EDITORIAL

Nov. 5, 2009 (McClatchy-Tribune Regional News delivered by Newstex) -- Lewiston and Nez Perce County are small fish in the bigger pond of Idaho.

The same goes across the Snake River. Clarkston and Asotin County are dwarfed by Washington's larger communities.

Even if you consider the twin counties as one community, it doesn't change things. It's still a comparatively small place.

That's a sobering thought -- or it ought to be -- for those who think the valley is occupied by giants large enough to tolerate or even encourage incessant bickering.

Nez Perce County has 38,300 people -- making it Idaho's ninth largest county. It trails Ada County with 359,0000, Canyon County with 173,302, Kootenai County with 131,507 and Bonneville County with 94,630.

With 21,500, Asotin County is one of Washington's 10 smallest counties -- well behind King County with 1.9 million, Pierce with 813,000, Snohomish with 704,300 or Spokane with 465,000.

Combine them and the two counties have almost 60,000 people -- enough to rate it above Idaho's Bingham County but still behind six others. And it's still among the least populated half of Washington's counties.

For property taxing purposes, Nez Perce County is valued at $2.5 billion, barely in Idaho's top 10. Ada County has $31 billion worth of assessed value. Blaine County is worth $11.8 billion. Kootenai County's tax base is put at $14.8 billion.

Asotin County is worth $1.27 billion, putting it among the state's 10 poorest counties.

Combined -- with a taxable value of $3.6 billion -- the region still rates in the basement in either state.

You have to be careful with sales tax receipts, but they suggest Nez Perce County -- with $316 million in taxable sales -- has one of Idaho's more robust commercial economies. Only a handful of Washington counties have taxable sales less than the $198 million reported in Asotin County, however.

Combined, the region's economy still remains puny compared to Idaho's Ada County -- at least $4.5 billion in taxable sales -- or Washington's King County -- with $45 billion.

All of which should tell you that these two counties aren't on anybody's agenda -- except their own. They should be natural allies, and to a great extent they are. When a church in Lewiston has an event, a third of the people in attendance have Washington license plates. Lewiston folks attend Clarkston High School's first-class theater or visit the Asotin County Aquatic Center.

Both sides of the river cooperate through a metropolitan planning organization and utilize the same airport.

But recently, the communities seemed determined to rip up a mutually beneficial ambulance service. Given the small numbers among them, it will mean higher costs and waste.

The acrimony also poisons the relationships. One side blames the other for starting the fight. The other is blamed for escalating it. Tensions get broadcast outside, communicating an image that may discourage new businesses and residents from locating here.

Eventually, these ties will repair themselves. Tuesday's election of new city councilors may be the first step in that process. Until then, however, two small towns are going to waste a lot of money and opportunities they can't afford

to lose. -- M.T.

Newstex ID: KRTB-1112-39463074