Idaho’s Economy Is not the Enemy; It’s the Foundation of Our Communities

Guest Editorial by Linda Wright Hartgen

Recently, Senator Glenneda Zuiderveld published an article portraying the Idaho Association of Commerce & Industry (IACI) as a dark, corporate force working against Idaho families and small businesses. As someone who has served in the Idaho Legislature and spent a lifetime working alongside Idaho employers, both large and small, I feel compelled to respond.

The narrative that IACI is somehow “anti-Idaho” or hostile to working families is not just inaccurate. It is profoundly disconnected from how Idaho’s economy actually works.

IACI serves as Idaho’s state chamber of commerce. It represents employers from every corner of our state: family-owned manufacturers, agricultural producers, healthcare providers, retailers, construction firms, energy companies, and yes, some large employers. These are not faceless entities. They are Idahoans who create jobs, sign paychecks, offer benefits, sponsor Little League teams, and keep rural communities alive.

A strong economy is not a talking point. It is a necessity. When businesses succeed, Idaho families and communities thrive. Wages grow. Opportunities expand. Local tax bases strengthen. Schools, roads, and public safety are funded. You cannot separate the well-being of Idaho families from the success of Idaho’s employers.

The article frames IACI as serving only “corporate boardrooms” and dismisses the thousands of Idahoans who work for IACI member companies. If she is truly opposed to IACI members, who are Idaho’s employers, how does she expect Idahoans to earn a living?

This is where rhetoric collides with reality.

Senator Zuiderfeld often says one thing to voters in the Magic Valley and then votes in another way in Boise. She regularly speaks about “local control,” yet her record shows consistent votes that undermine it, supporting expanded authority for the Attorney General over local officials and weakening accountability standards for county government. She also voted against appropriations supporting veterans and law enforcement. She claims to stand with agriculture but has repeatedly voted against funding for critical water projects, including additional storage, aquifer recharge, and water quality programs, as well as legislation brought forward by farmers to protect agricultural land. On issues as serious as invasive species, she has dismissed the threat of quagga mussels as a hoax, trading in conspiracy theories rather than engaging in the hard work of solutions that protect Idaho’s water, economy, and communities.

IACI’s advocacy is not about left versus right or grassroots versus “institutions.” It is about policies that allow Idaho businesses to grow, invest, and create opportunity, whether they employ five people or five thousand. IACI consistently supports workforce development, housing solutions, infrastructure investment, and regulatory certainty because those things directly affect Idahoans’ quality of life.

Criticizing employers may be politically convenient, but it does not put food on the table. It does not create jobs. And it does not strengthen Idaho communities.

As a former legislator, I can say this plainly: Idaho works best when policymakers engage with employers rather than vilify them. When we listen to those who actually create jobs, we craft better policy. When we push them away, we risk stagnation, lost opportunity, and families pay the price.

A strong economy is good for Idaho families. It is good for rural towns and urban centers alike. It is good for workers, retirees, veterans, and small business owners. That concept does not belong to any one organization. It belongs to all of us who care about Idaho’s future.

We should have honest debates about policy. But let us ground those debates in facts, not caricatures. Idaho’s employers are not the enemy. They are our neighbors and essential to the Idaho way of life.

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About the Author

Linda Wright Hartgen is a former Idaho legislator who served in the Idaho House of Representatives, representing District 25.