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<p class=MsoNormal style='mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none'><font
size=2 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'>Dear
Visionaries:<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none'><font
size=2 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'><span
style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none'><font
size=2 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'>By
most standards, things are moving slowly during the first four weeks of the
legislative session.<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>I know that things
will be picking up since I'll be introducing four legislative pieces for print
this coming week.<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>The Dist. 6
legislative delegation spent some time with the Moscow Chamber of Commerce on
Thursday.<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>They met with the Governor and
Karl Dreyer, Director of the Idaho Dept. of Water Resources.<span
style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>I'm certain they talked about the Naylor Farm
situation.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none'><font
size=2 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none'><font
size=2 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'>1.<span
style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>Pay Your Taxes in Silver and Gold<span
style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>--<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>A
north Idaho legislator is introducing a bill which would allow taxpayers to pay
their taxes in silver or gold.<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>There is
a historic precedent<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>--<span
style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>In the early days in the state of Virginia,
taxpayers could pay their taxes in industrial hemp.<span
style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>This law was in effect for more than 150
years.<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>I suspect the real problem would
be electronically transmitting your silver gold to the tax commission.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none'><font
size=2 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none'><font
size=2 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'>2.<span
style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>Resolution for a Interim Committee to study
Idaho Tax Structure<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>-<span
style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>the Democrats are framing a resolution
calling for an interim committee to study the Idaho tax structure.<span
style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>The resolution would call for a study of
exemptions to sales tax collections and examine questions of fairness in the
tax system.<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>I support this effort.<span
style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>On Monday I submitted my tax reform proposal
that would eliminate 8 major tax exemptions and <font color=black><span
style='color:black'>requires</span></font><font color=red><span
style='color:red'> </span></font>services (except medical and health related)
to pay sales tax.<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>The Tax Commission
estimates this change would bring in $60,000,000 over the $180 million
currently generated by the 6% sales tax.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none'><font
size=2 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none'><font
size=2 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'>3.<span
style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>Open Meetings<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'>
</span>--<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>I agree with several Idaho
legislators that the legislature should honor our Open Meetings Laws.<span
style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>We should be transparent in our deliberations
to instill confidence in the legislative process with the citizens of the
state.<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>The Senate voted on Thursday to
reflect that with a 2/<span class=SpellE>3rds</span> vote, any committee can
close its doors to the public for any reasons.<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'>
</span>We are sending out a bad message to the public with this type of action.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none'><font
size=2 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none'><font
size=2 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'>4.<span
style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>Idaho Tax Collections<span
style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>--<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>Idaho
tax collections came in $12 million above projections for January.<span
style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>This is good news.<span
style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>Let's hope that the economic recovery
continues.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none'><font
size=2 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none'><font
size=2 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'>5.<span
style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>Anti-<span class=SpellE>Meth</span>
Legislation<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>--<span
style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>A bill that would restrict the sale of
medicine containing a popular decongestant passed the Jude and Rules Committee
10-6.<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>The bill would restrict the sale
of medicine containing pseudoephedrine.<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'>
</span>This ingredient which is found in cold medicines is used along with
other products to make <span class=SpellE>Meth</span> (methamphetamine –
an illegal narcotic).<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>The bill would
prevent consumers from being able to get pseudoephedrine containing drugs off
the shelf and require a pharmacist to give out the medicine.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none'><font
size=2 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none'><font
size=2 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'>6.<span
style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>Property Tax Bills<span
style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>--<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>Rep.
Leon Smith introduced legislation which would let homeowners 65 or older be
relieved from tax increases above 2 percent a year.<span
style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>Rep. Frank Henderson are working on
legislation that would increase the homeowner's exemption for everyone from
$50,000 to $60,000 and include the value of land in the calculation<span
style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>For seniors earning less than $33,090 there
would be a bigger exemption of $75,000.<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'>
</span>Veterans, widows, and widowers and the blind could qualify for a bigger
break.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none'><font
size=2 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none'><font
size=2 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'>7.<span
style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>Educational Funding for K-12<span
style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>--<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>it
is apparent that the legislature is going to provide funding fairly close to
the Governor's request for Higher Education, but the K-12 budget will be an
open target by many of the more conservative legislators.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none'><font
size=2 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none'><font
size=2 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'><span
style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>It is interesting to note that the Gov's
budget represents about a 4% increase for public education over last year, but
that his recommendation for the <span class=SpellE>SBOE</span> (St. Board of
Ed) is over 21%. In addition, the <span class=SpellE>SBOE</span> has taken over
4 positions from the Division of Professional and Technical Education.<span
style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>These positions appear in the <span
class=SpellE>DPTE's</span> budget.<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>There
is also one new Deputy Attorney General working for the <span class=SpellE>SBOE</span>
but this position is under the AG's budget.<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'>
</span>If all of these new positions were rightly included in the <span
class=SpellE>SBOE's</span> budget you'd see a 30% increase in the request.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none'><font
size=2 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'><span
style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>This is your taxpayer dollars at work for
the <span class=SpellE>SBOE</span> and not for teachers or the kids in the
classroom.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none'><font
size=2 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none'><font
size=2 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'>I'd
appreciate your comments and questions.<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'>
</span>My e mail is:<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none'><font
size=2 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'>ttrail@house.state.id.us<span
style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>My phone is 208-332-1260<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none'><font
size=2 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none'><font
size=2 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'>Rep.
Tom Trail<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none'><font
size=2 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
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