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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Visionaries:</FONT></DIV>
<DIV>
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<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">From the Legislature<o:p></o:p></B></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">Representative Shirley
Ringo<o:p></o:p></B></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">February 11, 2008<o:p></o:p></B></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">The Joint Finance and
Appropriations Committee (JFAC) has completed budget hearings.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Next Monday, we begin the process of
setting budgets.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Barring unforeseen
events, the process will take approximately three weeks.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>A member of JFAC may make a motion for
any budget.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Among those for which I
plan to prepare motions are public education and higher education.</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">We enter the process with a
degree of uncertainty, because the stream of revenue has not been following
projections.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Actual collections
exceeded expectations until December, when collections were $31.3 million behind
projections.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>In January,
collections were $38.1 behind projections.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>Economists in the Department of Financial Management are busily studying
the components of revenue collections to analyze contributing factors.</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Last year, public employees
received a 5% increase in pay (merit-based) and public school employees received
a 3% increase in pay.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>This year the
Governor recommends a 5% increase for public employees and educators accompanied
by a decrease in public employee benefits. <SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The Governor still backs the 5% pay
increase as one of his top priorities, but some legislators are talking of only
a 3% increase this year as a response to the uncertain revenue picture. (The
reduction would reduce state expenditures by approximately $32 million.) <SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">The iSTARS teacher pay proposal
dominated the early stages of this legislative session.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>I hope is it not an exaggeration to say
we are moving forward into more productive discussions now.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>I am co-sponsoring a resolution calling
for an improved system for evaluating teacher performance.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>I have criticized the iSTARS plan for
being politically motivated, and lacking educational soundness.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Although a task force convened prior to
this legislative session to consider alternative teacher pay plans, there was no
serious collaboration leading to the iSTARS proposal.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The absence of a good, transparent
process contributed to its failure.</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">During the summer of 2006, your
District 6 Representatives (Trail and Ringo) met with citizens, members of law
enforcement, Professor Elizabeth Brandt (U of I College of Law), and others to
discuss the need for address protection for victims of domestic violence.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Last year, Professor Brandt drafted
legislation which Representative Trail and I (Rep. Ringo) presented in the House
Judiciary and Rules Committee.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The
bill was not successful last year.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>It has been fine-tuned a bit, and we are giving it another try.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>It is a well crafted piece of
legislation – we hope for a better outcome this year.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>We have had a successful introduction in
the House Judiciary and Rules Committee, and look forward to a formal hearing on
the bill.</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns =
"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:State w:st="on"><st1:place
w:st="on">Idaho</st1:place></st1:State> law currently allows individuals to
remove children of age six or younger from car seats and restraining seatbelts
to deal with routine needs.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>In my
opinion this is an extremely dangerous practice that can lead to serious injury
or death.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>I am teaming with Senator
Joyce Broadsword to propose legislation requiring that these young children be
properly restrained in a moving vehicle at all times.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>We successfully introduced the bill in
the House Transportation Committee.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>Unfortunately, the vote was only 7-6.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>It looks like a rough road ahead.</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Please feel free to contact me by
e-mail or phone if you have questions or concerns.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>(<A
href="mailto:sringo@house.idaho.gov">sringo@house.idaho.gov</A>; <A
href="mailto:ringoshirl@moscow.com">ringoshirl@moscow.com</A>; 208-301-2272)
</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p> </o:p></P>
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style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p> </o:p></P></DIV></BODY></HTML>