Joe Alfieri

Name: Joe Alfieri

Position Running For: State Representative, Legislature of the State of Idaho, District 4A

Phone: (208) 699-0021

Address: 1200 East Skyline Drive, Coeur d' Alene, ID 83814, United States

Website:

Twitter: JoeForIdaho

Email: joealfieri@gmail.com

Tell us a little about yourself and your family, how long you have lived in the area and your occupation.: Many of you know me and my background already, but for those who don’t, here it is. While I’m a proud Idahoan now, I grew up in Brooklyn, New York, moved to California and lived there for 20 plus years, and then discovered North Idaho. I found the area when visiting my wife's family in Bayview during Christmas in 2008, just after we were married. Caroline's mom's side came out with Kit Carson and helped settle the area, her dad's side shortly after. We decided that when we became empty nesters, we would relocate here, as we had to get out of the San Francisco Bay Area to escape the politics. We moved here in 2012, and found a home in Coeur d' Alene, after living in Liberty Lake for a year. I have two sons that remain in California, and of my three step-daughters, two live in the area. We have three grandchildren—(and one more on the way!), in Post Falls that we're fortunate to see on a regular basis. They are a large part of my motivation in getting into politics.
As for resume, the short version is that I spent several years in the employment industry on moving to CDA, and then “retired” to a life of politics — where I spend a good deal of time working with other legislators, candidates, and groups advancing the cause.
Much of my career has been in marketing and sales, and in graphic arts. I've owned two businesses: an advertising agency in Emeryville, CA, and a ComputerLand store in New York City. When I opened that store in 1980, it was the first retail computer store in the city. There's story about it on the Smithsonian website, though some of the information is inaccurate.
I've written one novel, Kingfish Ascendant, an alternate history (available on Amazon), and numerous on-line news articles and government/political research for online services. In my free time, I paint in watercolor and acrylics, draw, and play guitar. I also love to cook. 

1. Do you have experience as an elected official and if so, what was your position, and how would you describe your voting record?:

I have had the honor of serving the first year of two in the state legislature representing the people of District 4, Coeur d’Alene. I am on the State Affairs, Local Government, and Judiciary and Rules committee, the three that I was most interested in. In the legislature, I pursued the issues that I felt my constituents elected me for: voter integrity, tax reduction, and a smaller, less intrusive government. I submitted seven bills, and managed to get one passed and signed, which prohibits the use of outside money in running our elections, effectively killing “Zuckerbucks.” Additionally, I’ve been very highly rated by the Idaho Freedom Foundation, and am a member of the Idaho Freedom Caucus.

2. Please tell us about your activity as a Republican. Have you previously voted for candidates of other parties? If yes, explain.:

My early voting record was straight Democrat, as was everyone in my family and the neighborhood that I grew up in. What can I say? I was naive, so my voting record was liberal / democrat until the Reagan Revolution. Ronaldus Maximus converted me with his straight and sensible talk, and his answers to problems that had long troubled me. With a frequent dose of Rush Limbaugh, who I discovered when he was still in Sacramento and just about to go national, the conversion was complete.
My voting record has been straight Republican since that time, although I had to hold my nose on occasion and pull the lever for the lesser of two evils.
I have been woefully neglect as an adult in actively supporting political parties. I handed out fliers for Bobby Kennedy when he ran for Senate in New York (I was 13), and shook his hand at a subway station. Though I've always had a passion for politics and history, my activity has been confined to debates at the kitchen table with family and guests. With family to raise, I was not involved in politics in California. My recent re-awakening began with the tea party movement, and my wife and I attended a couple of rallies when that began.
After I retired I got involved in politics, by attending the Reagan Republican meetings at the invitation of Beverly Guinette. That was quickly followed by the North Idaho Pachyderms, the History Club, and the JBS, the KCRCC, Coeur d'Alene City Council meetings, and Kootenai County Board of Commissioners meetings. With the onset of the Plandemic, and the CDA City Council's vote for masking, I decided to run for city council. During the course of the campaign, it became apparent that my efforts for council would not make enough of a difference in the direction of the city, and I decided to run for mayor instead. I think we ran a good campaign, though I was narrowly defeated. The mayor's position is theoretically non-partisan, but I did not hide the fact that I'm a conservative Republican.Though I lost that race, it provided me with the opportunity to run for the state House, and in the May 2022 primary I defeated the incumbent.

