Mary Souza, Cory Jane English offer competing visions to represent Coeur d’Alene in state Senate

Democrat Cory English and incumbent state Sen. Mary Souza, a Republican, disagree on many issues, but they both agree that Idaho should eliminate its sales tax on groceries.

The state Legislature passed a bill in 2016 eliminating the tax, but it was vetoed by Gov. Butch Otter, who cited the loss of millions in revenue. Souza said she expects the proposal to return and hopes it will pass again.

“I think it will come back on its own as a stand-alone bill,” she said.

Souza and English are competing for the state Senate seat in the 4th Legislative District, which represents Coeur d’Alene.

English said Washington doesn’t tax groceries and it is easy for Kootenai County residents to cross the border to do their grocery shopping.

“It’s good for local business in a border community like ours,” she said.

Souza was first elected to the Senate in 2014 immediately after a failed run for Coeur d’Alene mayor in 2013. She said people encouraged her to run and decided that if no one filed to run against incumbent John Goedde, a fellow Republican, she would enter the race so people would have a choice.

“So I put my name in and won,” she said.

Souza has a history of political activism in Coeur d’Alene, including helping organize a recall effort in 2012 to remove then-Mayor Sandi Bloem and council members Deanna Goodlander, Woody McEvers and Mike Kennedy from office. The effort failed to get enough signatures to get on the ballot.

Souza said she participated in the recall effort because she wanted the council to have a public advisory vote on planned improvements to McEuen Field. “I was never against the park,” she said. “What I was opposed to was the lack of transparency.”

Giving people a choice is much the same reason English gives for her decision to run against Souza.

“It’s tough as a Democrat in North Idaho,” she said. “I’m alarmed by the constant pull further and further to the right.”

When it comes to education, English has specific ideas on how the state can serve its students better. She notes that Idaho is usually near last among all the states in the nation for expenditures per student.

“I think it just needs to be prioritized,” she said. “I do believe we don’t probably spend enough.”

She said when the Legislature sends money to school districts it should allow the districts to decide how they want to spend the money.

“A lot of it comes with strings attached,” she said.

Raising teacher salaries also is important in order to stop the loss of teachers with experience, she said. Good teachers often move on to better paying jobs in other states, she said.

“You can’t blame them if they do,” English said. “We just can’t keep losing teachers to other states.”

She wants the state to fund pre-kindergarten and more school counselors, who have a pivotal role in encouraging students to go on to college or vocational training.

Souza said she supports more career and technical education.

“Education is a very big deal to me,” she said. “I believe deeply in the value of education.”

Souza said that Idaho is sixth in the nation for highest year-to-year increases in K-12 spending, but English said she thinks that statement is carefully worded to make things look better than they actually are.

“A percentage of a small amount is a small amount,” she said.

Souza said she wants to look at the structure of school districts and make sure money is being spent in the classroom and not on administrators rather than focus on raising teacher pay.

“Teachers need more support and resources in the classroom,” she said. “I think that’s where we need to start.”

Souza said she believes the state is on the right path to making improvements to education.

“It takes a while for any change,” she said. “Turning the ship to a better course isn’t going to happen in a year or two.”

English is a strong supporter of Proposition 2, which would expand Medicaid coverage in Idaho.

“That issue to me is a win-win,” she said. “It makes fiscal sense. I believe it will save the state money. It’s certainly good for the community to bring those dollars back.”

Souza refuses to state whether she supports the proposition or not but said that some states that expanded Medicaid coverage had higher enrollment and higher costs than expected.

“We don’t want it taking away from those who are fully disabled,” she said. “There are better ways to help the gap population.”

Souza said she favors starting programs to promote financial literacy and offering primary care programs. She also wants to push for lower deductibles so people can afford doctor visits and medical treatment.

“Having insurance does not mean access to care,” she said.

English said she often sees a disconnect between what Souza says she supports and what she does, particularly when it comes to education. “She can say things that must have a different meaning to her than it does to me,” she said. “That’s just not what I see. I just thought that needed to be challenged.”

Souza said she’s been effective in the Senate and has the experience needed to help the state.

“I have worked very hard to build relationships and coalitions across all different interest lines to get things done,” she said. “We can work together on any bill. Experience matters. Relationships matter.”

Souza has raised more money than English with more than $36,000 in contributions. English has collected about $23,500. Souza has a number of larger donations from businesses and political action committees while most of English’s donations are smaller and come from individuals.

English’s largest donors are Democratic organizations, including at least $1,000 each from the Kootenai County Democratic Central Committee, the Kootenai County Democratic Club, the Idaho Democratic Legislature Campaign Committee and the Idaho State Democratic Party.

Souza received $2,000 donations from the Idaho Credit Union Legislative Action Committee, the Idaho Forest Group, the Senate Republican PAC and Brent Hill of Rexburg, Idaho. She’s also received a combined $2,250 from the Idaho Health Care Association and the association’s political action committee.