[Vision2020] Legislative Report from Ringo

[Shirley Ringo]

Visionaries:

Because of the extremely low revenue projection adopted by the Joint Finance and Appropriations Committee, budgets for fiscal year 2011 will require more dire measures such as laying off employees, requiring user fees for parents of children with disabilities, and more furloughing.  I will have specific information soon about the budgets for public schools and higher education.

I have been thinking about the general fairness of requiring employees to take furlough days.   While it is a money-saving action that keeps people from being laid off, there are other ways to share the burden.

State employees who have been required to take five furlough days have lost approximately 2% of pay.  At the same time, they have worked to provide the same public services for which they are responsible.   It seems close to imposing a tax upon this class of employees.

If we were to broaden the population to share the burden of revenue shortages by putting a state-wide revenue enhancement plan in place, the impact on individuals would be less.  For example, consider the proposal to impose a 5% surcharge on personal income tax for individuals with taxable incomes exceeding $50,000 per year.  An example of the impact:  a family of four earning about $75,000 per year would pay an addition $164 in state income taxes.  This is a 0.22% increase for that family.  (The revenue gained would not solve all problems, but there are other ideas that could be used also.)

I would like to hear from you on this subject.   The path we are taking will require employees to take many more furlough days.  

Today in the Joint Finance and Appropriations Committee, we heard that from February 1, 2009, to September 30, 2009, "Rule 19 screening teams" have screened 119 juvenile offenders across the state.  Of those, 52% were diverted for treatment in community programs.  To date, 86% of those who were diverted have remained out of Idaho Juvenile Corrections custody.

As many of you have heard, HCR042 was introduced in the House State Affairs Committee.  The sponsor, Dennis Lake, proposes to cancel the 1% COLA for PERSI retirees.  I have received many messages asking me to oppose this legislation.   If you oppose HCR042, you should also write to members of the House State Affairs Committee at this time and ask them to hold the legislation in committee.

SB 1353, the "Conscience Bill," proposes that "No health Care Professional shall be required to provide any health care service that violates his or her conscience."  This bill is under consideration in the Senate State Affairs Committee.

Please contact me with your issues and concerns.

Rep. Shirley Ringo
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