[Vision2020] END OF IDAHO 2006 LEGISLATIVE SESSION NEWSLETTER

[ttrail at moscow.com]

          END OF IDAHO 2006 LEGISLATIVE SESSION NEWSLETTER
 
   Since we’re nearing the end of the 2006 Legislative Session, I will use
 this newsletter to summarize the session to date.   It appears that the
session will last another week.    The Property tax bills have still not
 been settled.   HB421  --  increasing the Homeowners exemption from
 $50,000 to $75,000 is being held hostage in  Representative Crow's
 Revenue and Taxation Committee, as well as HB422A - the circuit
 breaker.   I voted to pass both bills and send them on to the 
Governor, but the House Leadership decided hold on to them in their
 battle over legislation with the Senate.  It is my sincere hope that they
 both come out for a final vote this week.  These will both provide
 property tax relief.
 
   Representative Roberts’ bill to take 3 mills off of the M & O and raise
 the sales tax by 1 cent to make up the difference will come up for
 debate on Monday.  Raising the sales tax by 1% will generate  $220
 million which will still be about $40 million short.  Business  and
industry  are demanding major tax breaks because the Home Owners exemption
 will be a $43 million shift toward the business area.   However, I like to
 point out that with the over $1.5 billion /year in tax exemptions we have
 given to business, ag, forestry, mining, and industry in general this is a
 gigantic shift to the general taxpayer.  I'm against eliminating the 3
mill for M & O because this does provide a stable source of revenue for
 school districts.   My proposal would be to keep the sales tax at 5% and
 tax services at 4%.   This would bring in about $280 million which
 would provide great property tax relief.
 
                      HIGHLIGHTS OF THE 2006 LEGISLATIVE SESSION
 
   I'd like to provide some quick sound bites of some of the positive
outcomes of the session.
 
   1.  Public School Budget  --  Both the SPI's and the Governor's budgets
 were almost the same.  The total budget was $1,030,000,000.  
 Teacher salaries were increased by 3%, and starting teacher salaries
 were raised to $30,000/yr and fully funded by the state.   Overall this
 was one of the best budgets for public ed that I can remember.
 
   2.  Higher Education Budget  --  President White told me that the
 budget we approved was a good budget for higher education.   Faculty
 and staff salaries were increased by 3%.   There was a significant
 increase for M & O.  We still need to get more funding for high priority
 positions and equity for faculty pay.
 
   3.  State Employees  --  State employees received a 3% increase, and
 an  additional one percent was provided for critical job areas.   This
 additional pay was funneled to areas such as technology and state
 police.  We also voted to tie any future salary increases for the
 Governor to increases for state employees.
 
   4.  Capitol Restoration  --We took a major step this year and approved
 $130 million to restore the Capitol and to build two underground two
 story wings on the east and west side of the building.  The wings will be
 similar to those of the Texas State Capitol.   The funding source is the
 $25 million/year that comes in from cigarette tax.
 
    5.  Highway Construction  --  We should be approving the $200
 million Garvee Bond construction bill.   This will provide major funding
 for construction of 95 from Garwood to Sagle and the section between
 Setters and Worley.
 
    6.  Experience Idaho  --  the Governor's Park initiative should pass.
   This means about $26 million to upgrade parks.  About $3.5 million
 will be designated to upgrade Heyburn State Park.
 
    7.  Repeal of Developer's Discount  --  this is badly needed
legislation to close a property tax loophole on ag land that some
non-farmers including the Governor have to only pay pennies in annual
taxes.   The Governor only paid $5.72 cents last year on his 12 acres near
Cascade.
 
    8.  Heating Assistance for Lower Income  --  we passed legislation
 providing about $4.5 million for heating assistance for families living
 below the poverty level.
 
    9.  Development of a State Energy Policy  --  We approved plans for a
 Committee to develop an overall State Energy Policy -- this is something
 the state needs.
 
   10.  Moscow Mountain Cedar Grove  --  Local stakeholders, local
 elected officials, and the District 6 Legislative Team worked together to
 preserve this 600 year old cedar grove and habitat.  The State
 Department of Lands, the Latah County Commissioners, and a local
 citizens group will work together to develop a long term plan to
 preserve the grove.
 
   11.  Eminent Domain  --  we passed legislation increasing protection
 for citizens from having their property taken away via the eminent
 domain process and utilized for commercial purposes.
 
   12.  Sexual Offender Legislation  --  The Legislature tightened up
 sexual offender laws including taking off the statutes of limitations for
 reporting a crime.
  
                                              ODDS AND BITS
 
    1.   Minimum Wage Law  --  House leadership finally allowed a
 hearing, and the bill to increase the minimum wage from $5.15/hr to
 $6.15/hr was defeated in the House State Affairs Committee.  A
 bipartisan group of legislators will bring this bill back next year.
 
     2.  University Scholarships  --  There were a least 8 scholarship
bills introduced and all failed.   My needs based scholarship bill failed
in the Senate Ed Committee on a 5-4 vote because the Democratic sub voted
the wrong way, and my bill to fund a loan program to train more math
and science teachers lost by 3 votes in the House.  The State Board will
 form a task force this summer and develop a Scholarship Plan with
 priorities.   It is hoped that this strategy helps to increase scholarship
 support and provide more access to Idaho's postsecondary institutions.
 
     3.   Anti-Bullying Legislation  --  Both my Bully Awareness Week
 Resolution and  major bill calling on school districts to develop policies
 against bullying in the schools and also for cyber bulling passed.
 
     4.   Civics Summit  --  my resolution supported by the Secretary of
 State and the Superintendent of Public Instruction to hold a summit
 meeting on civic education passed.   The State Department of Education
 has received a grant to fund the meeting.
 
     5.    Dog Fighting/Felony  --  I failed to get this bill passed and
make participating in dog fighting a felony.   I will reintroduce the bill
again next year.
 
Well, that summarizes most of issues from this legislative session.
 Overall I'd give us about a B minus.   We have many challenges remaining.   

I'd appreciate your suggestions and comments.   E mail me at ttrail at moscow.com
 
Representative. Tom Trail
 



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