The Neal Larson Show
Neal Larson is an Associated Press Award-winning newspaper columnist and radio talk show host. He has a BA from Idaho State University in Media Studies and Political Science. Neal is happily married to his wife Esther with their five children in Idaho Falls.
Julie Mason is a long-time resident of east Idaho with a degree in journalism from Ricks College. Julie enjoys reading, baking, and is an avid dog lover. When not on the air she enjoys spending time with her three children and husband of 26 years.
Together these two are a powerhouse of knowledge with great banter that comes together in an entertaining and informative show.
The Neal Larson Show
3.25.2026 - Housing Bills, Classroom Silence, Capitol Power Plays
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We spent time unpacking the late-session Idaho housing “affordability” bills and the common thread running through them: loosening planning and zoning to allow more density—duplexes, apartments, even backyard tiny homes—plus talk of rent caps tied to local median income. It’s the kind of solution that sounds clean on paper (more supply = lower prices), but it runs straight into the real-world tension between property rights and protecting neighborhood stability and property values. We walked through why zoning exists in the first place, how quickly these ideas are moving (and sometimes stalling) in the legislature, and why giving local officials even more discretion can feel risky—especially when most of us couldn’t name who’s actually running planning and zoning in our own communities.
Then we shifted into the moment-of-silence law for public schools—60 seconds of quiet each morning—and the reaction from a loud minority of teachers online who insist it can’t be done. Our take: kids can learn hard things, and “they can’t” is the soft cruelty of low expectations. We’re not pretending the bill isn’t partially about making room for prayer, but we also think a daily pause is a legitimate skill—focus, calm, self-control—whether a student prays or just breathes. We wrapped with a lively flash poll that showed the audience genuinely split on property value vs. property rights, and we touched on broader Capitol intrigue: rumors of a behind-the-scenes push to replace Speaker Mike Moyle, plus skepticism toward hit pieces and “boogeyman” narratives (including around the IFF) that get used to manipulate voters.
- Housing bills aim to boost supply by loosening zoning, but that can collide with neighborhood expectations and property values.
- The moment-of-silence debate: the issue isn’t perfection—it’s whether teachers will make a good-faith effort and let kids build the habit.
- Flash poll takeaway: conservatives are split when property rights and property values come into conflict.
- Capitol talk: rumors of a Speaker challenge, and a warning about power coalitions that don’t hold together.
- Media/political narratives: skepticism about using groups like the IFF as a convenient “boogeyman.”
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