<html><body><div style="color:#000; background-color:#fff; font-family:times new roman, new york, times, serif;font-size:18pt"><div><span>Rep. Trail,</span></div><div><span></span> </div><div><span>Thank you for the update. However, you didn't mention the cuts made to Medicaid. Are you putting forth any efforts to restore the damage done to thousands of Idaho's poor children and those living with severe life <span id="misspell-0"><span>threatening</span></span> or limiting disabilities by House Bill HR 260? <a style="color: rgb(51, 102, 255); font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline;" href="http://www.MedicaidMattersinIdaho.com" shape="rect" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><span id="lw_1326676182_6" class="yshortcuts"><font color="#3366ff">www.MedicaidMattersinIdaho.com</font></span></a></span></div><div> </div><div>If these citizens of Idaho are not in need of having some restoration of life saving assistance, how can anyone
else make that claim?</div><div> </div><div>I understand the Governor is calling this new reduced quality of life for poor children and those with disabilities a new normal. But how can your <span id="misspell-1"><span>colleagues</span></span>, almost all of which are Christians, deny thousands basic care and call it normal or Christian, when new and unexpected revenues are available? Not one penny of it are they worth? Can you, honestly, or legislator you know, claim to be a Christian of person of the people, without looking out for the poor and disadvantaged while <span id="misspell-2"><span>additional</span></span> funds are given to the richest and wealthiest? </div><div> </div><div>Thanks for your time,<var id="yui-ie-cursor"></var></div><div> </div><div>Donovan Arnold</div> <div style="font-family: times new roman, new york, times, serif; font-size: 18pt;"> <div style="font-family: times new roman, new york,
times, serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <div dir="ltr"> <font size="2" face="Arial"> <div style="margin: 5px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); height: 0px; line-height: 0; font-size: 0px;" class="hr" contentEditable="false" readonly="true"></div> <b><span style="font-weight: bold;">From:</span></b> Rep. Tom Trail <ttrail@moscow.com><br> <b><span style="font-weight: bold;">To:</span></b> vision2020@moscow.com <br> <b><span style="font-weight: bold;">Sent:</span></b> Sunday, January 15, 2012 5:17 PM<br> <b><span style="font-weight: bold;">Subject:</span></b> [Vision2020] Legislative Newsletter I January 14, 2012<br> </font> </div> <br>
<div id="yiv1021685300">
<div class="yiv1021685300MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-size: 14pt;">LEGISLATIVE NEWSLETTER----JANUARY
9-13/2012</span></div>
<div class="yiv1021685300MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-size: 14pt;">Constituents:</span></div>
<div class="yiv1021685300MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-size: 14pt;"><br> The Idaho Legislature opened on
Monday, January 9 with the Governor’s State of the State Speech
which outlined his priorities for education, job growth, increasing
reserve accounts which were used for vital programs during the economic
downturn, employee compensation and tax relief.<span> </span>The FY2012 General Fund
revenue estimate of $2,552,710,000 reflects a 4.43%<span> </span>increase in revenue from FY
2011.<span> </span>The FY2013 General
Fund revenue estimate of $2,700,260,000 reflects a 5.78 percent growth in
revenue.<span> </span>The
Governor’s budget proposes:</span></div>
<div class="yiv1021685300MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-size: 14pt;">* $45 million in ongoing tax
relief</span></div>
<div class="yiv1021685300MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-size: 14pt;">* Transferring $25,980,000 to the Budget
Stabilization Fund</span></div>
<div class="yiv1021685300MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-size: 14pt;">* Transferring $29,980,000 to the Public
School Stabilization Fund</span></div>
<div class="yiv1021685300MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-size: 14pt;">* Transferring $4,980,000 to the Higher
Education Stabilization Fund</span></div>
<div class="yiv1021685300MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-size: 14pt;">* Limited growth in size of State
government</span></div>
<div class="yiv1021685300MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-size: 14pt;"><br> The Governor recommended several
changes in salaries and benefits:</span></div>
<div class="yiv1021685300MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-size: 14pt;">* For market related changes necessary to
address system wide structure adjustments he recommended no changes to the
salary ranges.</span></div>
<div class="yiv1021685300MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-size: 14pt;">* For a merit increase component to
recognize and reward state employees by setting aside $41,107,100 from the
General Fund and $17,143,500 from other fund sources.</span></div>
<div class="yiv1021685300MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-size: 14pt;"><br> The Governor did place a high
priority on education.<span> </span>The
higher education recommendations are promising.<span> </span>The Governor wants the state to
partner with the Center for Advanced Energy Studies, CAES and the three
research schools, INL, and the Department of Commerce to create new
businesses and jobs for Idaho.<span>
</span>There have similar successful efforts in Virginia and Utah with a
modest funding recommendation in comparison.<span> </span>It is a start which can have an
excellent payoff.<span> </span>He
also wants to fund student growth in the schools as well pick up some of
the occupancy costs of new buildings.<span> </span>He wants to take $60 million
dollars to build up the Public Education Stabilization Fund, the Budget
Stabilization Fund the Higher Education Stabilization Fund.<span> </span>This seems essential at this point
in the recovery.<span>
</span>Tax revenues from December were about $20 million over projection
which is an encouraging sign.</span></div>
<div class="yiv1021685300MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-size: 14pt;"><br> The University of Idaho received a
shot in the arm when the Idaho Wheat Commission and Lima grain Cereal
Seeds announced a multi-million dollar endowment that will enhance new
agriculture research and extension efforts across the state.<span> </span>Initial funding will be
in the $2 million range with the Idaho Wheat Commission’s gift to
create two $1 million endowed professorships.<span> </span>These partnerships, according to
President Nellus, demonstrate the power of public-private collaboration
and the value that a land grant institution like the UI brings to the
state’s economy.</span></div>
<div class="yiv1021685300MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-size: 14pt;"><br> That’s all for now.<span> </span>We need plenty of
prayers for snow to help out farmers, skiers, and the folks that run the
dams for hydropower.</span></div>
<div class="yiv1021685300MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></div>
<div class="yiv1021685300MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-size: 14pt;">Please contact me via e mail at
ttrail@house.idaho.gov.<span> </span>My floor phone #
is 208-332-1260 and my office #<span>
</span>208-332-1184.</span></div>
<div class="yiv1021685300MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-size: 14pt;">Rep. Tom Trail</span></div></div><br>=======================================================<br> List services made available by First Step Internet,<br> serving the communities of the Palouse since 1994.<br> <a href="http://www.fsr.net" target="_blank">http://www.fsr.net</a><br> mailto:<a href="mailto:Vision2020@moscow.com" ymailto="mailto:Vision2020@moscow.com">Vision2020@moscow.com</a><br>=======================================================<br><br> </div> </div> </div></body></html>