable, but in our society we have more choice if we regulate insurance companies and eliminate anti-trust laws," he said.

The health community's participation in finding solutions to healthcare issue is critical, and providing more efficient and affordable training and incentives will be key, Minnick said.

He also responded to a question from Lorri Erickson of Coeur d'Alene, who asked him if he supports proposed immigration restrictions.

"I want to look at it in a more comprehensive way rather than in little pieces," Minnick said. "There are emotional issues, but I do not support piecemeal solutions."

Jax Clay of Coeur d'Alene asked the congressman what he would do about impending bankruptcy of Medicare and Medicaid in seven years, when health care professionals lose 40 percent of their income.

"What are we going to do?" Clay said. "Are we just going to wait for that to happen?"

Minnick said he was unsure if Clay's calculations are correct, but that it is recognized that if those programs and Social Security pay out more than comes in, there will be a problem.

"The only way to keep it going will be to dip into general tax revenues," Minnick said. "That will happen if they are not actuarially sound. We need to look at these problems right now."

Clay's frustration was also shared with the state legislators who attended.

"I'm kind of ticked off," he told Sen. Jim Hammond, R-Post Falls, and Reps. Frank Henderson, R-Post Falls, Bob Nonini, R-Coeur d'Alene and George Sayler, D-Coeur d'Alene.

While the state faces revenues that have declined to an anticipated $2.28 billion from $3.1 billion in 2008, $2 billion is left on the table because of sales tax exemptions, Clay said.

"We pay sales taxes on groceries, but people on ski lifts don't pay anything," he said.

Henderson said the issue of exemptions is expected to come up again this year after failing to get out of the Senate several years ago.

Nonini agreed some of the exemptions need to be looked at, but if things like services are taxed, it will come out of the pockets of citizens.

"At some point if we start removing exemptions, we all are going to pay," he said, but agreed some taxes on discretionary spending might be justified.

He also reminded the group that an increase in the state's grocery tax credit to help offset sales taxes would not be rescinded as some have suggested.

While state and federal lawmakers continue to deal with issues of jobs, health-care and declining revenues, Minnick said the message to them all from the upset in Massachusetts, where Republican Scott Brown won the Senate seat held for decades by Edward Kennedy is "Quit spending so much money, start working together like adults and stop acting like children."

Because of a scheduling conflict, the Panhandle Coalition meeting on Feb. 6 will be held in a conference room next to the cafeteria at Kootenai Medical Center, near the north entrance.

Information: http://www.panhandlecoalition.com