Welcome to the one-hour Q&A with Lt. Gov. James Risch. Mr. Risch is one of five candidates for the United States Senate seat currently held by Larry Craig. Please play nice, no name-calling and all that, and have fun. Don't hesitate to ask follow-up questions. Enjoy.

Please explain why you chose to shift the tax burden from property tax, which tends to fall more on the wealthy and on out-of-state parties, to sales tax, which hits the poor and middle class harder.

72.4 percent of Idahoans voted for the property tax relief bill in November of 2006 which lowered everyone's property taxes 20%. Property taxes are still too high but would be 20% higher had house bill one not passed on August 25, 2006. A penny was added to protect education and Idahoans have voted that this is the property tax reform they wanted. In addition the most recent legislative session increased the grocery tax credit every Idahoan will receive on their income tax returns and that they can receive by filing a claim even if they don't file an income tax return. A family of four will receive up to $200 in tax credits on their income tax returns for a refund of the sales tax they paid for groceries.

Good morning. I would like to ask the Lt. Gov what his first priority would be if elected.

1. One of my first acts will be to sponsor or co-sponsor a law which which prohibits earmarks. Also a top priority is to make permanent the 2001 and 2003 tax cuts which are due to expire on December 31, 2010. If those tax cuts are allowed to expire 48 million married couples will see an average tax increase of over $3,000 per year. 18 million seniors will see an average tax increase of over $2,000 per year. 12 million single moms with children will see on average their taxes go up over $1,000. 27 million small business owners, the backbone of our economy, will see average tax increases of over $4,000 per year. We don't need these tax increases. Also, congress has let us down badly by not developing an energy policy. I believe that the single largest challenge to our quality of life and our economy over the next two to three decades is going to be the availability and cost of energy. We desperately need an aggresive, workable energy policy that first of all delivers in the short term energy at a reasonable cost and does likewise in the long term as we develope alternative forms of energy including nuclear wind, solar, geothermal, clean coal, bio-mass and sources that we will develope in the future.

I am concerned about so much spending goin on in D.C. and the inreasing deficit. If elected to the Senate, what will you do to work on the huge federal deficit?

The runaway spending has got to stop. If we don't get a handle on the way we're spending money on the federal level this country could collapse. We need to eliminate earmarks. We need a balanced budget constitutional ammendment. We need the President to have line-item veto power and most of all we need restraint on spending money that we don't have. The answer to the deficit is NOT higher taxes but rather, lower spending. Today the federal budget is $3 trillon. We can run this country on a whole lot less than $3 trillon.

Governor, gas prices are dropping across the country, but that's normal for winter months. Do you see gas prices skyrocketing into the $4 range again next summer and if so, what can Congress do NOW to try and keep that from happening?

We've got lots of questions in the queue. And just so you all know, this is the most people we've ever had for a live wire. thanks very much.
corey

The lack of stability in energy prices including gasoline and fuel is a challenge to us individually and to the economy. In the short term I really believe that we need to focus on more production. This is a supply and demand problem as commodity prices in a free market economy are set on the basis of supply and demand. America has large oil reserves but congress has locked-up 85 percent of the outer-continental shelf oil reserves and most of the Alaskan oil reserves. This oil does not belong to congress. It belongs to the American people. We need to explore and develope those resources and get them into the stream of the American economy. I view this not only as an economic issue but also a national security issue. With our refining capacity clustered on the gulf coast we have seen how vulnerable our gasoline and fuel supplies are to not only natural disasters but concentration also exposes us to intentional attacks. We need to diversify and expand substantially our refining capacity and the location of our refining capacity.

Hello. Which of the Senate Committees would you choose to sit on and why?

I am hoping to retain Idaho seat on the energy and natural resources committee. That seat has been held by Idaho senators for a long time. As I said earlier, I really believe that energy is going to be a critical issue for us individually and for the economy for the next two to three decades. America desperately needs an agressive and workable energy policy if we are to maintain and improve our quality of life. I'm committed, that if I am elected to the United States Senate that I will do everything possible to make life better for Idahoans and to improve our quality of life. After all, that's why those of us who run for public office do so and it is what is expected of us by the people we serve. Energy is going to be a large factor in maintaining our quality of life. That committee also deals with natural resource issues. My formal training and undergraduate degree is in Forrestry and specifically Forrest management. The history, culture and future of this great state is rooted in natural resources. If elected to the U.S. Senate I commit to continue the long tradition we Idahoans have had in protecting our clean air, clean water and access to public lands while at the same time balancing the wise use of our natural resources by Idahoans to create jobs and use those resources wisely.

I saw that you were campaigning with Mitt Romney recently in the area, how do you know Governor Romney and are there any issues that you differ with him on?

