[Vision2020] From the Legislature

[RingoShirl@aol.com]

Today, the House approved the appropriation of the Joint Finance Committee for higher education.  As I have indicated in previous messages, this appropriation is simply not enough.  This budget requires a proposal for using student fees for faculty and staff salaries, which raises constitutional issues.  Further, it will almost surely generate further increases in student fees.  This will cause some students to decide not to attend the university, others will have spend more hours at work and take more time to complete their degrees.  Anyone near the University knows that help from the state could make a huge difference.

I want to emphasize again that the budget decisions are made because of a determination to carry forward enough cash to help sunset the additional taxes imposed last year on the date specified.  We are protecting a $62 million carry over fund, and other funds, so we are sitting on about $100,000,000.  There are serious questions about whether even this will enable sun-setting these taxes, without deep budget cuts.

A strictly maintenance budget that just maintains the previous year's level and quality of programs in Idaho needs to increase each year by about 4%.  Without some change in tax structure, or in the sunset schedule of some of last year's tax increases, our state budget has a structural deficit.  It is not capable of raising money to fund the most basic maintenance budgets.  In 06 and 07, we may need to cut something like $60,000,000 each year.  The course we're taking this year does not address the train wreck that could be coming.

During the debate on the higher ed. budget, some argued that honoring the sunset dates on tax hikes is a higher obligation to the taxpayers than providing a more adequate appropriation.  My belief is that funding schools is a higher priority with those I serve.  However, maybe I'm wrong.  I would like to hear from you.  sringo@house.state.id.us.