1. Gish leads commission candidates in money-raising

Three business owners and a corporate pilot are competing in the Republican primary for a four-year term in the District 3 seat on the Nez Perce County Commission.

Robin Ackerman owns Z-A, an online seller of mostly nonfiction books on platforms like Amazon and eBay. Bob Hasenoehrl owns Lewiston MW & Appliance. John Roy owns John Roy & Associates, an advertising agency. Joe Gish flies planes for DeAtley Crushing.

The incumbent, Doug Zenner, isn’t running for his present position on the three-seat commission.

The top vote-getter in Tuesday’s primary will proceed to the November general election and face Democrat Pete Gertonson.

Anyone registered to vote in the Republican Party in Nez Perce County as well as unaffiliated registered voters who affiliate Republican on Election Day can vote in the Republican primary, said Nez Perce County Clerk/Auditor/Recorder Patty Weeks.

County commissioners earn $80,828 per year plus medical and retirement benefits, Weeks said.

The candidates have varying degrees of government experience. Hasenoehrl has been on the board of the Lewiston Orchards Irrigation District for 12 years.

Gish holds appointed positions on the boards of the Lewiston-Nez Perce County Regional Airport Authority and on Lewiston’s Urban Renewal Agency. He would resign from both posts if he’s elected to the county commission, Gish said.

The candidates shared their views about property taxes, county financial support for the Lewiston-Nez Perce County Regional Airport and a statewide initiative to create an open primary system with the Lewiston Tribune in emails and texts.

Two of the candidates, Hasenoehrl and Gish, view changes in the homeowners exemption as a possibility.

Presently the homeowners’ exemption will exempt 50% of the value of a home and as much as one acre of land with a maximum of $125,000 from property tax, according to the website of the Idaho State Tax Commission.

“We need to be (a) fiscally responsible, common-sense government, and work with our (legislators) to get property (tax) relief to the people in Nez Perce County,” Hasenoehrl said. “One way to do this is to raise the homeowners’ exemption” from $125,000 to $250,000.

Gish wants to introduce a bill in the next Idaho legislative session that would allow commissioners in each county to set the amount of the homeowners’ exemption each year.

Roy and Ackerman have different views.

“At the county level, we do not control the amount of the homeowner exemption,” Roy said. “The state legislature does. The Idaho State Constitution requires taxpayers to be treated equally and fairly, and everyone must be taxed using the same system.”

Commissioners should look at every item on the budget to be sure the money is being used properly, Roy said.

Additionally, the county lacks a full-time grant writer, Roy said.

“I believe a full-time grant writer could absolutely change the budget for the county,” he said. “There are a lot of things that can be done with grants instead of putting more taxes on the people.”

If elected, Ackerman said she would only spend county money on needs. The issue with raising the homeowners’ exemption is that it hurts small businesses, farmers, timber and people who have rentals, she said.

“Home rentals are already overpriced,” Ackerman said. “This county needs affordable housing for renters and buyers.”

The candidates have differing stances on county support for the airport, which is owned by the city of Lewiston and Nez Perce County. Nez Perce County provided $4 million to United Airlines over three years as part of a deal to introduce nonstop Lewiston-Denver flights in 2021 from a portion of its American Rescue Plan Act money.

Lewiston’s City Council this week approved a deal that gives United as much as $4 million this fiscal year based on factors such as passenger loads. The city’s elected officials did so after United cautioned it might withdraw its Lewiston flights after losing $5.5 million in 2023.

The support for United is in addition to about $550,000 each that Nez Perce County and the city of Lewiston are providing to the airport this fiscal year.

The previous two fiscal years, the airport didn’t need any money from the city or the county to meet its budget, Gish said.

“Compared to the $80 million in economic impact the airport brings to our community each year, I think this is money well spent,” he said.

The airport board needs to create a plan for the transportation hub to support itself, Ackerman said, adding she needs more information. “I believe the county should only help if there is a big project.”

Roy has a similar take. As half-owner of the airport, the county should provide money for infrastructure upgrades, but not day-to-day operations or airline subsidies, Roy said.

The transformation of the Pullman-Moscow Regional Airport happened mostly with federal dollars, he said.

“We need to look closer, find partners we can work with … who will support and encourage growth at our airport,” Roy said.

More financial analysis is needed before the county can make decisions about how much to contribute to the airport, Hasenoehrl said.

Ackerman, Hasenoehrl and Gish oppose shifting Idaho to an open primary voting system and Roy supports an open primary.

Backers of the change have collected signatures, which, if verified, will put an initiative on the November ballot statewide that would eliminate closed party primary elections in Idaho and replace them with a single primary open to all Idaho voters and candidates regardless of party affiliation. At the same time, the initiative would create a new ranked choice system for the general election.

“The open primary part of the initiative allows anyone to represent themselves as any party they choose regardless of affiliation,” Gish said. “The initiative will effectively do away with the party voting system in Idaho, and rank choice voting is a scam.”

The District 1 seat on the Nez Perce County Commission will also be on the ballot, but the only candidate is Hannah Liedkie, a Lewiston City Councilor. Liedkie is running unopposed in the Republican primary and the general election. District 1 Commissioner Don Beck isn’t seeking reelection.

Robin Ackerman

Age: 54

Occupation: Owner of Z-A, a seller of new and used mostly nonfiction books on platforms such as Amazon and eBay.

Education: Graduate of Ronan High School in Montana.

Family: Married with two grown children.

Previous political experience and elected offices: None

Web or social media site: robinackermannp.org

Joe Gish

Age: 61

Occupation: Corporate pilot for DeAtley Crushing

Education: Graduate of Lapwai High School; bachelor’s degree in computer science from Texas A&M University.

Family: Married to Ramona Garner Gish for 36 years. They have two grown twins.

Previous political experience: Serves on the Lewiston-Nez Perce County Regional Airport Authority board and the board of Lewiston’s Urban Renewal Agency. Was chairperson of Lewiston SMART, a group that led the successful effort for the city of Lewiston to switch to a strong mayor form of government with voter approval.

Web or social media site: joegishfornpcc.info

Bob Hasenoehrl

Age: 65

Occupation: Owner and operator of Lewiston MW & Appliance

Education: Graduate of Culdesac High School; associate degrees in applied sciences of appliance repair and commercial electronics from Lewis-Clark State College.

Family: Married 38 years to Cindy Hasenoehrl; three sons and two granddaughters.

Previous political experience: 12 years on the board of the Lewiston Orchards Irrigation District.

Web or social media site: Facebook – Bob Hasenoehrl for Nez Perce County

John Roy

Age: 61

Occupation: Owner of John Roy & Associates, an advertising agency

Education: Graduate of Highland High School in Craigmont; bachelor’s degree from LCSC in business management.

Family: Married to Laura. They have three daughters.

Previous political experience: None

Web or social media site: Facebook – John Roy for Nez Perce County Commissioner.