<table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0" ><tr><td valign="top" style="font: inherit;"><DIV>Shirley,</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Thanks for the report. Questions:</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Why don't they try taxing luxury services, such as beauty parlors, oil changes, body salons, legal services not used for defense, lawn service, maid services, etc? </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Can we not tax the rich on their luxury before hammering down on the basic needs of disabled children's therapy and cuts in basic education?</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Also, maybe this is a time we should let people home school their children if they want, or go to a private school. Give them $2000 a child, up to three, to take them out of the system. The balance ought to free up some funding for the public school system. $300 in school supplies? What is that one book for every ten children? That is insane. When Jimmy Carter is mentioned as the current president in the student book, its time to reinvest in education. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>And tell the Governor I can deal with potholes much more easily than my landlord deals without me paying the rent. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Best Regards,</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Donovan</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><BR>--- On <B>Fri, 1/30/09, Shirley Ringo <I><ringoshirl@moscow.com></I></B> wrote:<BR></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: rgb(16,16,255) 2px solid">From: Shirley Ringo <ringoshirl@moscow.com><BR>Subject: [Vision2020] Legislative Report<BR>To: vision2020@moscow.com<BR>Date: Friday, January 30, 2009, 9:55 AM<BR><BR>
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<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt"><FONT face=Calibri size=3>January 29, 2009</FONT></DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt"><FONT face=Calibri size=3>Dear Friends:</FONT></DIV>
<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> </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> </SPAN><SPAN> </SPAN>It’s hard to think of raising fees for much needed work on highways and bridges with so many people losing jobs. <SPAN> </SPAN>I am happy to see Congress moving towards a stimulus package that should give a certain amount of relief.<SPAN> </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></DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt"><FONT face=Calibri size=3>Today in <SPAN>JFAC</SPAN>, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Luna presented his budget.<SPAN> </SPAN>Currently, he is directed to cut $80 million in expenditures.<SPAN> </SPAN>That could grow worse after we examine revenues for the month of January.<SPAN> </SPAN>Superintendent Luna’s official recommendations include:</FONT></DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt 0.75in"><SPAN><SPAN><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> </SPAN>(Interest portion only)<SPAN> </SPAN>Cut the general fund match.<SPAN> </SPAN>Temporarily relieve state from match requirement in FY 2010 and 2011, and allow discretionary use of the funds.<SPAN> </SPAN>The cost savings is approximately $20,825,000.</FONT></DIV>
<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> </SPAN>funds.<SPAN> </SPAN>A district’s discretionary funds are those that don’t have strings attached directing how they are to be spent.<SPAN> </SPAN>Districts have very little in the way of discretionary funds.]</FONT></DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt 0.75in"><SPAN><SPAN><FONT face=Calibri size=3>2.</FONT><SPAN style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </SPAN></SPAN></SPAN><FONT size=3><FONT face=Calibri><SPAN> </SPAN>Reduce the administration staff allowance from 0.075 to 0.0715 per midterm support unit.<SPAN> </SPAN>The cost savings is $3,924,000.</FONT></FONT></DIV>
<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></DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt 0.75in"><SPAN><SPAN><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> </SPAN>The cost savings is $4,000,000.</FONT></DIV>
<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> </SPAN>The early retirement incentive program saves a considerable amount of state money for salary support.]</FONT></DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt 0.75in"><SPAN><SPAN><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> </SPAN>The cost savings is $6,130,000.</FONT></DIV>
<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> </SPAN>Because of policy regarding the salary grid, many teachers don’t receive this increment.<SPAN> </SPAN>This measure would not award the experience increment to teachers who would normally receive it.]</FONT></DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt 0.75in"><SPAN><SPAN><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> </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> </SPAN>Also give school districts additional flexibility by removing the provision “use it or lose it.”<SPAN> </SPAN>The cost savings is $15,097,600.</FONT></DIV>
<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></DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt 0.75in"><SPAN><SPAN><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> </SPAN>The cost savings is $3,800,000.</FONT></DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt 0.75in"><SPAN><SPAN><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> </SPAN>The cost savings is $781,000.</FONT></DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt 0.75in"><SPAN><SPAN><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></DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt"><FONT face=Calibri size=3>Other proposals are included, totaling $62 million in reductions.<SPAN> </SPAN>This is not the official budget.<SPAN> </SPAN>After each agency presents its budget request, members of JFAC prepare motions, upon which there is an official vote.<SPAN> </SPAN>I expect a vigorous debate with alternative suggestions.<SPAN> </SPAN>When we get official word regarding the stimulus package, those funds should be incorporated into budgets.</FONT></DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt"><FONT face=Calibri size=3>Shirley</FONT></DIV></FONT></DIV></DIV><PRE>=======================================================
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