PLATFORM
LIST OF ISSUES
Age Discrimination
The most discriminated group of employees are people over the age of 50. While illegal, because Idaho is an "at will" employment state, it is incredibly difficult to prove this form of discrimination. What the legislature can do is require Idaho based employment to disclose the demographics of their workforce. If the numbers match the general population, then markets are working and our employment matches our work force demographics. Public disclosure of this information will create the pressure so that change can happen.
Employing Illegal Aliens
What is frustrating about the current crackdown on illegal employment is that only the workers seem to be raided and handcuffed, why not the people, who hired them? Why are we not holding the people, hiring and paying illegal labor to the same standard? If employers were subject to the same ICE raid and shown on TV in handcuffs, then the problem would stop. Here is some simple math, when someone works a job at $20 an hour above board, about $5 or more per hour goes to taxation and funding of the government services we all depend upon. When that same person is only paid $15 and hour under the table or via 1099 shell games, not only does the individual loose out on workforce safety through compliance, the state looses out on critical revenue. That $5 an hour adds up and it is part of the reason why our state does not have enough money to fund critical programs.
H1B Visa and Outsourcing
There is a trend, where by companies determine it is more cost effective to employ people offshore, rather than hire Idahoans to serve the market. The Albertsons corporation decided to fire all of their property mangers, and send the jobs to the Philippians instead. These jobs did not go away, they just moved somewhere else. If you are an "Idaho based" company, shouldn't you prioritize Idahoans? With the expansion of the new Micron Fab, there are concerns if the jobs created will go to Americans or foreigners. I knew a person, employed by an Australian Bank, which wanted to bring him to Australia to work. However, the Australian government required that the company first post the job in Australia for 2 years and then prove to a government official that there was no one domestically, who could do the work. What if we had similar employment laws here? Or again, require companies to disclose how many people "out of state" are servicing our state.
Publish all Jobs Physically not just Electronically
It is difficult to find a job, even more so, when the position is only published online in a foreign nation or requires "only H1B, OTP, H2B, etc. status. These other employment options are only suppose to happen, when there is no local labor to hire. This is the new dirty trick used by corporations to deny employment to people here in Idaho. What if the jobs available in Idaho were required to be published in the "paper of record", the same way you are required to announce a new business, public auction, etc. By providing notice in the local communities, where the jobs actually are going to be, we enable native Idahoans have full access to employment options.
Wine, Beer, and Spirits
Did you know that some of the grain in Eastern Idaho goes towards the production of Coors Beer? In addition to this we have several Idaho based Beer, Wine, and Spirits producers. Go visit the grocery store or state run liquor stores and look an how many of the options are coming from out of state. Just imagine the economic impact if we could replace these imports with Idaho Made options? It is said that automobile manufacturing lines created 10 jobs for every 1 line worker. Just think of the impact of capturing more manufacturing industry for Idaho? Because Spirits are exclusively sold in "State run", stores, I propose waving the State Sales tax for Idaho made products. The loss in sales tax revenue will be eclipsed from the jobs and production in state. Having built a successful bottled water factory in the Caribbean, I know how to "on shore", lost manufacturing industries.
Medical Marijuana
As a former patient of the Spine Center at Ceders-Sini Hospital in Los Angeles, I was given the choice of any pain medication for treatment including "Oxycontin". Fortunately, I asked my doctor about Medical Cannabis as an alternative, to which he agreed is a better option. I cannot imagine where my life would be if I said yes to "Oxycontin". I obtained both my Los Angles and State of California Medical Cannabis ID cards and relied upon licensed dispensaries for medication. What is different today, is that the CBD element from Cannabis has been isolated, without the THC exposure risk. CBD is legal in Idaho, so this pain management option is available to all Idahoans. Regarding other forms of marijuana, when Walgreens, SaveOn, RiteAid, or other licensed pharmacies come forward with a proposal to include Marijuana along with the other pharmaceuticals they dispense, then harmonizing the laws for Idaho makes sense.
Pet Ambulance
In an emergency, you can call 911, but what about when your 4 legged furry family member is facing a medical emergency? Think of all the disabled, senior, and legally blind members of our community, who lack access to a motor vehicle and the ability to transport their animals to a Veterinarian Hospital, Why not create a "Pet Ambulance", and expand 911 services to those at risk community members? In the interim, remove all government barriers to allow for existing Ride-share(Lyft, Uber, etc.) companies to offer this service.
Big Foot Hunting Tags
Idaho is one of the states in the Pacific NW, with a long history of Bigfoot sightings. Why not make Idaho the #1 state for Bigfoot tourism, by expanding the Idaho Dept. of Fish & Game hunting tag program to include Bigfoot? For a nominal fee of $100, anyone world wide can come to Idaho and hunt for Bigfoot. Just like Lock Ness, Scotland, and Roswell, New Mexico, "mythical creatures", can create a lasting tourism economy.
Ranked Choice Voting / Open Primaries
I am against both Ranked Choice Voting(RCV) and Open Primaries expected to be on the November ballot by Reclaim Idaho, here is my Op-Ed published in the Idaho Dispatch explaining my position in greater detail.
Environment
Net Zero Immigration to achieve Net Zero Carbon emissions. If you are actually serious about achieving Net Zero Carbon emissions, it begins with a moratorium on immigration. More people means even more carbon footprints. IF you are not serious about restricting or ending immigration, then you are not actually serious about lowering emissions, Look at Switzerland, it is a beautiful place and stays that way due to the strict immigration policies and the near impossibility of obtaining Swiss Citizenship.