[Vision2020] Legislative News from Shirley Ringo

[Jim Wallis]

On Friday, the Senate passed Senate Bill 1143, enacting holdbacks 
for  fiscal year 2003. Higher education will lose about $6.6 million, 
and public  schools $9.2 million. There are many other agency cuts.  

The text ofSENATE BILL NO. 1143 is available at: 
http://www3.state.id.us/oasis/S1143.html 
and there is specific information below. 

This bill should be considered on the House floor early 
this week. I  don't see much hope for getting it stopped 
there. The governor  may veto - he has indicated he 
won't accept further holdbacks to  education budgets, 
although there are rumors he is waffling on it. I  would 
suggest there are holdbacks other than education that 
are  equally unacceptable. If any of you are concerned, 
it would be  important to get messages to the governor 
asking for his veto. (The  House may decide not to 
agree with this bill, but it would surprise  me.) 
There are alternatives. Senator Mike Burkett presented 
legislation  to require quarterly payments from state 
taxpayers who don't have  their taxes payroll deducted. 
The legislation had a provision to  protect those whose 
income is seasonally sensitive. The House  Revenue 
and Tax committee refused to introduce the legislation. 
If  acted upon in a timely manner, it would bring in about 
$36 million  for fiscal year 2003. This would go a long 
ways towards canceling  need for these holdbacks. 
Although the Tax and Revenue  committee refused to 
introduce, it could be presented through the  House 
Ways and Means Committee, if the House leadership 
would  back it. You might want to address this in your 
messages. 
There are many bills in the works now that can only be 
described as  vindictive and nasty. You have probably 
read about them. I am  particularly concerned about the 
move to put federal education  funds under the auspices 
of the State Board of Education, moved  from the State 
Department of Education. This appears to be a  thinly 
veiled attack on Marilyn Howard, the only Democrat 
elected to  statewide office. The resolution has passed 
the Senate, and again,  I don't have confidence that the 
House will do better.  
If you don't agree with these actions, make your voice 
heard. Time  is of the essence. 
Representative Shirley Ringo 



SENATE BILL NO. 1143 
General Fund Negative Supplemental  FY 2003 
Reduction Percent  Functional Area Original Approp Amount 
Change  Education $1,263,957,400 ($19,798,100) (1.6%)  Health 
and Human Services 378,174,700  (8,119,300) (2.1%)  Public 
Safety 188,871,000 (8,321,100) (4.4%)  Natural Resources 
39,118,500 (1,955,800) (5.0%)  Economic Development 
20,589,900  (1,029,500) (5.0%)   General Government 77,183,900 
(3,859,300) (5.0%)  Statewide Total  $1,967,895,400  
($43,083,100)  (2.2%)  

General Fund Negative Supplemental  
RS13141  FY 2003 Reduction Percent  Department/Agency 
Original Approp Amount Change  1 Education    Agricultural 
Research and Extension 23,316,400 (699,500) (3.0%)   College 
and Universities 213,558,800 (6,623,500) (3.1%)   Community 
Colleges 18,821,600 (564,600) (3.0%)   Deaf and Blind, Idaho 
School for the 7,051,500 (70,500) (1.0%)   Education, Office of the 
State Board of 5,438,000 (271,900) (5.0%)   Health Education 
Programs 7,223,400 0 0%   Historical Society 1,907,100 (95,400) 
(5.0%)   Library, State 2,439,300 (122,000) (5.0%)   Professional-
Technical Education 43,292,200 (1,298,800) (3.0%)   Public 
Broadcasting System, Educational 1,929,700 (96,500) (5.0%)   
Public School Support 920,000,000 (9,200,000) (1.0%)   Special 
Programs 9,683,300 (290,500) (3.0%)   Superintendent of Public 
Instruction 5,477,000 (273,900) (5.0%)   Vocational Rehabilitation 
3,819,100 (191,000) (5.0%)  Total Education 1,263,957,400 
(19,798,100) (1.6%)  2 Health and Human Services    
Catastrophic Health Care 8,748,600 (437,400) (5.0%)   Health and 
Welfare, Department of 359,646,300 (7,192,900) (2.0%)   Public 
Health Districts 9,779,800 (489,000) (5.0%)  Total Health and 
Human Services 378,174,700 (8,119,300) (2.1%)  3 Public 
Safety   Correction, Department of 112,236,100 (4,489,400) 
(4.0%)   Judicial Branch 25,688,800 (1,284,400) (5.0%)   Juvenile 
Corrections, Department of 32,793,300 (1,639,700) (5.0%)   
Police, Idaho State 18,152,800 (907,600) (5.0%)  Total Public 
Safety 188,871,000 (8,321,100) (4.4%)  4 Natural Resources   
Environmental Quality, Department of 15,668,300 (783,400) 
(5.0%)   Land, Board of Commissionersf 4,766,900 (238,300) 
(5.0%)   Parks and Recreation, Department of 8,622,700 (431,100) 
(5.0%)   Water Resources, Department of 10,060,600 (503,000) 
(5.0%)  Total Natural Resources 39,1118,500 (1,955,800) (5.0%)  
5 Economic Development   Agriculture, Department of 9,892,000 
(494,600) (5.0%)   Commerce, Department of 6,687,900 (334,400) 
(5.0%)   Labor, Department of 546,200 (27,300) (5.0%)   Self-
Governing Agencies 3,463,800 (173,200) (5.0%)  Total Economic 
Development 20,589,900 (1,029,500) (5.0%)  6 General 
Government   Administration, Department of 3,107,500 (155,400) 
(5.0%)   Attorney General 14,112,300 (705,600) (5.0%)   
Controller, State 5,540,400 (277,000) (5.0%)   Governor, 
Executive Office of the 15,611,400 (780,600) (5.0%)   Legislative 
Branch 9,833,100 (491,700) (5.0%)   Lieutenant Governor 121,300 
(6,100) (5.0%)   Revenue & Taxation, Department of 24,403,400 
(1,220,200) (5.0%)   Secretary of State 3,209,700 (160,500) (5.0%)   
Treasurer, State 1,244,800 (62,200) (5.0%)  Total General 
Government 77,183,900 (3,859,300) (5.0%)  Statewide Total 
1,967,895,400 (43,083,100) (2.2%)