[Vision2020] Summer 2011 Legislative Newsletter

[Rep. Tom Trail]

SUMMER 2011 LEGISLATIVE NEWSLETTER
Constituents:   A number of
people have requested that I send out an update concerning various
legislative issues as we near the end of summer.
 1. Redistricting -- The Idaho Redistricting
Committee will issue their final report and recommendations on September
4th.  I've indicated my strong support to keep Latah County
whole and not divide it up in fragments. One proposal would put
Benewah, Shoshone, and rural Latah County in one district and Moscow,
Genesee, and lower Lewiston in another. I see no beneficial outcome
if this reconfiguration were to take place. The idea that rural Latah
County is light years different than Moscow stretches the
imagination.   Many of Latah County's rural communities are, in
fact, bedroom communities. An estimated 75% of rural Latah residents
work in Moscow or Pullman. Moscow is the major commercial center for
the area as well and this includes agricultural business.   I
suspect that whatever the final decision there will be appeals to the
Idaho Supreme Court.
   2. A Possible Victory for
the Opponents of Stopping the Megaloads from Traveling on Highway
12?? The fight to stop the Exxon Megaloads from traveling over
Highway 12 started over 16 months ago. Legal battles in both Idaho
and Montana have stymied Exxon's movement of these 500,000 # loads over
Highway 12.
      Exxon has
adopted several new strategies. The first has been to cut the 33
Megaloads in half and move these up Highway 95 and then north to the
interstate and on to Montana. A second strategy is to reduce the
Megaloads in size at the Port of Pasco and then ship the loads up Highway
395 and then on to Montana and to Alberta. A total of 50 Megaloads
are now in Pasco and another 85 are on their way from South
Korea. Exxon is hopeful that by October 15th they will have around
250 Megaloads ready to roll to the Montana border. Permits still have
to be issued by Montana authorities. There is also a major
construction project on I-90 near the Idaho border which is replacing
8-two lane bridges on one side of 19 miles of divided
interstate. Montana DOT plans on replacing the 8 bridges on the other
two lanes next year so that section of highway will be tied up for 5-6
months and winter will be upon us within another five months.
      In the
meanwhile the IRU federal case could be the real answer to Megaload
traffic on Highway 12, clarifying the responsibility of the federal
government to federal statutes like the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act.
   3. Do Idaho Citizens
Subsidize Part of the Cost of Each Megaload as it rolls Through
Idaho?   At a May hearing in Moscow concerning the Megaloads
several ITD staff reported to us that the permit charge for each Megaload
did not cover all of Idaho State Transportation's technical,
administrative and legal costs involved with the Megaload
project.   I repeatedly requested a clarification of this from
ITD Director Ness. If all of the costs were not covered via the
permit charge then Idaho citizens were indeed paying for part of ITD's
expenses involved in the Megaload Project.
 
      I finally
received a letter on August 8th from L. Scott Stokes, ITD Deputy Director
addressing the issue. Mr. Stokes wrote, "Idaho Code and
administrative rule authorize the Department to collect administrative
and, in the case of overweight vehicles road use, fees for the use of
Idaho highways. No provision exists to collect legal expenses related
to the Department's defense or of its decision to issue permits to these
vehicles. Legal expenses related to the defense of a Department
decision are the Department's responsibility." Therefore, my
interpretation is with the number of legal battles involved in Idaho with
ITD defending the issuing of permits, that Idaho citizens, indeed, paid
part of the bill.
      I do
think that ITD tries to keep these types of projects as cost neutral as
possible.
      There are
some positive economic benefits according to some Exxon
supporters.   Exxon paid ITD about $2 million to make
improvements on Highway 12. Lewiston and the Port of Lewiston has
received considerable economic infusion from Exxon.
 4. Upper Lochsa Land
Exchange - a final decision concerning the exchange of 40,000
acres owned by Western Pacific Timber in the Upper Lochsa for scattered
parcels of U.S. Forest Service forest land is probably more than a year
away from a final decision. Opposition to the exchange has been led
by a group of retired Palouse Ranger District foresters. One of the
major concerns has been the possibility that up to 7,000 acres of the
Palouse Ranger District in Latah County would be included in the
exchange.
      The U.S.
Forest Service will now be looking at a new alternative. Idaho County
Commissioners are proposing to exchange about 40,000 acres of US Forest
land in Idaho County for the 40,000 acres in the Upper Lochsa. If
this exchange went through then Western Pacific Timber would gain control
of the about 40,000 acres of U.S. forest land in Idaho County. This
would help preserve the tax base in Idaho County, according to Skip
Brandt, Idaho County Commissioner, and potentially help create more jobs
and economic activity. According to the proposal all of the parcels
in Latah County would be taken off the table. If this alternative is
selected it would require an act of Congress to legitimize it.
 5. Idaho
Economy -- Tax returns for the past fiscal year indicated that
an excess of $80 million came into the state coffers. About $60
million was distributed to public schools and the remainder to Idaho's
Community Colleges. Idaho finished with a balanced budget as required
by law. The Governor's Office issued an economic report predicting
modest economic growth for the coming year. Idaho Treasury Secretary
Ron Crane reported that Idaho Bond ratings had increased.
      One of
the distressing pieces of economic news is the number of Americans on food
stamps. The total in April reached 45 million or about one in seven
Americans. The total cost of the program is now $65 billion. The
program is to ensure that poor Americans have enough to eat. Food
stamps are far from lavish. Only those with incomes of 130% of the
poverty level or less are eligible for them. About half of the of
food stamp users are children. Only 14% of food stamp households have
incomes above the poverty line; 41% have incomes of half that level, and
18% have no income at all. The average benefit runs about $133 per
individual each month. This is one of the programs that will be in
the national spotlight as budget cutting targets federal programs.
 That's all for now.  
I'd appreciate your comments and observations. My
e mail is ttrail at moscow.com
 Rep. Tom Trail
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