One goal for session

In a presidential election year you can expect few shock waves from the Idaho Legislature. Legislators are no more willing to stick their necks out right now than turkeys were last November.

The protective collars were cast off last year with passage of an education reform package that reverberates with threats and other controversy today. Seated legislators will do their best to focus on the matters at hand, like figuring out how to locally administer federal health-care changes, but their attention will be diverted by the sound of challengers' footsteps back in their legislative districts.

While health care is the headline issue with deadline ramifications, legislators mustn't lose sight of the greatest ongoing need, which is a stronger Idaho economy. That broad brush can be streamlined to a brilliant stroke: Improve the environment for Idaho businesses to flourish. Do that and many of the ills in Idaho's economy will be cured.

The best governments do not subsidize businesses. The best governments go out of their way to ensure clean, productive businesses are shackled with as little regulation and as low tax structure as possible. Idaho has long been better than most states in these regards, but improvement is needed if we hope to finally emerge from the long, cold shadow of recession.

We encourage North Idaho business owners and managers to share their concerns with their legislators throughout the session. Don't make them guess at what needs to be fixed, killed or modified by general complaining. Complain if you must, but do so specifically - and always propose a solution.

The better business leaders and legislators work together, the sooner more jobs will be added and payroll and benefits improved. There isn't a downside to everyone beginning to prosper more; state and local tax needs are more easily met, nonprofits and other important organizations are kept afloat and morale across the board rises.

The recession's shadow has blanketed Idaho long enough. In this presidential election year, let's bring back the good old days, with a better climate for Idaho businesses leading the way.