Unbelievable As Greater Idaho Movement Inches Closer To Reality
A political movement denounced, criticized, and ridiculed is now closer to becoming a monumental reality. Oregonians who've had it with the direction of their native state continue their underdog efforts to move Oregon's borders, allowing a massive geographical area to become part of Idaho.
Wallowa County became the latest to vote to discuss relocating the state's border. Twelve counties have now voted to continue the legal process of joining the Gem State. Idaho lawmakers and Governor Brad Little have said they are open to the idea.
The movement faces enormous challenges that we document here.
5 Shocking Reasons Preventing Greater Idaho From Reality
This movement is not a goofy conspiracy theory or a movement towards secession, but a tool that is embedded in the United States Constitution. What would Greater Idaho look like for Idahoans? In other words, is the juice worth the squeeze to the Gem State? A major think tank examined the issue and produced a giant report.
The 99-page report predicts that, under Idaho’s lower taxes and regulation, the economy of eastern & southern Oregon would surge, providing a big benefit to Idaho’s state budget. The benefit to Idaho’s budget of adding eastern & southern Oregon would be $170 million annually, according to the Claremont Institute study, assuming Idaho leaves Oregon’s weight-mile tax on road freight in place in that area (Idaho itself does not have such a tax). Yet, the average resident in northwestern Oregon sends $360 in taxes to subsidize southern and eastern Oregon every year, according to the same study, or $690 per wage-earner.
You can read the entire study here.
From Greater Idaho:
"The last time the Oregon state line was moved was 1958, although that was a small adjustment. West Virginia was admitted to the Union in June 1863. Later, the Virginia/West Virginia border was moved in August 1863 to annex Berkeley County to West Virginia, and then again in November 1863 to annex Jefferson County."
Oregon and Idaho would have to approve the measure along with other measures before the counties could create a 'Greater Idaho.' National and international media continue to cover this historic move sometimes they stick to the facts and other times they use creative license as you'll see below.