Rep. Trail Legislative Update 10, March 20-24

[Tom Trail <RepTrail@infotrail.com>]

Huckleberries and legislators hustling to approve their own Pledge of
Allegiance bill are among a few of the efforts receiving letter media
coverage.  A fourth grade class in Post Falls working with Rep. Wayne Meyer
introduced a bill to make the huckleberry the official Idaho fruit.  I
understand that the bill has passed.  Two years ago a bill was introduced
to make the spud the official vegetable, but the bill was soundly defeated.
 The Legislature voted to require the Pledge of Allegiance to be offered to
all Idaho's K-12 public schools. Legislators have been so eager to follow
the example that a bill has been introduced that would require all
legislators to give the pledge at the beginning of each legislative session.

We may have a week or 10 days of the session left.  Tempers are getting
higher.  Tax cuts, settlement of the trucker's suit, and school facilities
are still unresolved.

1.  K-12 Public School Budget  --  JFAC took the initiative and approved
the Governor's public school budget.  There is $873,000,000 in the budget.
There is $61,000,000 property tax replacement in the budget which is a
continuation of the property tax relief initiated by Gov. Batt.

      JFAC gave the House and Senate Education Committees the opportunity
to review the budget and to make recommendations on line items
expenditures.  Both committees supported the 5.5% increase in the
state-paid share of the school district payrolls.  The starting salary for
teachers will increase to $22,000 per year.  This is a long overdue move.
The Senate Education Committee recommended to increase the Exiting
Standards budget by $615,000 from discretionary funds.  In the House
Education Committee, a motion was made to zero out funding for gifted and
talented programs.  I moved to fully fund the program and prevailed on a
9-6 vote.  Now the key key issues to watch are the proposed tax cuts,
school facilities, and the trucker's suit.

2.  Tax Cuts  --  The original HB 707 which passed the House calling for a
$41million tax cut, has now been reduced by the Senate to about a $21
million package (roughly a $20 per-capita refund).  The Senate package
includes the marital deduction,  health insurance refund for self-employed,
an added bracket adjustment to the state income tax, and a production
credit exemption (which would benefit large corporations like Micron).
There is still much disagreement between the House and Senate, and the call
for a Conference Committee to come up with a compromise mayresult.

3.  Trucker's Suit  --  For an eight year period Idaho had charged out of
state truckers a higher mileage rate than in-state truckers.  The courts
found this to be unconstitutional, and the State will have to find $27
million to settle the case.  Sen. Frasure recommended that the rates should
be increased so that the truckers would pay the bill.  I received 17
messages from truckers opposed to this potential solution.  It would be an
undue hardship on truckers plus the impact of higher fuel costs, and a
number of small trucking firms said they would be driven out of business.
The most logical solution at this time is to have the money come from the
General Fund.  This would, of course, take away more money from the
surplus, but it is a fair solution.

4.  School Facilities  --  the trial closed on Tuesday.  The judge will
issue her findings sometime in April.  There is still a rumor that the
Attorney General will ask the judge to close the Troy High School at the
end of the school year.  The Senate Education Committee passed and
forwarded to the Senate HB 678  -- Idaho Uniform School Building Safety
Code Commission.  Two other school facilities bills are still being worked
over by the Senate.

5.  Timber Owner Tax Relief  --  The Idaho Senate approve a measure that
would re-evaluate the way forest lands are valued and give immediate tax
relief to timber owners.  Under the Idaho tax system, when one group gets a
tax cut, other property owners see their taxes increase to make up the
difference.  The bill also threatens funding for Idaho's school districts
since most school funding comes from property taxes.  The counties where
the legislation would have the biggest impact are the same counties that
have struggling school districts and deteriorating schools.  I support Sen.
Schroeder's tax shift bill that would require the state to make up any
money the school districts lose.

6.  Victim Identify Theft  --  HB 572 was approved by the Senate Judiciary
and Rules Committee 9-0.  This is the bill sponsored by Rep. Randy Hansen
and myself.  The bill will give victims of identity theft added protection
in restoring their credit rating.

7.  Telemarketing Bill Passes the House  -- This bill will give people a
way to hold telemarketers accountable for unwanted calls.  The new plan
would create a registry of people in Idaho who do not want to be contacted
by phone solicitors.  People would have to pay up to $10 to be on the list
for three years.  Telemarketers would be required to buy a copy and could
be fined up to $5,000 for violations.

8.  Division of Environmental Quality  --  The House passed and sent to the
Governor's desk a bill which will make the Division of Environmental
Quality, currently under Health and Welfare, a full fledged department of
state government.

9.  Fish and Game Budget  --  it appears that the prospects for a $4.4
million increase for Fish and Game will pass the Senate next week.


Rep. Trail, district 5

 I would like constituents to e-mail, phone, fax, or write me with their
ideas, comments and recommendations.  

by phone: (at the House Communications Center)

208-332-1000 switchboard
208-332-1202 desk
208-334-5397  (fax)

by email:

ttrail@house.state.id.us      My email in Boise
infocntr@lso.state.id.us      Information desk at the Capitol
            
Address:

Rep. Tom Trail
Idaho State Legislature
State Capitol Building
P.O. Box 83720
Boise, ID 83720-0038

Legislative newsletters and additional materials and information can be
located on my web
and home page http://www.infotrail.com/idaho