Idaho Statesman
Survey: Many locals oppose wilderness in Boulder-White Clouds Mountains
But Rep. Mike Simpson and a Custer County official say the results are skewed.
A recreation group opposing wilderness in the Boulder-White Clouds Mountains says a survey points to overwhelming local opposition to Congressman Mike Simpson's bill that would designate 312,000 acres near Stanley as wilderness.
Simpson and a Custer County commissioner disputed the results of the survey and said it was part of an opposition campaign led by the group.
The Central Idaho Economic Development and Recreation Act passed the House last year but was not voted on in the Senate. It is currently in a congressional committee, and Simpson expects to have a hearing on it in September.
The Idaho Recreation Council, a group of motorcyclists, snowmobilers, mountain bikers and other recreationists, commissioned the national polling firm Tarrance Group to do a random survey of 400 citizens in Custer and Lemhi counties. The council released the results Thursday in Boise.
The 13-question survey twice asked people what they thought about the wilderness bill. In the first response, 71 percent were in opposition and 14 percent in favor, with the remainder unsure. When asked again in the final question of the survey, 83 percent were opposed and 10 percent in favor.
Asking a question in a survey, providing information and then repeating it again is a "standard issue-based survey," said John Watts, a partner at Veritas Advisors of Boise, which conducts public opinion research.
Chris Cook, spokesman for the Idaho Recreation Council, said the survey shows that Simpson can't "hide behind the idea that there's local support."
"Congressman Simpson has stated that he has support at the local level for this legislation," Cook said. "Yet one of the most substantial pieces of research ever done in the region by one of the best pollsters in the country shows that the local community opposes the bill or any other wilderness designation in their counties."
But Simpson and Custer County Commissioner Wayne Butts of Challis said the poll is part of a media campaign to spread misinformation and drum up opposition to the bill.
"I call B.S., because they were misled," Butts said.
The poll followed several weeks of radio and newspaper advertisements in the area that opposed the bill, as well as a postcard campaign that asked residents to contact their county commissioners, Butts said.
Simpson said the polling was done to gauge the effectiveness of the advertising campaign as much as to gauge public opinion.
"I think it will have very little impact on the larger debate," Simpson said. "You can drive the message however you want to drive it and get the results you want to get. They've done this very effectively over the last few weeks."
Simpson said he's found different opinions while talking to people in Custer County.
"I've done something they (the pollsters) haven't done. I've gone up there and had town hall meetings," he said.
Lots of people oppose certain items in the bill, Simpson said, but most were supportive of doing something to resolve the debate.
Butts said he thinks there's already enough wilderness in Idaho, but he supports CIEDRA as a way to increase Custer County's tax base, which includes over 95 percent public lands. Converting some of the land to private property would increase the county's tax base.
"I'm still standing my ground," he said. "I'm up for election, and I am not concerned (about getting voted out of office)."
Cook counters that people in the area don't want a wilderness designation for the Boulder-White Cloud Mountains.
"The people who are most affected by this bill, the citizens of Custer and Lemhi counties, have spoken very clearly that they don't want more wilderness in their backyard," Cook said.
Butts said he talked with several people who sent him postcards opposing CIEDRA, and they changed their opinions when they got more information.
"There's a lot of things people haven't done their homework on," he said.
Butts also questioned why polling was done in Custer and Lemhi counties rather than Custer and Blaine counties, which he said are the only two counties that border the proposed wilderness.
Blaine County, home to Sun Valley and among the most heavily Democratic counties in the state, would have likely changed the outcome of the poll, he said.
Adena Cook of Idaho Falls (no relation to Chris Cook) said Lemhi and Custer counties were selected because they have "similar customs, cultures and demographics."
Chris Cook added that the econ-omies of those two counties would be most affected if CIEDRA becomes law.
Roger Phillips: 373-6615
Survey: Many locals oppose wilderness in Boulder-White Clouds Mountains
But Rep. Mike Simpson and a Custer County official say the results are skewed.
A recreation group opposing wilderness in the Boulder-White Clouds Mountains says a survey points to overwhelming local opposition to Congressman Mike Simpson's bill that would designate 312,000 acres near Stanley as wilderness.
Simpson and a Custer County commissioner disputed the results of the survey and said it was part of an opposition campaign led by the group.
The Central Idaho Economic Development and Recreation Act passed the House last year but was not voted on in the Senate. It is currently in a congressional committee, and Simpson expects to have a hearing on it in September.
The Idaho Recreation Council, a group of motorcyclists, snowmobilers, mountain bikers and other recreationists, commissioned the national polling firm Tarrance Group to do a random survey of 400 citizens in Custer and Lemhi counties. The council released the results Thursday in Boise.
The 13-question survey twice asked people what they thought about the wilderness bill. In the first response, 71 percent were in opposition and 14 percent in favor, with the remainder unsure. When asked again in the final question of the survey, 83 percent were opposed and 10 percent in favor.
Asking a question in a survey, providing information and then repeating it again is a "standard issue-based survey," said John Watts, a partner at Veritas Advisors of Boise, which conducts public opinion research.
Chris Cook, spokesman for the Idaho Recreation Council, said the survey shows that Simpson can't "hide behind the idea that there's local support."
"Congressman Simpson has stated that he has support at the local level for this legislation," Cook said. "Yet one of the most substantial pieces of research ever done in the region by one of the best pollsters in the country shows that the local community opposes the bill or any other wilderness designation in their counties."
But Simpson and Custer County Commissioner Wayne Butts of Challis said the poll is part of a media campaign to spread misinformation and drum up opposition to the bill.
"I call B.S., because they were misled," Butts said.
The poll followed several weeks of radio and newspaper advertisements in the area that opposed the bill, as well as a postcard campaign that asked residents to contact their county commissioners, Butts said.
Simpson said the polling was done to gauge the effectiveness of the advertising campaign as much as to gauge public opinion.
"I think it will have very little impact on the larger debate," Simpson said. "You can drive the message however you want to drive it and get the results you want to get. They've done this very effectively over the last few weeks."
Simpson said he's found different opinions while talking to people in Custer County.
"I've done something they (the pollsters) haven't done. I've gone up there and had town hall meetings," he said.
Lots of people oppose certain items in the bill, Simpson said, but most were supportive of doing something to resolve the debate.
Butts said he thinks there's already enough wilderness in Idaho, but he supports CIEDRA as a way to increase Custer County's tax base, which includes over 95 percent public lands. Converting some of the land to private property would increase the county's tax base.
"I'm still standing my ground," he said. "I'm up for election, and I am not concerned (about getting voted out of office)."
Cook counters that people in the area don't want a wilderness designation for the Boulder-White Cloud Mountains.
"The people who are most affected by this bill, the citizens of Custer and Lemhi counties, have spoken very clearly that they don't want more wilderness in their backyard," Cook said.
Butts said he talked with several people who sent him postcards opposing CIEDRA, and they changed their opinions when they got more information.
"There's a lot of things people haven't done their homework on," he said.
Butts also questioned why polling was done in Custer and Lemhi counties rather than Custer and Blaine counties, which he said are the only two counties that border the proposed wilderness.
Blaine County, home to Sun Valley and among the most heavily Democratic counties in the state, would have likely changed the outcome of the poll, he said.
Adena Cook of Idaho Falls (no relation to Chris Cook) said Lemhi and Custer counties were selected because they have "similar customs, cultures and demographics."
Chris Cook added that the econ-omies of those two counties would be most affected if CIEDRA becomes law.
Roger Phillips: 373-6615