[Vision2020] Summer 2011 Legislative Newsletter

[Tom Hansen]

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Seeya round town, Moscow.

Tom Hansen
Moscow, Idaho
 
"The Pessimist complains about the wind, the Optimist expects it to change and the Realist adjusts his sails."

- Unknown


On Aug 21, 2011, at 11:53, "Rep. Tom Trail" <ttrail at moscow.com> wrote:

> 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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