[Vision2020] Report from the Idaho House, from Shirley Ringo

[Shirley Ringo]

Visionaries:

>From the Floor of the Idaho House of Representatives . 

The bulk of my work so far has been in meetings of the Joint Finance Committee.  Each morning, we listen to budget requests of state agencies.  Remarks coming from Republican leadership leave me very concerned.

 

Governor Kempthorne has proposed a budget of approximately $2.2 billion.  There are some glaring inadequacies in his proposal.  His recommendation allows only a 1% pay increase for state employees.  (He does recommend funding increases in health insurance, however.)  He recommends only a 1% pay increase in the salary appropriation for public school teachers.  Since the districts decide how to fund health insurance, I would see many teachers dipping into their pockets to pick up higher costs.  Many would probably take home less each month.

 

The Governor fails to fund remediation for students having difficulty with the Idaho Standard Achievement Test, and fails to fund the vital teacher mentoring program.  He is approximately $5 million short of Marilyn Howard's request for classroom unit support.  Compounding that problem is the fact that the number of units required to fund is 90 more than originally anticipated.  This is primarily due to unanticipated enrollment in charter schools.  The virtual schools are tending to pick up numbers of home-schooled children.

 

The Governor's recommendation for funding colleges and universities is more generous than usual.  We will need to work to move that recommendation forward.

 

It should be noted that the Governor's recommendations leave a balance at the end of this fiscal year of only $4.6 million, and he underfunds the Medicaid request by about $20 million.  In other words, his budget needs some work to be balanced.

 

Having mentioned these concerns, some members of the Republican caucus are favoring a budget that provides only increases required by law.  This budget appears to be approximately $60 million below the governor's recommendation.  I am not certain how this is going to play out.  I believe members of the Senate react more favorably to adequate funding.  Unfortunately, bills calling for revenue must originate in the House.

 

The Democrats are framing a resolution calling for an interim committee to study Idaho tax structure.  The resolution would call for a study of exemptions and exceptions to sales tax collections, studies for adequacy and fairness, etc.

 

I received many messages requesting that I oppose the resolution to limit marriage to one man and one woman at one time, and a few requesting that I support it.  This is one of those measures that require me to draw upon my values.  I can not support such a measure.  However, the Senate killed the resolution, so I won't be casting a vote on it.

 

Mike Mitchell (D-Lewiston) successfully introduced a bill that would ban retailers from putting medications containing pseudoephedrine on the shelf.  (some exceptions, for gel caps, etc.)  This is a substance commonly used in production of methamphetamine.  The plan would be for pharmacists to distribute this product, requiring ID and limiting sales for one person to nine grams per month.  The bill has just been introduced.  It must survive another committee hearing and a vote on the House floor before being considered by the Senate.

 

There are many bills around addressing some form of property tax relief.  Attention to this issue increases as the legislature ducks responsibility for funding, and passes more responsibility onto local taxpayers.

 

I have addressed those issues that have demanded my attention recently.  If you have questions, please contact me.



Shirley

 

 

 

 
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