You may know Representative Barbara Ehardt as a basketball coach. She’s a nice lady and has given good service to Idaho Falls. However, in Boise, the story is a little different. Do you know her real record in the Idaho Legislature?
It’s disappointing, but, unfortunately, Ehardt has failed to represent us on several key issues:
- Property taxes
- Education
- INL
- Issues that impact us here in Idaho Falls
Ehardt’s Record on Property Taxes
In 2020, Ehardt failed to address rapidly rising residential property taxes by not making any significant effort to either protect the portion of your home’s value exempt from property taxes or cutting them for our hard-hit senior citizens. A quick look through her voting record makes her priorities clear. Spoiler: most of her time is spent on pet issues authored with help from outside interests, not on the items many D33 residents say matter to them.
(Source: Ehardt 2020 legislative record.)
Ehardt’s Record on Education
Funding for Idaho’s colleges and universities.
Ehardt voted against funding for Idaho’s colleges and universities. Three times. These were not “extras.” There were basic appropriations needed to support our institutions of higher learning. She voted against these basic bills to fund education even though INL and other major employers need strong colleges and universities to supply their workforce.
(Sources: HB 603, 3/9/20, HB 641, 3/16/20 and H644, 3/17/20)
In committee during 2020, she voted to eliminate Idaho’s education standards for K-12. Efforts led by local Republican Senator Dean Mortimer helped block this egregious move. It’s deeply concerning and disappointing that a legislator that spends so much time with our youth would take such an irresponsible step without a plan for replacement.
(Source: Idaho Education News, 2/5/20)
Voted against basic safety requirements, such as criminal background checks, seatbelts for travel, and emergency evacuation procedures, for daycare facilities.
(HB312, 1/28/20)
Ehardt’s Record on the Idaho National Labratory
Authored a demand to end diversity and inclusion programs in our colleges and universities, despite insistence from INL and other major businesses that they need these programs. The Director of INL was so disturbed that he stated publicly that “diversity at the laboratory is really, really important to us” and is needed to build INL’s future workforce
(Source: Idaho Statesman, 10/6/19)
Opposed funding the Idaho Workforce Development Council which tailors Idaho’s education and training programs to the needs of local employers like INL and Melaleuca.
(Source: HB 542, 2/27/20)
Ehardt’s Record on Issues of Concern to Local Residents
Voted against the Idaho Patient Act, a bill championed by members of both parties and put forth by Frank Vandersloot in an effort to restrict overly-aggressive medical debt collectors. While the bill ultimately passed, Ehardt’s complicity with companies like Medical Recovery Services is concerning. It calls into question whether we can rely on her to fight for us, instead of against us.
(Source: HB 515, 2/24/20)
Opposed regulating vaping sales to minors. As a member of an Idaho Falls city subcommittee dealing with health, I understand that vaping among minors is a huge concern here in town. The bill ultimately passed, requiring regulation similar to tobacco. It’s disappointing that our local “representative” instead sided with a vape shop owner from Northern Idaho, Rep. Vito Barbieri, rather than putting the health needs of our youth first.
(Source: HB 538, 3/6/20)
Supported having legislative vacancies filled solely by political parties without the governor’s input. Our elected officials, whether we agree with them or not, should have input into replacements. After all, they are, ultimately, elected and accountable to We the People. We should not be letting backroom politics dominate our state.
(Source: HB 378 2/12/20)
Wanted to prevent the Idaho public from fully learning who is communicating with legislators on legislation. This is vital. Some of Rep. Ehardt’s bills are actually authored, in part, by outside organizations. Idaho has amazing Sunshine Laws and other transparency efforts. It’s concerning when someone who is supposed to represent us won’t be forthcoming about where the legislation is actually coming from.
(Source: HB 601, 3/10/20)
Supported spending over $7 million on office space for our part-time legislators at the expense of other priorities like education. These “leaders” pretend like we don’t have the resources to fund our priorities, particularly education, but are perfectly willing to allocate funds for their own comfort.
(Source: H289, 3/27/19)
Voted to limit Idahoans’ constitutional right to put measures directly on the ballot. We’ve shown ourselves judicious in the way we approach ballot initiatives. Very few have passed in our history. The process is already difficult and time-consuming. There’s no reason to make it impossible. Instead of stomping on voters, our “representatives” should be listening to us. Every living Idaho Attorney General, past and present, concluded this was an unconstitutional breach of citizens’ constitutional rights, and it was vetoed by Gov. Brad Little.
(Source: H296, 3/29/19, and HB 303, 4/10/19)
Voted to block healthcare for the working poor and fought against Medicaid Expansion every step of the way — even though nearly 65% of the people living in our district voted in favor of expansion. Not only that, but Ehardt voted to add onerous restrictions on Medicaid expansion coverage, adding millions to the cost.
(Source: HB464, 03/21/18, and SB1204, 04/04/19)
Rep. Barbara Ehardt is a nice person and a great basketball coach. However, she neglects key local issues like property taxes, education, and INL. I might want her to coach my kids, but I don’t want her representing me in Boise.