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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Ouch. But not unexpected. Please continue to supply
us with the insightful updates we desperately need. The proverbial handbasket in
which our economy is making a journey to the netherworld musn't go there
un-noticed and without comment....</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Debi R-S</FONT></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE
style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV
style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: black"><B>From:</B>
<A title=ringoshirl@moscow.com href="mailto:ringoshirl@moscow.com">Shirley
Ringo</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A title=vision2020@moscow.com
href="mailto:vision2020@moscow.com">vision2020@moscow.com</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Friday, January 30, 2009 9:55
AM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> [Vision2020] Legislative
Report</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt"><FONT face=Calibri
size=3>January 29, 2009</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt"><FONT face=Calibri size=3>Dear
Friends:</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt"><FONT face=Calibri size=3>I
have spent some painful days on the Joint Finance Committee (JFAC) as we
discuss reductions in the Idaho budget to respond to Idaho’s slow
economy.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Proposed reductions
involve cutting support to struggling families, individuals suffering from
cystic fibrosis, individuals suffering from epilepsy, severe cuts to higher
education, public education, etc.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN><SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>It’s hard to think of
raising fees for much needed work on highways and bridges with so many people
losing jobs. <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>I am happy to
see Congress moving towards a stimulus package that should give a certain
amount of relief.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The notion of
the economic stimulus is not unanimous (especially among the Idaho
delegation), but I hope my colleagues in the Idaho Legislature will agree to
use the opportunity to assist vulnerable citizens, protect education, and
stimulate the economy.</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt"><FONT face=Calibri
size=3>Today in JFAC, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Luna
presented his budget.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Currently,
he is directed to cut $80 million in expenditures.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>That could grow worse after we examine
revenues for the month of January.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>Superintendent Luna’s official recommendations include:</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt 0.75in; TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1"><SPAN
style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri"><SPAN style="mso-list: Ignore"><FONT
face=Calibri size=3>1.</FONT><SPAN
style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'">
</SPAN></SPAN></SPAN><FONT face=Calibri size=3>Reduce discretionary funds by
the amount of state lottery and state maintenance matching funds.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>(Interest portion only)<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Cut the general fund match.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Temporarily relieve state from match
requirement in FY 2010 and 2011, and allow discretionary use of the
funds.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The cost savings is
approximately $20,825,000.</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt 0.75in"><FONT face=Calibri
size=3>[In essence this transfers lottery funds sent to schools for school
building related projects to discretionary <SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>funds.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>A district’s discretionary funds are
those that don’t have strings attached directing how they are to be
spent.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Districts have very little
in the way of discretionary funds.]</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt 0.75in; TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1"><SPAN
style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri"><SPAN style="mso-list: Ignore"><FONT
face=Calibri size=3>2.</FONT><SPAN
style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'">
</SPAN></SPAN></SPAN><FONT size=3><FONT face=Calibri><SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Reduce the administration staff
allowance from 0.075 to 0.0715 per midterm support unit.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The cost savings is
$3,924,000.</FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt 0.75in"><FONT face=Calibri
size=3>[This reduces state support to Districts for administrative
salaries.]</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt 0.75in; TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1"><SPAN
style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri"><SPAN style="mso-list: Ignore"><FONT
face=Calibri size=3>3.</FONT><SPAN
style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'">
</SPAN></SPAN></SPAN><FONT face=Calibri size=3>Eliminate Early Retirement
incentive Program for teachers.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>The cost savings is $4,000,000.</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt 0.75in"><FONT face=Calibri
size=3>[The cost savings on this one is highly suspect.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The early retirement incentive program
saves a considerable amount of state money for salary support.]</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt 0.75in; TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1"><SPAN
style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri"><SPAN style="mso-list: Ignore"><FONT
face=Calibri size=3>4.</FONT><SPAN
style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'">
</SPAN></SPAN></SPAN><FONT face=Calibri size=3>Freeze experience movement on
the grid for one year.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The cost
savings is $6,130,000.</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt 0.75in"><FONT face=Calibri
size=3>[Depending upon the number of years of teaching experience, and upon
education, some teachers receive a salary increment for an additional year of
experience.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Because of policy
regarding the salary grid, many teachers don’t receive this increment.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>This measure would not award the
experience increment to teachers who would normally receive it.]</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt 0.75in; TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1"><SPAN
style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri"><SPAN style="mso-list: Ignore"><FONT
face=Calibri size=3>5.</FONT><SPAN
style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'">
</SPAN></SPAN></SPAN><FONT face=Calibri size=3>Reduce base salaries by the
equivalent of three contract days.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>Give local school districts discretion to absorb this cut by attrition,
not filling open positions, eliminating in-service days or combing half-days
into full days.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Also give school
districts additional flexibility by removing the provision “use it or lose
it.”<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The cost savings is
$15,097,600.</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt 0.75in"><FONT face=Calibri
size=3>[One should note that the cost of a contract day to a teacher is the
yearly salary divided by 190.]</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt 0.75in; TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1"><SPAN
style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri"><SPAN style="mso-list: Ignore"><FONT
face=Calibri size=3>6.</FONT><SPAN
style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'">
</SPAN></SPAN></SPAN><FONT face=Calibri size=3>Reduce state funding for
textbooks by 40%.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The cost
savings is $3,800,000.</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt 0.75in; TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1"><SPAN
style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri"><SPAN style="mso-list: Ignore"><FONT
face=Calibri size=3>7.</FONT><SPAN
style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'">
</SPAN></SPAN></SPAN><FONT face=Calibri size=3>Reduce funding for classroom
supplies from $350 to $300 per classroom teacher per year.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The cost savings is
$781,000.</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt 0.75in; TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1"><SPAN
style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri"><SPAN style="mso-list: Ignore"><FONT
face=Calibri size=3>8.</FONT><SPAN
style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'">
</SPAN></SPAN></SPAN><FONT face=Calibri size=3>Use $17 million from the School
Budget Stabilization Fund.</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt"><FONT face=Calibri
size=3>Other proposals are included, totaling $62 million in reductions.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>This is not the official budget.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>After each agency presents its budget
request, members of JFAC prepare motions, upon which there is an official
vote.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>I expect a vigorous debate
with alternative suggestions.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>When we get official word regarding the stimulus package, those funds
should be incorporated into budgets.</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt"><FONT face=Calibri
size=3>Shirley</FONT></P></FONT></DIV>
<P>
<HR>
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