Senators oppose Prop 2

COEUR d’ALENE — Two senators from Kootenai County joined colleagues from across the Gem State to oppose Proposition 2 in an Oct. 31 press release. Sen. Mary Souza and Sen. Steve Vick shared Sen. Steven Thayn’s concerns that the proposed expansion of Medicaid may come back to haunt Idaho in the future.

“There are better options for those in the Gap, which many of us in the Legislature have been promoting, but have been sidelined by special interests. We will continue to pursue alternative health choices focusing on wellness and personal responsibility,” Souza said.

Thayn explained that “we don’t know how much this Medicaid expansion will end up costing, or how many people it will end up covering.”

He pointed to the experience of voters in Kentucky, where “there were promises galore about the limited amount of needy people it would serve and the cost savings that would benefit taxpayers. Those were all false promises,” Thayn said.

Kentuckians are now on the hook for $300 million more than they were told, with a quarter-million more people on the Medicaid rolls than expansion backers had promised, he said. With nothing to back up Idaho but a federal government already $21 trillion in debt, Prop 2 is a dangerous proposition, Thayn said. The state can find a better solution, he added.

However, Rep. Luke Malek opined that Prop 2 would be the better fix for the Idaho health care system.

“Our health care system is broken, and the fact that it is broken impacts every Idahoan. We must fix it, and we are going to need every tool available to do so. Voting ‘Yes’ on Proposition 2 will give us tools to reduce the cost of health care, get better health care outcomes and get more access to quality care for all Idahoans. If Proposition 2 passes, we will be able to create a healthier future for all Idahoans,” Malek said.

Vick countered that if Prop 2 passes it will divert needed funds from other state funding priorities such as roads and schools.

“Analysis from Temple University economist Douglas Webber found that ‘Medicaid has been the single biggest contributor to the decline in higher-education support at the state and local level.’ According to the Foundation for Government Accountability, Montana’s expansion has come in 70 percent over budget,” Vick said. To avoid cuts in funding for schools and roads, taxes would need to go up if Prop 2 passes, he said. “To pay for it Utah is proposing to raise the sales tax, Montana the tobacco tax (which is not actually sufficient to pay for it).”

Souza and Vick joined Sens. Dan Foreman, Cliff Bayer, Lori Den Hartog, Mark Harris, Dean Mortimer, and Jim Rice in stating their opposition to Prop 2. However, regardless of the result, Souza said she would honor the outcome of the election.

“As I have always said, I will honor the vote of the people on Proposition 2, so it’s important that they have full information,” she said.

On Sunday, The Press will take an editorial stance on the proposition.