[Vision2020] Legislative Newsletter 2, January 17-20, 2006

[ttrail at moscow.com]

Visionaires,

We moved into the second week of the Idaho Legislature. 
Legislators and citizens were examining broad details of the
Governor's State of the State address.   Here are some of the
week's highlights.

1.  Idaho Pay Comes Up Short -- A study conducted by the 
Northwest Federation of Community Organizations indicated 
that less than half of all Idahoans holding a job in 2004 
were making a living wage.  The study said only 46 percent of 
the states 583,000 jobs in 2004 paid each working adult in a 
family of four the $13.24 an hour apiece needed to earn a 
living wage.  A living wage is defined as what people need to 
pay for essentials like housing, food, health and child care,
and taxes.

Families at the poverty level are finding it increasingly
Difficult to help their children go to college.  A recent 
national study indicates that families at or below the poverty 
line need to spend about 46% of their income to support one 
student in college.  It has become increasing difficult for low 
income students to go to college.

There are some specific policy matters that could the situation.
     
* Pass a minimum wage bill increasing the minimum wage from 
$5.15/hr to $6.15/hr with a CPI built in to go into effect 
each January 1st.  This is at least a forward step.

* Provide tax credits to corporations and businesses to provide
training and living wage opportunities for workers.  Legislation
providing tax credits to help small businesses to help pay for
a portion of health insurance/benefits has been passed in other
states.

* Sustain and improve support systems for low income families.
   
* Provide increased scholarship assistance to students from low
income families moving on to higher education or vocational
training.

      These are all policy issues that I support.


2.  High School Reform  --  The State Board of Education submitted
a plan to toughen high school requirements.  The major parts are:

* Require three math and three science classes for graduation by
2012.  Students now take two years of math and two years of science.

* Add a fourth year of math in 2013.

* Require 11th graders to take a college entrance exam beginning 
in 2012.

* Require schools to provide advanced educational opportunities
such as advanced placement classes, in 2007.

* Require seniors to do a yearlong project including a written 
and oral report, beginning in 2012.

This was the primary focus of discussion in the House and Senate
Education Committees this week.   The House Committee deadlocked
on a 9-9 vote to adopt the plan by rule, and the Senate Committee
was going to vote Thursday afternoon.

There was widespread support for the concept of upgrading the
math and science curriculum; however, there were a number of
concerns which included sustained funding for the effort, 
recruitment and retention of math and science teachers (such 
teachers are in short supply in rural areas and many move on to 
work in industry), and the fact that the plan was being brought 
forward by the Board by rule rather than going through the 
legislative process.

Many concerns were addressed. Art, music, and vocational classes
would not be eliminated.   There was widespread input in 
developing the plan although rural districts and minority groups
did not seem to be included in the process.  David Neumann, 
Genesee Superintendent, reported that in the long run the plan will benefit
Idaho students to take additional math and science and to
demonstrate their learning using a senior project.  He also noted
that the biggest benefit of this package of reforms is the restructuring
and rethinking of our current practice that will be required.  

I supported the plan although I would have liked to 
have seen it come through the legislative route.


3. Limiting Eminent Domain  --  House Leadership and the 
Governor will introduce legislation that would limit government 
seizure of private land.  The proposed bill limits the power of 
local and state governments to seize homes and land for economic
use.  This follows a 6-3 vote in the Supreme Court which favored seizing
private property so it could be transferred to economic interests.

I will be supporting this legislation.


4. Property Tax Bills  --  more than 30 such bills have been 
introduced and I will comment on them next week.

You can contact me at ttrail at house.idaho.gov.  My desk phone is
208-332-1260.

Rep. Tom Trail



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