Steve Johnson

Profession: I am a retired educator, a farmer, a builder and a small business owner. 

Education: I have a bachelor's degree in education and a master's degree in administration from the University of Idaho. 

Residency: 69 years. Bonner County has been my home since 1957. Marguerite and I have four grown children and nine grandchildren. 

Contact: stevejohnsonforsenate.com 

1. Priority number one for me are Idaho families and their real needs. We must make sure the kids who grow up here can afford to stay here. And the people who work here can afford to live here. My major initiative will be bringing rapid property tax relief by expanding the Homeowner's Exemption.

2. Affordability is the most significant issue facing all of us. The skyrocketing cost of gas, housing, utilities, insurance, healthcare and groceries threatens our physical and mental well-being. Many of us are struggling every day.

Our Public Lands are under attack. Public lands are part of our way of life here in North Idaho, and they must stay in public hands.

Education is crucial to the future of our society. Years of budget cuts have left our schools scrambling to provide the quality education that our state constitution mandates.

3. We can provide immediate property tax relief by updating the Homeowner's Exemption to reflect today's property values. This puts real money back in the pockets of those of us who actually live here, while ensuring that data centers and vacation properties pay their share. Expanding the Circuit Breaker program will ensure that no one is thrown out of their home because they can't pay their property tax bill.

Lastly, I support repealing sales tax on groceries.

Protecting public lands requires preventing their sale, and also properly managing them. My opponent has proposed selling public lands to developers, and he voted against every budget for IDL wildfire management. I will make sure our firefighters and land managers have the resources they need, and I will oppose any attempt to sell off our cherished public lands.

If the State were fulfilling its constitutional mandate to sufficiently fund public schools, we wouldn't see school districts scrambling to pass supplemental levies to address budget shortfalls. As a former school principal, I have boots-on-the-ground experience making tough budgetary decisions while still providing quality education.

4. There's a reason that the Local Land Use Planning Act empowers local jurisdictions to manage their own land use. Top-down decrees from the state capitol are tone deaf to the needs of North Idaho. For example, the new law requiring that neighborhoods allow unlimited short-term rentals will exacerbate our lack of affordable housing and our worker shortage.

The state's role should be providing infrastructure capacity to meet our future needs. I will ensure that the tax dollars we send to Boise come back to us as much-needed road improvements and other infrastructure projects.

5. For years, the State Legislature has wasted time and resources on culture wars, like the grand standing about what flags should be allowed to fly where in Idaho. This performative pandering needs to be replaced with a laser focus on dealing with the real issues all of us face every day.

6. Consistent communication with the community is necessary for successful solutions and supportive citizens. Frequent town halls, many opportunities for hearings and a genuine respect for a variety of patrons will establish trust and true partnerships.

7. I have changed my mind on a number of issues. One of the most significant ones is the idea that the two-party system is the most effective and productive structure of government. I have come to the realization that adherence to a given political party leads to gridlock and dysfunction. As an Independent, I will be free to collaborate with all my fellow legislators, rather than bound by partisan loyalty oaths.

8. My plan to update the Homeowner's Exemption provides rapid property tax relief for locals without reducing funding for public services. This long-standing program has proven successful; it just needs to be updated to reflect today's home values.

My opponent's scheme is unrealistic and even he admits it will take a decade or more before we see any benefit. Meanwhile, data centers and vacation properties will contribute little or no taxes at all. This will require big tax hikes for those of us who actually live here, or big cuts to the services that we rely on, or both.

9. I am a lifelong resident of Bonner County. I've worked on the family farm, I've run a small business here, and I've taught in our classrooms. I know the issues that our families are facing and I hold traditional Idaho values. My campaign is funded by local folks right here in North Idaho. As an independent candidate, I work for you, not party bosses. You can count on me to focus on local services like roads, emergency services and schools, not ideology.

That's why our most trusted Republican legislators, Keough, Eskridge and Woodward, are endorsing me.

My opponent moved here from California and brought his politics with him. He wants to expand the state government's role in your local services and your personal life. He collects dark money from out-of-state interests. He makes backroom deals and demands loyalty oaths. He already had the opportunity to represent your interests, and he squandered it on culture war distractions.

Voters have a choice, and the choice is clear. Vote for Steve Johnson on November 3rd.

Thank you very much,

Steve Johnson

Independent Candidate for State Senate, Legislative District 1