<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt"><font size="3"><font
face="Calibri">LEGISLATIVE NEWSLETTER VIII--MARCH 2-7/2010
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<font size="3"><font face="Calibri">Constituents:
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<font size="3"><font face="Calibri">More bad financial news this week as
tax receipts for February came in about $11 million under estimate.<span
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The Legislature will now be facing
key votes on budgets.
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<font size="3"><font face="Calibri"><span style="mso-spacerun:
yes"> </span>1.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span>Education<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>--<span
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>JFAC approved a $1.58 billion
total budget for public schools for FY11.<span style="mso-spacerun:
yes"> </span>These are the key budget adjustments:
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt"><font size="3"><font
face="Calibri"><span style="mso-spacerun:
yes"> </span>a.<span style="mso-spacerun:
yes"> </span>Reduce state money for salaries of teachers and
classified staff by 4 percent and reduce money for administrators by 6.5%.
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt"><font size="3"><font
face="Calibri"><span style="mso-spacerun:
yes"> </span>b.<span style="mso-spacerun:
yes"> </span>Reduce the minimum salary for a teacher to $29,655 down
from $30,915.
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt"><font size="3"><font
face="Calibri"><span style="mso-spacerun:
yes"> </span>c.<span style="mso-spacerun:
yes"> </span>Combine funding for state test remediation, the math
initiative and the reading initiative and reduce it by 20 percent overall
to $9 million from $11.8 million.
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt"><font size="3"><font
face="Calibri"><span style="mso-spacerun:
yes"> </span>d.<span style="mso-spacerun:
yes"> </span>Reduce funding for Early Retirement Incentive Program
by $1 million.
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face="Calibri"><span style="mso-spacerun:
yes"> </span>e.<span style="mso-spacerun:
yes"> </span>Allow districts to carry over unspent money in 2010 to
2011 from school supplies, gifted and talented teacher training<span
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>textbooks, technology and Safe and
Drug Free Schools.
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt"><font size="3"><font
face="Calibri"><span style="mso-spacerun:
yes"> </span>f.<span style="mso-spacerun:
yes"> </span>Assign $22 million in extra cash coming from
state lands to discretionary spending accounts.
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt"><font size="3"><font
face="Calibri"><span style="mso-spacerun:
yes"> </span>g.<span style="mso-spacerun:
yes"> </span>Reduce transportation funding by 10 percent and reduce
funding for Limited English Proficiency from $6 million to $4 million.
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt"><font size="3"><font
face="Calibri"><span style="mso-spacerun:
yes"> </span>Overall public education will
be cut by $128 million in Idaho's Race to the Bottom.
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<font size="3"><font face="Calibri"><span style="mso-spacerun:
yes"> </span>2.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span>Taxes<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>--<span
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>There continues to be increased
discussion over tax increases to help protect education and essential
public services.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><span
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We could still realize considerable
tax recovery by hiring more auditors with the prospects of gaining $65
million in unpaid taxes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span>Internet sales are another possibility.<span style="mso-spacerun:
yes"> </span>Rep. Winder has a proposal in the Senate Rev and
Tax Committee to tax internet sales, and he estimates we could capture
about $80 million.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span>Sen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Schroeder and I
have a similar proposal in the House Rev. <span style="mso-spacerun:
yes"> </span>and Tax Committee.<span style="mso-spacerun:
yes"> </span>Frankly,<span style="mso-spacerun:
yes"> </span>I don't see any enthusiasm for the majority party
pushing ahead on calling for tax increases with an election year in front
of us.
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt"><font size="3"><font
face="Calibri"><span style="mso-spacerun:
yes"> </span></font></font><font size="3"><font face="Calibri"><span
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>3.<span style="mso-spacerun:
yes"> </span>Soil Conservation Legislation<span style="mso-spacerun:
yes"> </span>--<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Changes
to the existing soil conservation district law have been approved on the
House side and budget changes made in the budget committee.<span
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The Commission will be a
free standing independent, non regulatory agency housed in the Dept. of
Agriculture.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Major
changes address the appointment of commission members, the hiring of the
administrator and the reporting requirements for the commission and local
soil and water conservation districts.
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt"><font size="3"><font
face="Calibri"><span style="mso-spacerun:
yes"> </span>The bill is currently hung up
on the Senate side.
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt"><font size="3"><font
face="Calibri"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>4.<span
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Immunization Legislation<span
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>--<span style="mso-spacerun:
yes"> </span>Idaho ranks below countries like Indonesia and Pakistan
in terms of vaccination rates for measles.<span style="mso-spacerun:
yes"> </span>The Senate passed a bill a reminder system for
parents.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>They would have to
"opt out" of getting a reminder from their doctor that a shot is
due rather than the current reminder to opt in.
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt"><font size="3"><font
face="Calibri"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>5.<span
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Child Injuries<span
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>--<span style="mso-spacerun:
yes"> </span>Sen Joyce Broadsword sponsored a bill that boosts the
maximum sentence to 20 years from 10 years for anyone convicted of a
felony injury to a child that results in great bodily harm, permanent
disability or permanent disfigurement.
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt"><font size="3"><font
face="Calibri"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>6.<span
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>SB1353<span style="mso-spacerun:
yes"> </span>--<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Freedom
of Conscience<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>--<span
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The Senate passed the bill which
speaks innocuously but misleadingly about the freedom of conscience of
health care professionals.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span>What this bill also does is limit patients' freedoms to explore
their legally and constitutional protected options.
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt"><font size="3"><font
face="Calibri"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>7.<span
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>An uplifting announcement<span
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>--<span style="mso-spacerun:
yes"> </span>Deposed Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich will be the
featured speaker at Northwestern University on the subject, "Ethics
in Government."
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<font size="3"><font face="Calibri">We are rapidly entering the "Ides
of March" and I like to hear your comments and recommendations.<span
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Please contact me via e mail at
ttrail@house.idaho.gov or phone at 208-332-1148.
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<font face="Calibri" size="3">Rep. Tom Trail</font></p>