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</span>SINE DIE NEWSLETTER
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt"><font size="3"><font
face="Calibri">Constituents:
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<font size="3"><font face="Calibri">I'll be outlining some of the major
legislation that represented the good, the bad, and the ugly of the recent
Idaho Legislative Session.
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<font size="3"><font face="Calibri"><strong><span style="mso-spacerun:
yes"> </span>1.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Stimulus
Funds<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></strong>--<span
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>many constituents have asked about
the impact of stimulus funds in Idaho.<span style="mso-spacerun:
yes"> </span>The Governor's Office reported to me that $145
million was used for eight major highway projects.<span
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Since contracts came in under bid
by $45 million<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>--<span
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>these savings were used for eight
other projects.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The funds
created about 2,100 jobs. The Community Action Program in Region 2
received a major grant for weatherization programs.<span
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>About 150 jobs were created
through this effort.
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt"><font size="3"><font
face="Calibri"><strong><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>2.
Budgets<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></strong>--<span
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The state had to figure out how to
live within its means.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Tax
revenues are down by almost $600 million compared to the 2006-07
period.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><span
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The K-12 and Higher
Education's budgets are down by 7.5% <span style="mso-spacerun:
yes"> </span>and 22% in the past two years.<span style="mso-spacerun:
yes"> </span>About $135 million in Medicaid bills will remain unpaid
until after July 1st. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Some
school districts will ask voters for emergency property tax
increases.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The Moscow School
District will lose about $1.3 million in state funding this year.<span
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>This means a loss of teacher and
staff positions, larger classes, and a decrease in essential resources for
students.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>If the Governor and
legislative leaders think that Idaho is attractive to out-of-state
businesses then they should also consider that these same corporations
look very closely at the viability and strength of the state's educational
system.
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt"><font size="3"><font
face="Calibri"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><strong>3.
Taxes-tax increases stayed off the table as well as tax
cuts</strong>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The Governor
has instructed his staff to look at the pros and cons of repealing the
state's $1.75 billion in sales tax breaks.<span style="mso-spacerun:
yes"> </span>Budget reserves are depleted and the sales tax
structure continues to look weak.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span>Tax exemptions could be one of the major issues for the next
session.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Internet taxes were
off the table this session.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span>It amazes me that some legislators fear to even look at joining a
multi-state pact that would help Idaho collect taxes on Internet
sales.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>This would help Idaho
merchants compete with on line retailers.<span style="mso-spacerun:
yes"> </span>In a more positive mode, JFAC did authorize the hiring
of more tax auditors to go after those not paying an estimated $200
million in taxes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The return
on hiring these auditors is generally a 1-10 return.
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt"><font size="3"><font
face="Calibri"><span style="mso-spacerun:
yes"> </span><strong>4.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span>Idaho Parks will stay open</strong>.<span style="mso-spacerun:
yes"> </span>We were pleased that Dvorshak State Park will stay
open.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The future of the Parks
system still remains in doubt.
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face="Calibri"><strong><span style="mso-spacerun:
yes"> </span>5.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>PERSI 1%
COLA<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></strong>--<span
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The House voted the 1% COLA for
retirees down, but the Senate refused to hear the bill.<span
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Therefore, PERSI retirees enjoy a
bit of a brighter future.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I
thought the Legislature was trying some micro management in going against
the PERSI Board who has managed one of the top funds of its type in the
U.S.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Many other states have
their pension funds in critical condition - the State of Illinois, for
example, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>has borrowed more
that $50 million from the state pension fund, so we must be ever vigilant.
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt"><font size="3"><font
face="Calibri"><span style="mso-spacerun:
yes"> </span><strong>6.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span>The Governor wanted to eliminate a number of small
agencies</strong>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The Human
Rights Commission will now be housed with the Department of Labor.<span
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Idaho Public Television only
suffered a relatively small cut.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span>Other smaller agencies were cut back but not as much as the
Governor proposed.
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt"><font size="3"><font
face="Calibri"><span style="mso-spacerun:
yes"> </span><strong>7.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span>Broadband</strong><span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span>--<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Legislators agreed
to keep the Idaho Education Network moving ahead by spending $3 million
from the Albertson Foundation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span>The IEN appears to be delivering quality education programs to
students around the state.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span>Control of the IEN is now in the hand of the Superintendent of
Public Instruction.
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt"><font size="3"><font
face="Calibri"><span style="mso-spacerun:
yes"> </span><strong>8.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span>Texting<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span></strong>--<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>at the
last minute a compromise solution to cracking down on texting failed.<span
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Many constituents
communicated to me that the use of cell phones while driving should be
banned.
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt"><font size="3"><font
face="Calibri"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><strong>9.
Conscience Bill<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span></strong>--<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>lawmakers
approved the bill.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Their goal
is to allow health care professionals the freedom to follow their
conscience.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It may, however,
have the impact of restricting patients' access to legally and
constitutionally protected services.
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt"><font size="3"><font
face="Calibri"><strong>10.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span>Voter ID<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span></strong>--<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>although
the Secretary of State reported there is no documented voter fraud in
Idaho, the Legislature in its wisdom passed legislation that will now
require voters to show official photo ID when they vote.<span
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Absentee voters will not be
impacted by the bill.
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt"><font size="3"><font
face="Calibri"><strong>11.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>A
number of major initiatives failed to find traction during the
session</strong>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>These
included legislation including animal cruelty, bike safety, urban renewal
issues, and immigration.
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt"><font size="3"><font
face="Calibri"><strong>12.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span>Idaho Soil Conservation<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span></strong>--<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>HB576
passed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The ISCC will now be
reorganized and held more accountable.<span style="mso-spacerun:
yes"> </span>As sponsor of major legislation regarding security
breaches and protection of citizen personal data and information when
handled by state employees, I was pleased to see the legislation pass
without a negative vote.
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt"><font size="3"><font
face="Calibri"> These are some of the legislative
highlights.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Many of you
can breathe a </font></font><font size="3"><font face="Calibri">sigh of
relief.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>As Mark Twain once
said, "No man's life, liberty, or property is safe while the
legislature is in session."<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span>I always appreciate your comments and suggestions.<span
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> <br /></span><br />My e mail is
ttrail@moscow.com
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt">
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<font size="3"><font face="Calibri">Rep. Tom Trail
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