[Vision2020] Schroeder out as education chair

[Mark Solomon]

So ends the myth of the wisdom of sending "moderate" Republicans to 
represent Latah County in the Legislature.

Mark

State GOP shuffles key posts

Schroeder, Sali lose longtime committee roles

Wayne Hoffman and Gregory Hahn

The Idaho Statesman | Edition Date: 12-03-2004

Senate Republican leaders removed Education Chairman Gary Schroeder 
from the post he held for nine years, creating a domino effect that 
left new leaders on half of the Senate's 10 committees.

Schroeder, a fan of traditional public schools, was replaced by 
charter school supporter John Goedde of Coeur d'Alene.

Schroeder, a Moscow Republican, will instead helm the Resources and 
Environment Committee.

Across the rotunda, House Speaker Bruce Newcomb kicked conservative 
Kuna Rep. Bill Sali off his post as the chairman of the House Health 
and Welfare Committee.

Newcomb, who had been frustrated with the way Sali ran his committee 
at times, replaced him with Sharon Block of Twin Falls.

Last session, Newcomb pulled Sali out of a hearing room to tell him 
to speed up the debate on an abortion bill.

Both Sali and Schroeder will remain members of their respective committees.

Senate President Pro Tem Bob Geddes rejected the suggestion that he 
was replacing Schroeder to end fights within his own party over the 
future of public education.

Geddes said he made the switch because he needed someone with 
expertise in resource issues to replace Kimberly Republican Laird 
Noh, who retired.

Schroeder also dismissed any notion of friction and instead focused 
on the issues his new panel will face in the months to come, such as 
Fish and Game fee increases.

"I've been on the Resources committee for years. It's my 
understanding that (Senate GOP leaders) needed somebody with that 
background to take on these issues," he said.

Goedde served three years as a school board member in Coeur d'Alene 
and has championed charter schools during his four years on the 
Senate Education Committee.

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