INWR Interview with Marc Eberlein, Candidate for Idaho Senate Dist. 3
By Inland NW Report
Tell us about yourself?
I worked 18 years in the forestry and logging industry, interspersed with fighting forest fires. That experience taught me the importance of forest management. I also owned a small orchard and organic farm in the infancy of organic farming. I’ve been an entrepreneur, inventor and successful business owner for 25+ years, founding Eberlein Fine Cabinetry in 1996 and moving the business to Post Falls, Idaho in 2001. I shut it down in 2014 when I was elected as Kootenai County Commissioner.
My wife and I have been married 42 years, have four children, 12 grandchildren and still live in Post Falls.
Why are you running for the Senate seat?
Idaho is home. Future generations depend upon this generation to keep Idaho a great place to call home. Economic opportunities and jobs are essential to a thriving economy. The surest way to stop a thriving economy is more bureaucracy and higher taxes. Property taxes are out of hand, the grocery tax needs to be eliminated, and the growth of government needs to be checked.
Most North Idahoans are advocates of the 2nd Amendment, proponents of parental choices of schools and healthcare freedom, and are Pro-life. Socialism doesn’t belong here or anywhere else the USA.
We must be ever vigilant of threats to Idaho’s conservative outlook coming from liberal ideologues that would stifle our lifestyle and even compromise our basic liberties. Even now, tax burdens are sapping Idahoans on a daily basis. Parental rights, gun rights, healthcare freedom, and even life itself are at stake. I have witnessed first-hand the effects of these challenges while serving as County Commissioner. Many of these issues can only be resolved by the state legislature. Boise needs to hear conservative voices to preserve the Idaho we all love. God, Family and Country.
What is your involvement with government?
I served 4 years as Kootenai County Commissioner from 2014 to 2018. During that time I served on these boards:
District Magistrate Commission
Board of Directors, Idaho Assn. of Counties
Board of Directors, CdA Basin Commission (BEIPC)
Board of Directors, Jobs Plus – CDA Econ. Dev. Council
Board of Directors, KCEMSS Joint Powers Board (ambulance)
Board of Directors, Kootenai Metropolitan Planning Organization
Board of Directors, North Idaho Crisis Center
You say that experience matters, please explain.
My business activities provided valuable knowledge of interstate and international commerce, the adverse impacts of excessive EPA environmental regulations, and the impact of regulations placed upon business owners. As county Commissioner and member of the Board of Directors of Idaho Association of Counties, I gained a unique knowledge of taxpayer and local government needs and issues. That firsthand experience is essential when debating legislation which could adversely affect taxpayers and local government. For example, unfunded mandates, which are introduced as “must have” new programs with temporary introductory funding but the long term tax burden is actually paid by taxpayers.
Economic opportunities and jobs are essential to a thriving economy. The surest way to stop a thriving economy is more bureaucracy and higher taxes. Again, property taxes are out of hand, the grocery tax needs to be eliminated, and the growth of government needs to be checked.
What is your political guide?
My core foundational principles of government are those held by the Founding Fathers of this nation. Those principles live within our Declaration of Independence and The Constitution of the United States of America. Those same principles of governance are also found within the Idaho State Constitution. The Founders of this nation warned that for our constitutional republic to endure, two things are essential: Americans need to be ever vigilant and active in government; and, this form of government only functions with a moral and religious people.
What will be your key focus points as Senator?
Prolife, the 2nd Amendment, lower the burden of property taxpayers & address cost of growth, parental choices in schools and healthcare freedom.
Why did you say Prolife before the 2nd Amendment?
God’s laws are supreme to man’s law. The Declaration of Independence recognizes that Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness are inherent rights stemming from the “Creator”. The Second Amendment simply reaffirms that man’s law will not interfere with the unalienable right of man to defend themselves.
How much have you raised, who funded it and who endorsed your campaign?
About $9000. My campaign was funded 100 percent by Kootenai County taxpayers of which over 75 percent came from within my own District. Those “We the People” Kootenai County taxpayers are my greatest endorsements. My out of pocket is about $2800. In my opinion, a grassroots campaign should be the norm.
I took no PAC money, no special interest group money, no Boise money, no out of state money and no special interests paid for my mailers.