00:00:00:00 - 00:00:40:04
Lindsay Allen
Welcome to the 2024 General election meet the candidate forum. My name is Lindsay Allen and I am joined by Naomi Boutz. We will be your moderators for the 2024 Meet the Candidates series. This year's forum is sponsored by the Hagadone Media Group, Quicksilver Studios, and the Joint Public Policy Committee of the Coeur d'Alene regional, Hayden, Post Falls, and Rathdrum Chambers of Commerce in partnership with the Coeur d'Alene and Post Falls Press.

00:00:40:06 - 00:01:05:17
Lindsay Allen
This forum is intended to allow you, the voter, to hear from the candidates representing various Idaho state legislative …

00:00:00:00 - 00:00:40:04
Lindsay Allen
Welcome to the 2024 General election meet the candidate forum. My name is Lindsay Allen and I am joined by Naomi Boutz. We will be your moderators for the 2024 Meet the Candidates series. This year's forum is sponsored by the Hagadone Media Group, Quicksilver Studios, and the Joint Public Policy Committee of the Coeur d'Alene regional, Hayden, Post Falls, and Rathdrum Chambers of Commerce in partnership with the Coeur d'Alene and Post Falls Press.

00:00:40:06 - 00:01:05:17
Lindsay Allen
This forum is intended to allow you, the voter, to hear from the candidates representing various Idaho state legislative and Kootenai County positions who will share their vision and policies to help inform your vote. Candidates will be given one minute to introduce themselves, then asked three questions with two minutes to respond to each question. Candidates will be allowed one minute for their closing statements.

00:01:05:18 - 00:01:49:01
Lindsay Allen
These forums provide a unique opportunity to connect with the candidate who seek to serve our community. By meeting our candidates one on one in a more casual environment, we aim to better inform Kootenai County voters about each candidate's point of view.

00:02:17:19 - 00:02:47:01
Naomi Boutz
All right. Up next, we have State Representative District three, seat A, we have Dale Broadsword. Dale, welcome. Thank you for being here. You have one minute to give an introduction.

Dale Broadsword
Okay. Last of nine children. I'm back here. I'm the only one living now. I was born and raised here in Coeur d'Alene. Went to school at IHM, which most people don't know is now Sorensen grade school.

00:02:47:03 - 00:03:11:09
Dale Broadsword
Never moved out of the county. Married a local girl out at Post Falls. Been married for 52 years. Have two children. Both of them are in education and two beautiful granddaughters. One is getting married next year on our my wife and I anniversary, who happened to be my grandparents is anniversary. And my youngest granddaughter is studying to become a teacher.

00:03:11:11 - 00:03:43:18
Dale Broadsword
So, not much, except the fact that I've been a union officer in three different organizations my local, the North Idaho Central Labor Council, and the Idaho AfL-CIO.

Naomi Boutz
First question, what are the key priorities for district three, and how will you address them?

Dale Broadsword
Ooh, that's a good one. Key priorities, I think for all the state and five northern counties in the state of Idaho is the fact is, jobs.

00:03:43:19 - 00:04:05:12
Dale Broadsword
We have unique ability in Kootenai County. And the fact is we have two railroads and an airport, but we have no major manufacturing in here. And we need to move away from the hospitality industry and the tourism industry, because that's not paying jobs for our young people. Our young people have to work 2 or 3 jobs just to get there.

00:04:05:14 - 00:04:33:12
Dale Broadsword
Just make a living doing a a house. And so we need something a little bit better. I love to see Micron move up here.

Naomi Boutz
Okay. Thank you. Next question. Legislators often receive input from advocacy groups and organizations in addition to their constituents. How will you balance these perspectives when supporting or opposing legislation, and what steps will you take to ensure transparency to your constituents?

00:04:33:14 - 00:05:01:07
Dale Broadsword
Constituents is higher in priority than organizations, in my opinion. I know there's some of the legislators considered the other way around. I have dealt with our current legislators and some of the past legislators. And then to me, that's the way they seem to be. Didn't consider the people more than they did consider the organizations. To me, it's the people, whatever what they would like to see.

00:05:01:09 - 00:05:27:07
Dale Broadsword
And if it would extend with my values. Also, I will push very hard for it. My values, if you can argue against me and to your point. I will go that way. It's easier said than done. I, like I said, I believe more in the people than I do in the organizations, even though I have belonged to several organizations.

00:05:27:09 - 00:05:49:09
Naomi Boutz
Okay. Thank you. And last question. If proposition one passes, will you support it or will you vote to repeal it?

Dale Broadsword
I would support it. I think it's great. My wife does not, but I do. So we have a kind of a divided household, and I think that's what the whole state is. The state is divided on the issue.

00:05:49:11 - 00:06:13:13
Dale Broadsword
But I think the fact is that if you can give people more of a chance to vote for your legislators instead of lock them in to Republicans, Democrats, or specific Republicans, specific Democrats, then I think, we'll be better off as a state. So I definitely will support I will not repeal it. I'll fight against repealing it.

00:06:13:15 - 00:06:40:04
Dale Broadsword
I don't think I don't I think if the with you, if the people voted in, then it should stay there. Unlike the legislature, past legislators who have voted to, who have said that the people, the will of the people did not matter when it came to term limits and they voted, they repealed that in the legislature. And I was one of the ones that voted for term limits.

00:06:40:06 - 00:07:07:16
Naomi Boutz
Okay. Thank you. And that was our last question. So now we have one minute for you to give your closing statement.

Dale Broadsword
Well, like I said, I'm born and raised here in Idaho. I've seen several changes all the way through the system. I think our best bet is we have a lot of that. My opponent has been in that office since 2010.

00:07:07:18 - 00:07:34:01
Dale Broadsword
That's 14 years. And I really not seen what he has done for us. Except for get into trouble a couple times with his mouth, which I completely understand because I've done the same thing in the past, but I think it's there's time for a change. Be it a Republican or a Democrat, I think there's a time for a change.

00:07:34:03 - 00:08:04:23
Dale Broadsword
And I think we're better off not having a career. Politicians and I may go against a lot of my Democrat fellow Democrats and and then Republican friends out there, but that's the way I feel.

Naomi Boutz
Perfect. Thank you very much for being here. On behalf of the Joint Public Policy committees representing the Coeur d'Alene regional, Hayden, Post Falls and Rathdrum Chambers of Commerce, in partnership with the Hagadone Media Group and Coeur d'Alene Post Falls Press.

00:08:05:00 - 00:08:30:03
Naomi Boutz
Lindsay and I thank all candidates for participating. I would also like to thank the production team members at the Quicksilver Studios, the Hagadone Media Group, and the Coeur d'Alene Press. And of course, thank you to those who have taken the time to learn more about each of the candidates featured in this year's Meet the Candidates series. This series has made it possible to hear from 23 Kootenai County local race candidates.

00:08:30:05 - 00:08:55:19
Naomi Boutz
We sincerely thank candidates who took the time to discuss what is important to voters in Cook County. We hope this townhall forum has helped inform those still uncertain about whom they will cast a final ballot for in the coming weeks. Please remember to vote. It's one of the most significant rights and responsibilities as Americans. The fundamental message this year is cast informed votes.

00:08:55:21 - 00:09:12:18
Naomi Boutz
Thank you.