Matthew May, director of survey research at the School of Public Service; Lantz McGinnis-Brown, research associate at the Idaho Policy Institute; Elijah Kuisachor, graduate. In recent times, disruptive actors in other states have caused Idahoans to become divided. I attribute this to two main factors. Longtime residents who have lived in Idaho for 10 years or more were six points more likely to say that growth was happening too quickly compared to those who moved to Idaho in the past 10 years.
I have been following Idaho politics since 1966, when I started the re-election campaign for the former Republican senator. Idaho was never perfect, but in the long term, Idahoans have generally been practical in their politics and tolerant in their relationships with each other. Even the areas with the lowest proportion of overly rapid responses—the media markets of Idaho Falls (61%) and Spokane (61%) —still boasted a clear majority dissatisfied with the pace of growth. Some Idahoans are concerned about the possibility of a “brain drain” among Idaho graduates, that is, the belief that many Idaho students choose to leave the state upon graduation from high school to seek higher education or employment elsewhere.
The belief that graduates would leave was more pronounced in the areas surrounding Spokane and Idaho Falls than in other areas of the state. Most areas of the state expressed concern about property tax levels, although respondents from Twin Falls County (70%) and Canyon County (62%) were the highest. The changes in public opinion and attitudes towards government policies have had a profound effect on Twin Falls' politics. Residents of Twin Falls County are particularly worried about property taxes and rapid growth.
This has led to an increased focus on fiscal responsibility and economic development initiatives that will benefit all citizens of Twin Falls County. In addition, Twin Falls County residents are concerned about a potential “brain drain” among its graduates. To address this issue, local leaders have implemented initiatives to encourage graduates to stay in Twin Falls and pursue their career goals. These initiatives include providing job training and educational opportunities for graduates as well as creating incentives for businesses to hire local graduates.
Twin Falls' politics have been significantly impacted by changes in public opinion and attitudes towards government policies. Residents are particularly concerned about property taxes and rapid growth, leading to an increased focus on fiscal responsibility and economic development initiatives that will benefit all citizens of Twin Falls County. In addition, local leaders have implemented initiatives to encourage graduates to stay in Twin Falls and pursue their career goals. These initiatives are helping to ensure that Twin Falls remains a vibrant community for generations to come.