Gov. Romney and his wife, Ann, became quite good friends with Vicki and I while we were both serving as Governors. The friendship arose at least in part by the fact that we have similar values. Mitt asked me to be chairman of his presidential campaign in Idaho and when he called I didn't hesitate. I believed then and I believe now that Mitt Romney would have been, and at some time still may be, a great president. Vicki and I went to Iowa and campaigned for Mitt in the primary and worked with the BYU-Idaho College Republicans in Iowa. Mitt volunteered to come to Idaho and help me here and I believe he did that because we do share common values. I cannot think of any issues on which he and I would differ. However, no two people ever agree all of the time (and if you don't believe that, just ask Vicki!)

How will your experiences serving in elected offices in Idaho help you in D.C.? What people can you immediately begin working with if elected?

I've had the honor of serving Idahoans for over three decades in public service. Most of that was part-time. Over that period of time I have had experience as a county elected official, 22 years in the state senate (all of those years except my freshman years leading the senate as majority leader or president protem). I have also served as Lt. Governor and of course had the great honor and privilege of serving as the 31st Governor of this state. During that time we have listened carefully to Idahoans and I believe those experiences have given me the perspective to provide Idahoans with the representation Idaho needs in the U.S. Senate. In addition, during this campaign Vicki and I have been all over the state every day campaigning, listening to Idahoans and visiting with them at fairs, parades, rodeos, backyard barbeques and every other imaginable gathering. What we have found is that Idahoans have the same concerns that Vicki and I have for our families and for our country.

We've got a ton of questions so Lt. Gov. Risch is going to stay a little longer and answer as many as he can. Thanks again for your participation.
corey

I have family that works at the Lab and I would like to know your position on nuclear research and nuclear power.

I have been a strong supporter of the lab since I started in public service. I have visited the lab on many occasions including early on in the 1970's when the work force is larger than it is today. With the nuclear renaissance well under way in America, the INL is sure to play an ever increasing role in our continued development and commercial use of nuclear power. Our congressional delegation has been committed to steering important nuclear projects to the INL and I share that commitment. INL is well established to become a world leader in the new generation of nuclear technology and Idahoans should join together to make this happen. I'll do all I can to assist in that effort.

I've heard a lot about idaho's roadless plan you worked on - can you explain what that is?

Thanks Dawn. For several decades the U.S. Forrest Service has attempted to obtain some resolution of the roadless issues in every state that has roadless areas. The roadless areas were established decades ago as potential wilderness areas. Environmental groups wanted all inventories roadless lands to be classified as wilderness - well at the same time the timber industry, mining industry, other industries and recreational users wanted less restriction than a full-fledged wilderness designation. The result was decades of stalemate and lawsuits. When I became governor the fed asked if the states would like to take a run at this and see if they could resolve it since the feds couldn't. Even though a lot of people suggested I not tackle the issue since my time was short I jumped at the chance. I believe in multiple use and wise use of our cherished public lands in Idaho. It became obvious to me right at the outset that this issue was not going to be resolved by a "one-size-fits-all" prescription for land use of these 9.3 million acres. It was also obvious to me that a top-down solution was not in the best interest of anyone. I asked that the counties which had roadless areas, 32 of our 44 counties, first hold hearings and get the input of Idahoans as we develop the plan. What a great job they did! They made recommendations to me as governor and I took those recommendations, took additional input, brought all sides to the table and we crafted an IDAHO plan which was accepted by all sides and brought benefits to all sides. The result was the end of what had been endless litigation and finally settling on an Idaho plan that would allow these 9.3 million acres to be used by all Idahoans in the manner that THEY chose. We are the only state in America to have a roadless plan that was drawn by Idahoans and adopted by Idahoans. The rule was recently published in the Federal Register and is now the law of the land. What a great collabrative effort and a great victory for Idahoans. Land is now being used that had been tied up in endless litigations for decades and being used the way Idahoans want the land to be used.

This is all we have time for today, though we are going to give Mr. Risch a chance to say goodbye. Sorry to everyone who didn't get their questions answered, but we hope to bring the lieutenant governor back at some point. Thanks to everyone who participated. The questions were excellent. The transcript from this forum will be posted on our Web site this afternoon and will remain through Election Day.
corey

I want to thank everyone who participated this morning and particularly thank those who submitted the well thought out questions. This contest for the U.S. Senate is very important. It is the one place where Idahoans stand eye-to-eye with every other state. We have two senators whose vote is the same as the two senators from every other state. One of the co-chairman of my campaign is Senator Mike Crapo, and I probably don't need to say any more than that to demonstrate that we will be a team and deliver two votes in sync on issues in the senate. In this election you have the choice of five candidates as is common in Idaho elections. The third-party candidates and independents are drawing support in the low single digits. This race will be won by either the Republican or Democrat. If you participate by voting for either the Republican or Democrat, you will be participating in selecting the next U.S. Senator from Idaho. You have a clear choice. A liberal democrat with a proven liberal record which includes voting for the largest tax increase in American history, or myself, a conservative republican. You have a choice between the democrat who has been a Washington D.C. lobbyist for a dozen years, or myself, who has been in public service, living and working here in Idaho for over three decades. You have a clear choice. I would sincerely appreciate your vote on November 4. Thanks again for participating and God bless you all. Jim Risch - Proud Republican Candidate for U.S. Senate.