Candidates tackle health care in Moscow forum

MOSCOW — Three candidates running for Idaho legislative offices reaffirmed their desire to see changes in rural health care, particularly when it comes to women’s health care rights.

District 6 candidates Rep. Lori McCann, R-Lewiston, Democrat Julia Parker and Democrat Kathy Dawes spoke about this and other issues during a League of Women Voters of Moscow candidate forum Tuesday night at the Latah County Faigrounds in Moscow. Parker is running against Sen. Dan Foreman, R-Viola, Dawes is running against Rep. Brandon Mitchell, R-Moscow, and McCann is running against Democrat Trish Carter-Goodheart.

Foreman, Trish Carter-Goodheart and Mitchell were invited but did not attend Tuesday’s forum due to other obligations.

McCann, Parker and Dawes all expressed concerns about how health care laws are affecting women and causing a shortage in physicians, particularly OB/GYN doctors.

McCann said she is pro-life but believes there should be certain medical exceptions for women seeking abortions. She said Idaho has lost OB/GYN doctors by the “handsful” because of its abortion laws and is headed toward a health care crisis.

Parker, who is a nurse, said the health care system is broken because the Legislature “keeps sticking their big nose” into the citizens’ medical decisions. She said doctors do not want to work in Idaho for fear of being sued. She wants to revise the abortion ban to at least decriminalize health care workers.

Dawes said the abortion law is causing “devastation” in Idaho’s health care and is an ineffective way to prevent unwanted pregnancies. She also said Senate Bill 1329, which bans minors from receiving health care without parental content, needs to be revised because it falsely assumes all parents are good parents who are going to make the best decisions about their child’s health.

When asked what bills they would introduce in the next Legislative session, their answers covered a range of topics.

McCann said Idaho is not meeting the demand for large-animal veterinarians, and is “headed for a crisis in that area.” She is working with the University of Idaho and Utah State’s veterinary program to encourage students to go to veterinary school to specialize in large-animal care.

Parker said she wants to help create a more equitable tax system that benefits low-income residents, and plans to eliminate the state’s grocery tax.

Dawes said she wants Idaho to support child care programs and make it easier for parents to enroll in these programs. She said the child care industry is suffering in Idaho, and she is concerned about how this affects families with two working parents.

The three candidates affirmed their support for funding public education, but disapprove of the current funding model that relies on property taxes.

Dawes and Parker stated their support for Proposition 1, which would create a top-four primary and ranked choice voting system. McCann did not take a firm stance, but said she is willing to “listen to the people and make a decision.”

All candidates stated they believe in the separation of church and state.

The candidates were not asked about Foreman’s reported comments in a Sept. 30 candidate forum in Kendrick, where he reportedly told Carter-Goodheart to “go back where you came from” during a discussion about racism in Idaho. Carter-Goodheart is a Lapwai native and a member of the Nez Perce Tribe.

Kuipers can be reached akuipers@dnews.com