<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><strong><span
style="FONT-SIZE: 8pt; COLOR: #1f497d; FONT-FAMILY:
"Tahoma","sans-serif"">LEGISLATIVE NEWSLETTER
8—March 5-11, 2011
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="FONT-SIZE:
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"Calibri","sans-serif"">Constituents:
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="FONT-SIZE:
8pt; COLOR: #1f497d; FONT-FAMILY:
"Calibri","sans-serif"">This has been a rough week in
the trenches.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Monday I
was not feeling well and after a doctor's appointment on Tuesday I was
transferred to St. Al's Hospital.<span style="mso-spacerun:
yes"> </span>I had come down with a case of
pneumonia.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> I responded
well to the antibiotics and on </span>Friday my doctor felt that I had
made enough progress that I could start back on Monday.<span
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I did pair off on key
votes during the week, and plan to be back at the fray (watchfully) this
coming week.
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="FONT-SIZE:
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"Calibri","sans-serif""><span style="mso-spacerun:
yes"> </span>1.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span>Public Education--SPI Luna's S1108 (teacher's collective bargaining
rights) and S1110 (teacher-pay-for-performance) passed the House this
week.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Nine Republicans joined
13 Democrats in opposing S1108 and 13 R's joined the D's in voting against
S1110.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The major problem with
S1110 is there is no source of funding at this time.<span
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The third major piece
SB1113 (technology, increased classroom size, and some 770 teacher
layoffs) was killed in committee, but apparently will re-emerge in the
form of new bill this week.<span style="mso-spacerun:
yes"> </span>It appears that under the new bill
districts will get less funding and more flexibility on how to spend it.
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8pt; COLOR: #1f497d; FONT-FAMILY:
"Calibri","sans-serif""><span style="mso-spacerun:
yes"> </span>2.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Funding
for Public Education--The general fund portion of public education is
estimated to be $1.2 billion down $6 million from last year's budget.<span
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>However, that's with an
expected 176 more classrooms in the state needing funding.<span
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Many of the legislators who
won in last November's election signed pledges not to raise taxes and that
included any new taxes for education.<span style="mso-spacerun:
yes"> </span>Traditional thought among legislators is that voters
will not support any new taxes, and this is what SPI Luna said
recently.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The voters
spoke again Tuesday with overwhelming results in most of the levy
elections across the State including Coeur d'Alene,<span
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Twin Falls, Pocatello, and Idaho
Falls.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>On Tuesday
the point is very clear--even in trying times--even when school districts'
sole recourse is to collect levies on the always unpopular property
tax--Idaho citizens are generally willing to dig into their pockets to
support public education.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span>The truth is that our citizens at the grassroots level are the ones
who put Students First.
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8pt; COLOR: #1f497d; FONT-FAMILY:
"Calibri","sans-serif""><span style="mso-spacerun:
yes"> </span>3.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Recall
Luna--Statewide attention has focused on a move to recall SPI Luna.<span
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Frankly, this is a
poor strategy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span>The odds of recalling a state elected official is more than
challenging.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Jim
Weatherby,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Retired
Political Scientist, from BSU, offered another route for those opposing
the LUNA plan.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>This is
the referendum route.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span>Once the Idaho Legislature concludes their session then initiatives
can be filed with the Secretary of State's Office.<span
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Over 43,000 legitimate
signatures on petitions would then have to be submitted.<span
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>If enough signatures
were validated then the measures would go on the 2012 ballot requiring
only a simple majority to pass.<span style="mso-spacerun:
yes"> </span>This strategy has been successful five
times in Idaho history with the last occasion with the voters rejecting
Term Limits in 2002.
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"Calibri","sans-serif""><span style="mso-spacerun:
yes"> </span>4.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Budget
Increases for Prisons and Cuts for Higher Education--JFAC announced 4
percent increase for Idaho Prisons and a 5 percent decrease for Idaho's
universities and colleges.<span style="mso-spacerun:
yes"> </span>This has been a trend since the early
1980's.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>While
Higher Education's share of the General Budget was as high as 17 percent
in the early 1980's it has fallen to less than 8 percent today.<span
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The decreases have come
primarily because of "higher" priorities for corrections and
health and welfare.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>As
expected, the impact makes education more expensive for students.<span
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The UI will be requesting a
8.4 percent increase for student fees.
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"Calibri","sans-serif""><span style="mso-spacerun:
yes"> </span>5.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Highway
12 and Megaloads--Idaho Rivers United filed a lawsuit against the U.S.
Forest Service seeking to force the agency to challenge the megaload
shipments of oil refining equipment approved by the Idaho Transportation
Department.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Two Conoco
shipments have made it to Montana, but it is anticipated permit requests
for hundreds more are just a matter of time.<span style="mso-spacerun:
yes"> </span>If this occurs then the "fear" of
Highway 12 becoming the international oil freeway to Alberta may become
true.
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"Calibri","sans-serif""><span style="mso-spacerun:
yes"> </span>6.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span>HB221--This piece of legislation outlines cuts to the States
Medicaid services to the amount of $107 million which is down from the
$120 originally proposed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span>Given that Medicaid funding gets matched by the federal government,
for every dollar in services cut at the state level, we lose over $3 in
federal funds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The bill
is being revised to move the two most controversial cuts for adults with
developmental disabilities:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span>1) cutting off developmental therapy services to anyone 45 years or
older and 2) denying these services to hundreds of patients who fail to
qualify for the waiver program.
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="FONT-SIZE:
8pt; COLOR: #1f497d; FONT-FAMILY:
"Calibri","sans-serif"">That's all for this week.<span
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Please send me your
comments, recommendation, and ideas.<span style="mso-spacerun:
yes"> </span>My e mail is ttrail@house.idaho.gov and
phone
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="FONT-SIZE:
8pt; COLOR: #1f497d; FONT-FAMILY:
"Calibri","sans-serif"">(208) 332-1184.
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="FONT-SIZE:
8pt; COLOR: #1f497d; FONT-FAMILY:
"Calibri","sans-serif"">Rep. Tom Trail<br /><br />you
can also view my updates on <a
href="http://www.infotrail.com/idaho">www.infotrail.com/idaho</a></span></p>