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Rep. Trail,<br><br>What is the governor's rationale for opposing drug courts? As a public defender I appreciate the support these courts have received from the legislature, but I'm baffled by the governor's position.<br><br>Sunil Ramalingam<br><br>> To: vision2020@moscow.com<br>> From: ttrail@moscow.com<br>> Date: Sat, 5 Apr 2008 21:52:55 +0000<br>> Subject: [Vision2020] End of Legislative Session Summary from Rep. Trail<br>> <br>> LEGISLATIVE NEWSLETTER WRAPUP<br>> <br>> Constituents: <br>> <br>> The House and Senate adjourned late Wednesday afternoon April 2nd. <br>> <br>> I opposed SB1447 in the House State Affairs Committee. It was held in<br>> committee by a 10 to 6 vote. This is the bill that would reduce State<br>> Employee Retiree Health Benefits.<br>> <br>> A Conference Committee made up of members of the House and Senate worked on<br>> HB599AA this week. This is the bill that would eliminate business<br>> personal property tax. The bill passed the both the House and Senate. <br>> The bill sets a $100,000 cap. A trigger mechanism will activate the process<br>> -- state revenues will have to exceed 5% of the revenues of the previous<br>> year. An owner with multiple stores in a county of the same type may<br>> claim only one exemption; however, if he has a similar business in another<br>> county he can claim one for that county. The bill will cost an estimated<br>> $17 million instead of the original $110 million sought by IACI (Idaho<br>> Association of Commerce and Industry)--big business. The bill should<br>> benefit about 90% of Idaho small businesses. This is a good piece of<br>> legislation.<br>> <br>> We finally reached an agreement with the Governor and voted to restore 90%<br>> of the funding - about $15,000,000 - to support drug rehabilitation<br>> programs and the drug courts.<br>> <br>> In looking forward at the unfinished business awaiting the 2009<br>> Legislature, the Boise Statesmen outlined a series of issues that will be<br>> faced and should form the background of the political discussion for the<br>> campaign. These points are:<br>> <br>> 1. Do you believe Idaho has a serious roadwork backlog that will cost<br>> $200 million a year to remedy? Should Idaho increase it gas tax? Should<br>> it increase vehicle registration fees?<br>> <br>> 2. Do you want to continue borrowing money, through the Connecting Idaho<br>> program, also known as GARVEE bonding for work on Idaho highways?<br>> <br>> 3. Has Idaho provided adequate property tax relief in past legislative<br>> sessions? If not, what additional tax relief would you support?<br>> <br>> 4. Do you support the idea of giving tax incentives to large industries,<br>> such as Micron Technology or Areva?<br>> <br>> 5. The state has more than 70 sales tax exemptions on the books, some<br>> dating back to 1965. Are all of them still viable, or have any outlives<br>> their usefulness?<br>> <br>> 6. A mere 26 percent of Idaho 18-24 year olds attended college in 2006. <br>> Gov. Otter wants to create a $100 college scholarship endowment during his<br>> four year term. Do you support this idea?<br>> <br>> 7. Do you support teacher merit pay? If so, how do you decide which<br>> teachers deserve a pay raise?<br>> <br>> 8. Should Idaho follow the lead of most other states and spend taxpayer<br>> money on pre-kindergarten education?<br>> <br>> 9. Does Idaho need to tighten its day-care regulations?<br>> <br>> 10. When 85 percent of inmates have a drug or alcohol addiction should the<br>> state, expand drug treatment in prison and community treatment designed to<br>> help keep people from winding up behind bars?<br>> <br>> 11. Should Idaho put state tax dollars into community health centers that<br>> serve uninsured or under-insured Idahoans and keep them from running up<br>> large emergency room bills?<br>> <br>> 12. With some 220,000 Idahoans uninsured should the state provide<br>> incentives to help small businesses to provide health insurance? Is so, what?<br>> <br>> 13. Does Idaho need tighter ethic laws? Should ex-lawmakers have to wait<br>> before taking lobbying jobs with private industry?<br>> <br>> 14. Who should make the decisions about where power plants should be<br>> constructed?<br>> <br>> 15. Should the state's agencies study climate change and Idaho's<br>> contribution to greenhouse gas emissions?<br>> <br>> <br>> These are provocative issues and will frame much of the debate leading up<br>> to the 2009 Legislative session.<br>> <br>> I'd appreciate your comments and ideas. You can reach me via e mail a<br>> ttrail@moscow.com and telephone at 882-6077.<br>> <br>> Representative Tom Trail<br>> <br>> <br>> <br>> ---------------------------------------------<br>> This message was sent by First Step Internet.<br>> http://www.fsr.com/<br>> <br>> <br>> =======================================================<br>> List services made available by First Step Internet, <br>> serving the communities of the Palouse since 1994. <br>> http://www.fsr.net <br>> mailto:Vision2020@moscow.com<br>> =======================================================<br></body>
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