3. What is the purpose of government?:

The purpose of government is to protect our God given rights and freedoms.

4. Describe why you are running for this particular office. What are your qualifications? What are your goals?:

I’m running again because there is work that is yet unfinished, and with my experience I have a better understanding of the behemoth Goverment and its threat to liberty. It’s a constant battle, and with Idaho in the crosshairs of the left, we must fight continuously and vigourously to preserve our way of life.
My goals are to ensure election integrity, reduce taxes and the cost of government, reduce the size of goevernment and prevent its overreach, and to protect families in order to preserve our way of life.

5. Describe experiences where you are or have been engaged such as non-profit organizations, clubs, churches, boards, commissions, etc., where you have been of service to others.:

Currently, I serve as precinct committeeman for precinct 420. I am also on the Board of Directors for Shakespeare CDA. I was involved the CDA Chamber of Commerce, where I was chairman of the membership committee for a few years. During that time, I helped plan, organize and run the Chamber's CoeurFEST event for two years. The chamber voted our sub-committee, which I led, committee of the year, in 2019.
I also served on the Jobs Plus Action committee, part of the Coeur d' Alene Economic Development Council.

6. Do you describe yourself as fiscally conservative? Please, elaborate.:

My highest rating in the IFF ranking was on the Spending Index, where I scored 96.8%. My approach was that I was not going to vote for any budget that exceeded the rate of inflation. I made one exception (hence the score) in the Attorney General’s budget, as I felt that pay for attorneys was too far below the norm to attract quality people.
Government should perform only those services which the citizens cannot do on their own, such as police, fire, roads, and the like. And they should tax accordingly, with a small margin for emergencies.  However, I feel we should look to the private sector as often as possible, since private industry almost always operates more efficiently and economically than the state. I oppose the expansion of government on general principals, as bureaucracies, which are not driven by the check and balance of market forces, tend to be self-perpetuating. It's in our best interest to keep government as small as possible. And, equally important, it is not in our best interest to take federal dollars, and the encumbrances that are attached.

7. Do you consider yourself as socially conservative? Please elaborate.:

Yes. Perhaps the biggest problem we have is the attack on the attack on family structure, and the targeting of children. I am fervently pro-life and pro-family: and voted and cosponsored the library bill that the Governor vetoed, as well as the revised abortion statute, and the gender mutilation bill. My Roman Catholic faith informs and shapes my life, and I work daily to improve myself and my faith, and to apply those principles to daily life via the legislative process.
I believe in traditional American values, and I think it is essential that we return to teaching --in detail-- American history in our schools and elsewhere, from an early age. This year I will introduce a bill that will require knowledge of Western Civilization and its ideals to obtain a high school diploma: it is imperative that our children learn the importance of Judeo-Christian in shaping our culture. American institutions have for too long been indoctrinating our children with leftist ideas. The lack of knowledge of American history is frightening, and the current cancel culture is accelerating because o an ill-informed population. We are in a spiritual and cultural war that we must win, or we will lose our country. Here, in North Idaho, I believe that we are the tip of the spear in that war.

8. Describe which party platform best aligns with your positions on public policy (Republican, Democrat, Libertarian or Constitutional Party) and where do you disagree with that platform.:

My previous answer remains: I'm a Republican. But I'm a Trump Republican, not a Romney/McCain/ Bush go-along, get-along kumbaya variety. We're in a fight for our lives, and we must realize that first, and all decisions should be informed by that. As for platforms, what platform does the Democrat party have —except for the total destruction of America and the implementation of a Marxist Global New World Order? There is no choice but what traditional Republicanism stands for — American values.

9. Do you have any history of tax liens, criminal record, bankruptcy or conflict of interest that may affect your future decisions or desirability to be voted into office?:

Nope.

10.Describe how you will make yourself available to your constituents and vote as their representative with FORTITUDE, adhering to the values and answers you have stated above.:

I’m available via email (home and legislative), text, phone, mail, and social media. Additionally, I take part in candidate forums and speak at numerous local events. I take pride in answering all contacts from my constituents, and helping to resolve any issues they may have with the state, as well as discussing policy with them. After all, I work for them.