28-02-2025
Oregon man puts up billboard in protest of ‘Greater Idaho' movement
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — An Oregon man has erected his own billboard in protest of the recent that went up around Salem in January.
Wallowa County resident David Arlint told KOIN 6 News that he spent nearly $5,000 of his own money placing a billboard promoting Oregon unity in LaPine, near the home of Greater Idaho movement president Mike McCarter. The money, he said, was 'well spent.'
'I received an automated email from the greater Idaho movement stating that they wanted to put up billboards in Salem located near where the Oregon state legislature meets to say that they should be given the freedom to secede from Oregon and join Idaho,' Arlint said. 'Well, that brought me to the old saying my grandma used to tell me that 'what is good for the goose is good for the gander.''
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Arlint said that he based the design off a simple bumper sticker he saw in Enterprise, Ore. The billboard displays the outline of the state of Oregon with a red heart in the center.
'I decided that would be a good design to use to get the point across that there are many tens of thousands of Oregonians in Eastern Oregon who don't want to become a part of Idaho,' he said.
On Feb. 26, the Wallowa County Board of Commissioners held its first meeting of the year to discuss the possibility of the county leaving Oregon and joining Idaho. In 2023, Wallowa County became the 12th Oregon county to mandate the discussions by approving . Crook County .
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During a public comment portion of the meeting, residents discussed numerous issues that would stem from Idaho's annexation of Eastern Oregon. Some of the topics discussed included the implementation of Idaho's 6% sales tax and changes in land-use and healthcare laws. There are many other unanswered questions surrounding the unlikely land transfer. Like what would happen to Oregon-managed institutions and properties like schools, prisons and state parks.
KOIN 6 reached out to McCarter about the billboard placement. However, McCarter did not immediately respond.
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