[Vision2020] Legislative Newsletter III - January 23-27, 2012

[Rep. Tom Trail]

Constituents—It’s been moderately busy week in Boise. 
Bills are finally emerging so that we are starting to have some debate on
the floor over the issues involved.  Governor Otter officially came
out in a speech to law enforcement personnel that he opposes legalization
of medical marijuana.  Much of the excitement in debate centered
around HB404 which was aimed at moving the 99 percent of those folks who
had their tents set up on state property.  The bill passed
54-16.  On the humorous side of things, it appears that a zoo in New
Jersey has a camel that has a fabulous record of predicting the winners of
the professional football game playoffs.  The zoo keeper simply holds
out two graham crackers with the initial of each team on each cracker and
the one the camel picks up to eat is designated as the playoff pick. 
The camel is batting about 80 percent so far and predicts that New York
will win the Superbowl.  And now on to other events of the week:

 
1)   Megaload Permits -- Idaho Citizens Pay
Their Share for Each Megaload Permit Issued by the Idaho Department of
Transportation  —  Almost 21 months ago at a public
hearing in Moscow, the District 6 Legislative Team along with some
constituents asked employees of Region II Idaho Department of
Transportation if the permit fees charged for each of the Exxon Megaloads
would cover the Department’s technical, administrative, and legal
costs.  We were told by the ITD employees that the fees would not
cover everything, and so this meant that the Idaho taxpayer was helping
pay the cost of each overload permit issued.  The ITD Office in Boise
was less than helpful when we asked the same question and for supporting
documentation.  Our questions were deflected and we were told that
the permits covered all of ITD’s technical, legal and administrative
costs.  In December we finally received a letter indicating that the
IDT spent over $92,000 on legal fees concerned with the Megaload
scenario.  Early this week in the Senate Transportation Committee,
ITD reported that they lost more than $650,000 on their issuance of
overload permit this past year which did not cover administrative and
technical costs.  A rule change was made so that the permit fee could
be increased to cover technical and administrative costs associated with
the issuance of overload permits.  Legal fees cannot be included
within a permit fee charge.  I have drafted legislation that would
help ITD cover legal costs in the future.  I think that we have a
case of a state agency not being very forthcoming, accountable and
transparent and Idaho taxpayers have to subsidize the permit for each
Exxon Megaload.   Exxon made over $40 billion last year.

2)   Medicaid  —  Last year 1,200 people
gathered on the steps of the State Capitol in support of Medicaid and to
speak out about the damaging impact of service cuts.  Three weeks
later, the Legislature held a hearing on legislation to implement service
cuts, and removed some of the most damaging language.  These events
are extraordinary example of civics in action.  Idahoans with
disabilities  —  and the families and others who support
them  —  mobilized to have a voice in public policies that
impact their lives.  The law that was enacted still makes dramatic
reduction or elimination of services that people need to live as
independently as possible.  Between sessions I worked with a number
of constituents who had suffered from the impact of Medicaid cuts. 
We were able to make arrangements for some compromise solutions but it was
still evident that these cuts had a negative impact on many low income
families.  I talked to a 30 year old mother from a low income family
on Thursday.  She and her family qualify for Medicaid but there is
not a dentist in north Idaho who will accept a Medicaid patient.  She
had to go to Liberty Lake, WA. to find a dentist to do the work for her
son.  One proposal to help Medicaid funding is to increase the
tobacco tax.  Studies from the Governor’s Office also indicated
that over 4,000 Medicaid related jobs were lost with the $70 million in
Medicaid cuts.  A strong and effective Medicaid program is an asset
to the state of Idaho.

3)    Food Stamps 
—  The number of people receiving food stamps rose from about
87,000 in 2007 to about 229,000 in 2011.  Now about 15 percent of
Idahoans get food stamps.  Since 2007, the caseload for food stamps
has jumped 163 percent putting Idaho only behind Nevada’s 172
percent growth rate.

 4)   University of Idaho
and Higher Education  —  It was an excellent week for the
UI in Boise.  President Nellis spoke before both the House and the
Senate Education Committees and made a budget presentation at JFAC. 
His indicated that his top priority was to get salary increases for
faculty and staff.  There has not been a salary increase in the past
3-4 years and many outstanding researchers and faculty have been cherry
picked by other universities who can pay higher salaries and extra
enhancements.  It appears that if the economy moves ahead on a
positive note that Higher Education may get some additional funding this
year.  President Nellis also shared the news that the UI has 17 new
National Merit Scholars.  This is more than any other university in
the Pacific Northwest.  The University of Washington with over 40,000
students ranks second with 14 National Merit Scholars.  The
University of Idaho also contributes more than one billion dollars to the
State’s economy. The UI will also be receiving about $3,000,000 in
transportation grants from the federal government.

 5)    Redistricting  —  it has been
a three ring circus.  The Idaho Supreme Court finally ruled that the
Commissioners on the Second Redistricting Commission Panel could not be
“fired” by the Speaker and the Chairman of the Idaho
Republican Party.  So the Commission is back on work and hopefully
will finish their job within two or three weeks.
 

Well, that is the news for this week.  Please send me your
comments, etc.  

My telephone # is 208-332-1184
and
e mail  ttrail at house.idaho.gov or
thomasftrail at gmail.com

Rep. Tom Trail
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