Wallowa County Commissioners ask Idaho and Oregon Governors, Legislatures, to take up Greater Idaho discussion

Enterprise - On Monday, April 1st, Wallowa County Commissioners issued letters to the Governors of Idaho and Oregon, as well as the legislatures of both states, asking for their respective bodies to take up the issue of Greater Idaho.  The letters read, "On behalf of the citizens of Wallowa County, we are asking that you move this item forward to your respective bodies as soon as feasible for discussion."

In May of 2023, Wallowa County became the 12th county in eastern Oregon to pass a Greater Idaho measure, and they are the 5th of those counties to formally request legislators to begin border talks. 

Although the Idaho House of Representatives passed a resolution in the 2023 session inviting the Oregon Legislature to begin talks on relocating the state line, and Oregon GOP lawmakers responded with a memorial of their own, Oregon Democrats in the legislature have ignored the invitation so far.  Governor Kotek has also failed to meet with the leaders of Greater Idaho, despite an invitation from the movement to meet with her anywhere in eastern Oregon during the Governor's One Oregon Listening tour.

The Greater Idaho movement believes that state leaders should want to let eastern Oregon join Idaho because it would benefit Oregon’s state budget and allow voters on both sides of the state to get state government that they want, and consistently vote for.  

Executive Director for the movement, Matt McCaw, applauded the move by Wallowa County commissioners: "For the last three years, the people of eastern Oregon have been voicing that they want state leaders to look into relocating the border.  We are grateful to our local county commissioners who have listened to their voters and are elevating this to the political bodies that can make a border change happen.  It's time for the Governor and Oregon Legislature take up the issue, hear voters out and give this idea a fair look."