In Roe v. Wade the U.S. Supreme Court unconstitutionally took the power away from the states to deal with abortion. This was based on the Court’s finding of a “right to privacy” which is not mentioned in the Constitution, particularly in the Tenth Amendment. The right of a person to control their own body does not give them the right to interfere with the body of another person in the womb in a way that would cause their destruction.

The beauty of a federal republic like the United States is a person’s ability to go to another state that reflects their morals and beliefs if their current state does not.

David A. Turner

Boise

Congressman Simpson

Idahoans are fortunate that we enjoy two paychecks. One we earn at our employment, The other is public land that we can hike, hunt, ride bikes, ATVs, horses, all without paying membership dues. Free running rivers we kayak , float, run jet boats, and fish, Congressman Simpson has been a large proponent of protecting and enhancing these opportunities. His opponent, not so much. Smith claims the majority oppose breaching four dams on the Lower Snake River. Not So. A survey conducted by the Idaho Statesman in the 1990s found that 51% of those surveyed supported breaching. In 1994 the Idaho Fish and Game Commission endorsed breaching those dams.

Smith misses what Idaho is all about. We are not ready to allow our salmon to go extinct or sell off our public lands to rich people from out of state, like the Wilkes Brothers from Texas. Congressman Simpson is Idaho thru and thru. His conservatism in congress and his efforts on the Boulder White clouds proves that.

This Smith guy is bad news.

Mitch Sanchotena

Nampa

Urban renewal

I remember well the words of then Mayor Nancolas and his Finance Director Mr. Waite that Caldwell East Urban Renewal District would be a “one and done” effort. I am more than a little peeved to see that Mayor Nancolas, Mr. Waite and outgoing city councilors voted in the last weeks of their tenure to approve yet another Urban Renewal burden on Caldwell property taxpayers. Why force this political sleight of hand on our new mayor and his newly elected city council? This act has the bad smell of everything people see as wrong with corrupt local government politics. CEURA had half of all the land within Caldwell boundaries. Caldwell property taxes are among the highest in the State of Idaho all due to “the magic of urban renewal”. There is nothing done with urban renewal that can’t be done via bond elections. I would hope that the current city council has the courage to put a stop to this fraud on Caldwell property owners.

Paul Alldredge

Caldwell

Taxes

To the Idaho Legislature,

In the Idaho Press there was an article about lowering property taxes in exchange for higher sales tax, from 6% to 7.95%. The way the article was worded it appears that only homeowners who lived in their homes would be eligible for this tax reduction. Meanwhile the thousands of residents who rent houses or apartments would not see a reduction in their rents because the owner of these buildings would not be getting this tax break.

Everyone will be paying an extra 1.95% on everything. That almost $8 in tax per $100 could be better spent on fresh fruits and vegetables and other foods. The extra almost $2 per hundred, might make the difference in someone being able to afford clothes, school supplies and other necessities their families need. The extra $60 per year being returned does nothing to help with the day to day worries Idaho residents have in just getting by. Do the right thing, abolish the tax on food and lower property tax in a sensible manner.

Ina Thompson

Nampa

‘Ballot harvesting’

Have you ever checked with a neighbor before going to the store to see if they needed anything? I certainly did when my neighbor was sick with COVID last winter.

I would also offer to take a neighbor’s absentee ballot to the ballot drop box in a similar situation ... well, maybe not now. Two bills that have been called ‘emergency bills’ by their sponsors were passed the Idaho House last week. HB547 would make me a criminal for delivering my neighbor’s ballot. Representative Mike Moyle says this is “ballot harvesting.” But he also says this hasn’t occurred in Idaho.

It’s just cruel to take away my right to help a neighbor out during a tough time. There is no “ballot harvesting” problem to fix! I want all eligible voters to vote. Let’s not make laws that make the voting process more difficult. Contact your state senators and ask them to vote against this legislation in search of a problem that doesn’t exist.

Kayla Dodson

Boise

Substitute teachers

To drug test substitute teachers is not totally wrong, but there is no good reason to do it. The reasons not to do it are many, first I have not heard that a substitute teacher has been arrested for selling drugs to students, second as a substitute teacher myself, I mostly see older retired people like myself take substitute jobs to help the education process, third dumbest move by a drug dealer to take a job as a substitute with the drug laws that add extra penalties selling drugs in a school zone.

Although, as a state system we cannot stop the drugs coming in over the border with Mexico, but need to stop the source and not waste time worrying about substitute teachers selling drugs in schools. Maybe Ms. Boyle should spend the money on drug education and giving the subs a raise. Right now an educated substitute teacher makes approximately $12 an hour. As most teachers we are not in the system to get rich it is for helping young minds.

Dave Silva

Boise