[Vision2020] [Spam 9.01] Legislative Update XI, March 23-27, 2009

[lfalen]

There will be a public meeting on the land trade proposal April 8, 5 to 7 pm at the Job Services Office in Moscow. From what I have heard so far it  should probably be rejected.
Roger
-----Original message-----
From: ttrail at moscow.com
Date: Fri, 27 Mar 2009 14:28:10 -0700
To: vision2020 at moscow.com
Subject: [Spam 9.01] [Vision2020] Legislative Update XI, March 23-27, 2009

> Legislative Newsletter XI, March 23-27, 2009
> 
> Constituents:
>  
>      We are rapidly approaching April and it still looks like we have two 
> weeks more to go before we close up shop in Boise.   We are awaiting the 
> March tax returns to the State to see if they fall above or below 
> projects.   April, of course, is the big month for tax returns.   JFAC is 
> setting budgets now with salary reductions of from 3-5% for state 
> employees and teachers.   Bob Vick of the Idaho Labor Department reported 
> that 51,000 Idahoans are now unemployed in the state. We will be 
> utilizing about $33,000,000 from stimulus monies over a three year period 
> to provide for extended unemployment benefits.  Rates for employers will 
> also go down about 10 percent.  Mr. Vick estimates that the unemployment 
> rate may go up as high as 7 percent.   Almost 135,000 Idahoans are now 
> qualified for food stamps.  Idaho's average food stamp payment per person 
> is $112/month and will rise to $128/month on April 1st.  On May 1st 
> Idahoans will no longer have to have less than $2,000 in assets to be 
> eligible for food stamps.  Assets include a bank account, a boat, an RV 
> and any more than one vehicle per adult per household.  A Governor's 
> spokesman said, "They had assets, and now all of a sudden they're finding 
> themselves selling a house.  Houses and boats just aren't moving.  
> They've still got to eat.  That's the issue we're addressing with this 
> temporary change."
>  
>      I've heard from a number of constituents that if cuts need to be 
> made that those state employees who are at or below the poverty line 
> should not be forced to take salary cuts.   Several years ago I conducted 
> a study of University of Idaho employees and found that about 20 percent 
> of the employees were at or below the poverty line.  I certainly would 
> support keeping those at or below the poverty level at the same wage 
> level.   This would be the compassionate approach.
>  
>      It is interesting to note that we still have over $400,000,000 in 
> reserves.  I would prefer to utilize some of those funds now.   As I've 
> indicated in other newsletter we should consider major tax reform 
> regarding tax exemptions.   The tax exemptions which are not beneficial 
> could be eliminated and the income stream could then be directed toward 
> the General Fund.  One good piece of news is that about 42 part time 
> auditor positions have been restored to the Idaho Tax Commission.   These 
> are the auditors who were returning the state an extra $5-$10 million a 
> year to the state over their salaries and benefits.
>  
> 1.  Education  --  The House voted 49-20 to cut $8.1 million from public 
> education. The bill would freeze automatic experience based salary 
> increases and phase out an early retirement incentive for teachers.  I 
> had several concerns because freezing the pay for even one year could 
> lower teacher pay over their career as well as reduce their retirement 
> benefits.   This may pose a constitutional question.   Again, I think 
> that reserve funds could have resolved this problem for a year.
>  
>       The House also voted to cut $4.2 million from the state bus 
> reimbursements to local school districts.   Only the State Department of 
> Education supported the bill.   I had major concerns that by reducing 
> busing support that student safety could be compromised.   This was 
> brought out by many that opposed the bill.  
> 
>   2.  Higher Education  --  JFAC is reducing the budget for Higher 
> Education by almost six percent and using some of the stimulus money to 
> help ease student fee increases.  JFAC's Higher Ed Budget that spends 
> $398 million as compared to last year's $447 million.  
> 
>   3.  Fish and Game License Hikes  --  The current bill as amended would 
> leave license fees for residents at the same level but raise fees for out 
> of state hunters.  The bill is now in the Senate.   Sporting groups 
> generally support a 15 percent increase for Fish and Game, but many 
> legislators say that the public in general opposes the increase viewing 
> it as a tax increase.
> 
>     4.  Day Care Regulation --This bill which passed the Senate would 
> provide for increased regulations of day care centers.  The concern is to 
> promote better safety and care for small children.  The bill is now with 
> the House Health and Welfare Committee.
> 
>     5.  Palouse Land Trade Proposal --There appears to be much opposition 
> concerning a U.S. Forest Service Plan to trade 28,000 acres of managed 
> forest for about 39,000 acres of logged over timber near the Montana 
> border.  District 6 legislators met several times with concerned citizens 
> and also the U.S. Forest representatives and employees of Western Pacific 
> Timber Co. who own the land near the Montana border.   I think the 
> statement from John Krebs who worked many years as a ranger in the 
> affected summarizes it best, "Our clear and urgent concern is that the 
> proposed Upper Lochsa Land Exchange will trigger the eventual loss of a 
> significant amount of readily accessible public lands for the citizens of 
> Latah County and the surrounding area."   I personally agree with Mr. 
> Krebs.   The U.S. forest land stretching from McCroesky Park on the West 
> to almost Elk River is some of the best hunting and fishing territory in 
> the state.   It is used by hikers, bird watchers, and many others for 
> recreational purposes.   Taxpayers have already paid for basic 
> infrastructure of roads, bridges, etc. and selling it to a land 
> development company would only limit access to our citizens.  The 
> District 6 legislators have asked the Latah County Commissioners to take 
> a stand on this proposal, and we have also requested the U.S. Forest 
> Service to solicit further citizen input.
>  
> Again, please send me your comments, concerns, and recommendations.  My 
> email is ttrail at house.idaho.gov and phone 208-332-1184.
> 
> Representative Tom Trail
> 
> 
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