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

[Moscow Cares]

You must realize, Wayne, that none of this awe-inspiring wealth of Idaho's citizenry would have been possible had it not been for the community consciousness of Idaho's job-creating corporate culture!

Seeya later, Moscow.

Tom Hansen
Post Falls, Idaho

"If not us, who?
If not now, when?"

- Unknown



On Jan 29, 2012, at 3:08 PM, Art Deco <art.deco.studios at gmail.com> wrote:

> The Idaho legislature is to be complimented on their willingness to allow we wealthy Idaho citizens/taxpayers to subsidize the very poor, impoverished Republic of China, the major investor in the Alberta Tar Sands projects.  Since we have so few unmet needs here in Idaho, its so wonderful to have leaders that are unstintingly unselfish with our great, unused bounty.
> 
> w.
> 
> On Sun, Jan 29, 2012 at 2:36 PM, Rep. Tom Trail <ttrail at moscow.com> wrote:
> 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
> =======================================================
>  List services made available by First Step Internet,
>  serving the communities of the Palouse since 1994.
>               http://www.fsr.net
>          mailto:Vision2020 at moscow.com
> =======================================================
> 
> 
> 
> -- 
> Art Deco (Wayne A. Fox)
> art.deco.studios at gmail.com
> =======================================================
> List services made available by First Step Internet,
> serving the communities of the Palouse since 1994.
>               http://www.fsr.net
>          mailto:Vision2020 at moscow.com
> =======================================================
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