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<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal"><FONT
face=Calibri size=3>Legislative Report</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal"><FONT
face=Calibri size=3>April 16, 2009</FONT></P>
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face=Calibri size=3> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal"><FONT
size=3><FONT face=Calibri>Greetings from the legislature!<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>This bizarre session is grinding to a
close.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Yesterday, the House
rejected an omnibus bill that was intended to help resolve pending issues.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The vote was essentially along party
lines.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>House Republicans voted no,
with the exception of Representative Trail who joined Democrats in support of
the legislation.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Senate Bill 1222
had passed the Senate with only one negative vote.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN></FONT></FONT></P>
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face=Calibri size=3> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal"><FONT
face=Calibri size=3>Most of the bill concerned use of approximately $44.8
million in federal stimulus funds.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>It would have accomplished the following:</FONT></P>
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face=Calibri size=3> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal"><FONT
face=Calibri size=3>Instead of the budgeted 3% across-the-board cut in pay for
state employees with an additional 2% cut in personnel costs to be accomplished
by each agency, $7.4 million would be spent to limit those reductions in pay to
3% personnel costs to be accomplished at the discretion of each
agency.</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal"><o:p><FONT
face=Calibri size=3> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal"><FONT
face=Calibri size=3>$17.5 million directed to all eligible local entities for
road maintenance and construction.</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal"><o:p><FONT
face=Calibri size=3> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal"><FONT
face=Calibri size=3>$3 million directed to the Department of Administration
Information Technical Program for the Idaho Education Network.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>(The department is to acquire a
broadband support system with infrastructure primarily located in
Idaho.)</FONT></P>
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face=Calibri size=3> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal"><FONT
face=Calibri size=3>To the Department of Environmental Quality - $5 million for
water quality issues and $10 million to municipalities for sewage treatment
works.</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal"><o:p><FONT
face=Calibri size=3> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal"><FONT
face=Calibri size=3>$2 million is directed towards implementation of the
Comprehensive Aquifer Management Plan.</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal"><o:p><FONT
face=Calibri size=3> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal"><FONT
face=Calibri size=3>There were also details authorizing the Governor to use
reserve sources in the event revenues are below the most recent
projections.</FONT></P>
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face=Calibri size=3> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal"><FONT
face=Calibri size=3>(When the bill was prepared during a meeting of the Joint
Finance and Appropriations Committee, a motion was made to use a large portion
of the $44.8 million to support education.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>That motion failed with the vote along party lines.)</FONT></P>
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face=Calibri size=3> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal"><FONT
face=Calibri size=3>Since the bill failed in the House, negotiations are taking
place regarding details of a replacement.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>It is quite certain that the new bill will contain a 5% cut in personnel
costs.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>I worked across party lines
to gain consensus to limit those cuts to 3%.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The inconsistent behavior of our Governor
doomed the effort to failure.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>At
one time, he released a statement clearly supporting limited cuts to 3%, but
later reversed his recommendation.</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal"><o:p><FONT
face=Calibri size=3> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal"><FONT
face=Calibri size=3>Certain issues regarding transportation funding and
education remain unresolved.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>I will
let you know when the direction those take becomes more clear.</FONT></P>
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face=Calibri size=3> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal"><FONT
size=3><FONT face=Calibri>Please let me know of your thoughts and concerns.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN></FONT></FONT><A
href="mailto:ringoshrirl@moscow.com"><FONT face=Calibri
size=3>ringoshrirl@moscow.com</FONT></A><FONT face=Calibri size=3> or </FONT><A
href="mailto:sringo@house.idaho.gov"><FONT face=Calibri
size=3>sringo@house.idaho.gov</FONT></A><FONT face=Calibri size=3>.</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal"><o:p><FONT
face=Calibri size=3> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal"><FONT
face=Calibri size=3>Shirley RIngo</FONT></P></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>