[Vision2020] Health and Welfare

[ringoshirl]

Visionaries:

Bob Huntley, a spectacular individual who ran for Governor in 1998, told me that when he served in the Idaho legislature the Joint Finance and Appropriations Committee would communicate with the Revenue and Taxation Committee when there was a need for more revenues.  I have always thought that would be appropriate, but the system doesn't work like that anymore.  The majority party on the JFAC committee may moan a bit about lack of revenues, but they certainly wouldn't advocate for any increase at all.

My colleagues and I put forth a number of proposals to help with revenue.  Some included such things as delaying implementation of consolidated elections ($4 million), delaying reduction of the insurance premium tax ($6.7 million), freezing build-up of the grocery tax credit except for very low income levels ($9.4 million).  You may recall that Judy Brown and I proposed an income tax surcharge for those making over $50,000 TAXABLE INCOME.  ($40 million)  All of the above were ignored by majority party members.

But there is something even worse, in my opinion.  At the beginning of the session, it was not clear whether the feds would renew increased reimbursement rates for Medicaid.  (FMAP)  There was a pot of money in the Millineum Fund that was set aside to cover in case those rates weren't approved.  (about $73 million)  When it became clear that the feds WERE going to re-approve those enhanced rates, my colleagues and I on JFAC proposed that we use about $30 million of the $73 million to address critical needs.  We proposed using $20 million for Medicaid, which at the 80%-20% federal match rate would have been significant.  We were not allowed to bring it up because it was not officially on the agenda.  That was true, but even thought it was late in the session, another meeting could have been scheduled the next day.  Note also that a message was sent to the Governor's office, asking if he would support the idea, and his response was negative.

The bottom line:  don't believe anyone in the legislature who says there were no choices.  We had choices, didn't make them, and now people are paying the price.

Representative Shirley Ringo

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