Is ‘Greater Idaho’ movement stalled at the county level? Group shifting its focus to state lawmakers
(Update: Adding video, KTVZ.COM Poll)
'Why can't we sit down and talk?' La Pine's Mike McCarter asks; Crook County voters face issue next May
BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) --The Jefferson County Commission met this week for its required (by voters) semi-annual meeting to discuss the Greater Idaho movement. The effort to shift Oregon's border and become part of Idaho gained traction this year, as a dozen counties now have voted to require such county-level discussions.
La Pine resident Mike McCarter, president of Citizens for Greater Idaho, says the group is now shifting gears.
"Our goal right now has shifted from the county level to the legislative level, because that's where decisions need to be made," McCarter said.
The Crook County Court voted unanimously in June to send an advisory measure to next May's ballot, asking if the county "should represent that its citizens support efforts to move the Idaho state border to include Crook County?" It would be the 13th county to join such an effort.
This year, Greater Idaho hired a lobbyist and even got the Idaho House of Representatives to approve a non-binding resolution to enter into talks with Oregon. However, McCarter says Oregon lawmakers have shown little interest in entertaining the idea.
"Why can't we sit down and talk?" he said. "We can choose to disagree with each other. We all have this priority, but we want what's best for where we live, and so let's sit and talk about it."
Jefferson County Commissioner Kelly Simmelink said Wednesday's meeting had the biggest public turnout yet, and the county still welcomes the idea moving forward. But he also said there's not much more counties can do.
"I hear you -- I fight it every day myself," Simmelink said, referring to the perception of supporters of a lack of adequate voice and attention from Salem on the views and needs of rural areas east of the Cascades.
"There's just so much that's out of our control, and you know, until these big boys and girls have their conversations -- what are we?" he said.
Legally, the support for the goal by voters in the 13 interested counties won't decide whether Idaho can take them in. That would require a deal between both state legislatures -- and another big hurdle: a sign-off from Congress.
Despite a lack of interest from Oregon's lawmakers, McCarter says the group isn't giving up.
"We feel that 12 or 13 counties have voted in favor of it sends a voice to the Legislature," he said. "Start working with it instead of saying, 'No, we're not going to talk about it because it's gonna die and go away.'"
"That's not going to happen," McCarter vowed. "We've made that commitment that we're in it for the long haul."
The Greater Idaho group is hosting a convention of counties in December at Eagle Crest Resort to talk about the movement's status and what steps to take next.
