(In)Famous Potatoes: Readers respond to decadeslong debate over Idaho license plates- michael towner

​In an effort to break up our COVID-19 coverage, the Idaho Press recently asked its readers to share their opinions on something a little different, something they probably see every day but never really give a second thought to: license plates.
Idaho was actually the first state to put a slogan on its license plate. While most states opt to put their state slogan on their plates, Idaho chose not “Esto Perpetua” but instead “Famous Potatoes,” which started appearing on default plates in 1928. If that wasn't enough, there have been several specialty plates offered over the years that feature pictures of potatoes painted on. In 2019, the specialty plate with a baked potato on it brought in $30,980.
Specifically, Idaho’s default license plate. Red, white, blue and silhouetted by trees, Idaho’s default plate hasn’t changed since 1991. It’s currently tied as the fourth-oldest continuously issued plate in the country, and we wanted to know if Idahoans thought it was time for an upgrade. Or, as one reader comment put it, we were “really fishing the bottom of the barrel with ideas.”

​However, when theirr readers weighed in on Facebook and Twitter they were actually taking part in a 92-year-long debate that has divided Idahoans, drawn national critique and, according to some, represented a battle for the very soul of the Gem State.
The current design on the default plates was created as a specialty plate in preparation for the 1991 centennial celebration of Idaho becoming a state. Originally, the proceeds from the plate went to the Idaho Centennial Commission to raise funds for the celebration. But the plate ended up being such a hit, the state wanted the design as its standard plate, replacing the green and white mountain range design that have been in use since 1985.
The state now pays 50 cents per plate to use the design on the default plates, with the money going to the Idaho Heritage Trust to support historic buildings, sites, and artifacts throughout Idaho.
When a state gets a new default plate, there is a bump in revenue for the state, as drivers are required to get updated plates. Apart from that, specialty plates have long been used as a creative way to raise funds around the state. In 2019, specialty plates brought in $1,645,249 to the various organizations they support.
The bestseller, by a wide margin, was the wildlife line of plates that feature either a bluebird, a trout or an elk. It brought in $852,485 to Idaho’s conservation efforts. According the Idaho Fish and Wildlife Foundation, proceeds from the plate are one of the few options Idahoans have to support wildlife in Idaho, as “no state tax dollars are provided for wildlife diversity, conservation education and recreation programs.”

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​The specialty plate that had our readers most split, however, was Idaho’s newest offering. The Pet Friendly license plate was created after a bipartisan push in the Idaho Legislature to create a plate that could help fund spay and neuter efforts in rural Idaho. It has a decidedly more … rustic look.
“It looks like something I would draw. And I can’t draw." — Rebecca De León
But for some, that’s why they like it.
“I love the Pet Friendly plate. I love the artwork. I love that the money goes to help animals.” — Terri Peterson Hill
It brought in $19,064 in 2019.

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​While the 2019 Legislature was largely in support of the Pet Friendly plate, a divisive tale of two license plates played out in 2020: A Republican-sponsored bill to create an anti-abortion plate that would raise funds for Choose Life Idaho and a Democrat-sponsored bill for a “Too Great For Hate” plate which would benefit the Idaho Anne Frank Human Rights Memorial. The choose life plate passed and was signed into law by Gov. Brad Little on March 4, while the too great for hate plate was shot down by the House in its last vote of the session, failing 32-30.

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​Since Idaho required residents to have license plates in 1913, Idaho has had 60 default plate designs. Sort of. Most of those changes were minor, as from 1913 to 1968 the license plates had the year embossed on them and thus required a new “design” each year.
However, for the last 92 years, one thing hasn’t changed.
“Idaho potatoes represent $5-6 billion in total revenue to the state,” Frank Muir, president and CEO of the Idaho Potato Commission, explained. “I’ve traveled to 30 different countries and as soon as I say I’m from Idaho, people always say, ‘Oh! Potatoes!” And the key is this: they always say it with a smile. They connect potatoes in a good way, in a positive way, to the state.”
Regardless of how people might feel about the design, it's going to be around for awhile. In March 2020, Gov. Little signed into law legislation that now gives Idahoans 10 years before they have to buy new plates. This means that, at the very minimum, the red, white and blue default plate will be around until 2034.
Story by Ashley Miller, Digital Editor for the Idaho Press. You can reach her at [email protected]. Follow her on twitter @aminboise.

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