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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Visionaries:</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">From the Floor of the
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/><st1:State w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Idaho</st1:place></st1:State> House
of Representatives …<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns =
"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">The bulk of my work so far has
been in meetings of the Joint Finance Committee.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Each morning, we listen to budget
requests of state agencies.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Remarks
coming from Republican leadership leave me very concerned.</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Governor Kempthorne has proposed
a budget of approximately $2.2 billion.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>There are some glaring inadequacies in his proposal.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>His recommendation allows only a 1% pay
increase for state employees.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>(He
does recommend funding increases in health insurance, however.)<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>He recommends only a 1% pay increase in
the salary appropriation for public school teachers.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Since the districts decide how to fund
health insurance, I would see many teachers dipping into their pockets to pick
up higher costs.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Many would
probably take home less each month.</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">The Governor fails to fund
remediation for students having difficulty with the Idaho Standard Achievement
Test, and fails to fund the vital teacher mentoring program.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>He is approximately $5 million short of
Marilyn Howard’s request for classroom unit support.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Compounding that problem is the fact
that the number of units required to fund is 90 more than originally
anticipated.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>This is primarily due
to unanticipated enrollment in charter schools.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The virtual schools are tending to pick
up numbers of home-schooled children.</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">The Governor’s recommendation for
funding colleges and universities is more generous than usual.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>We will need to work to move that
recommendation forward.</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">It should be noted that the
Governor’s recommendations leave a balance at the end of this fiscal year of
only $4.6 million, and he underfunds the Medicaid request by about $20
million.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>In other words, his budget
needs some work to be balanced.</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Having mentioned these concerns,
some members of the Republican caucus are favoring a budget that provides only
increases required by law.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>This
budget appears to be approximately $60 million below the governor’s
recommendation.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>I am not certain
how this is going to play out.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>I
believe members of the Senate react more favorably to adequate funding.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Unfortunately, bills calling for revenue
must originate in the House.</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">The Democrats are framing a
resolution calling for an interim committee to study <st1:State
w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Idaho</st1:place></st1:State> tax structure.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The resolution would call for a study of
exemptions and exceptions to sales tax collections, studies for adequacy and
fairness, etc.</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">I received many messages
requesting that I oppose the resolution to limit marriage to one man and one
woman at one time, and a few requesting that I support it.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>This is one of those measures that
require me to draw upon my values.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>I can not support such a measure.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>However, the Senate killed the resolution, so I won’t be casting a vote
on it.</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Mike Mitchell (D-Lewiston)
successfully introduced a bill that would ban retailers from putting medications
containing pseudoephedrine on the shelf.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>(some exceptions, for gel caps, etc.)<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>This is a substance commonly used in
production of methamphetamine.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The
plan would be for pharmacists to distribute this product, requiring ID and
limiting sales for one person to nine grams per month.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The bill has just been introduced.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>It must survive another committee
hearing and a vote on the House floor before being considered by the Senate.</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">There are many bills around
addressing some form of property tax relief.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Attention to this issue increases as the
legislature ducks responsibility for funding, and passes more responsibility
onto local taxpayers.</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">I have addressed those issues
that have demanded my attention recently.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>If you have questions, please contact me.</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face=Arial
size=2>Shirley</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p> </o:p></P>
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