vision2020
Legislative Update V - Feb 3-10, 2001
Dear Visionaries,
This week's excitement in the Idaho Legislature swirled around tax cut
proposals and Judge Bail's decision on school facilities. Of local
interest, I received reports of the sighting of an elusive Emu on Moscow
Mountain. I checked with the fish and game department and discovered that
there are no hunting regulations in Idaho that pertain to Emus. One
constituent remarked that if we had enough emus running around the Mountain
it could become a big tourist attraction -- another economic development
idea. It any event Moscow is much more peaceful than the Legislature where
rumors on all hand swirl around both chambers and change just about every
half hour.
We have enjoyed having Amber Worl of Moscow work for the House during the
past five weeks as a page. Some of the pages have written up a Resolution
to present to the State Affairs Committee. They would like to see 17 year
olds given the right to vote. Rep. Wendy Jaquet and I have signed on as
co-sponsors. We hope the pages will be given the opportunity to present
the bill. Many of them feel that most 17 years olds are taking Government
classes in High School and this would encourage them even more to vote. It
will be a good experience although I don't think the Resolution will get
far. The only country I know that 17 year olds are allowed to vote is in
North Korea. The issue is certainly on a higher plane than the students in
Washington State who want to get Almond Roca declared the state's official
candy.
1. School Facilities -- The schools in the lawsuit against the state
sought help from the state to pay for improving dilapidated, unsafe school
buildings. School districts currently rely on bonds and special levies on
local taxpayers to construct and improve buildings. The Idaho Supreme
Court ordered the lower court to decide whether the Legislature has
provided a means to fund facilities that ensure a safe environment
conducive to learning.
Judge Bail's ruling that Idaho's system of relying on school bonds to solve
school buildings safety concerns doesn't meet the constitutional mandate
for a thorough system of education for Idaho's poorest school
districts. The court encouraged the Legislature to find solutions for
Idaho's poorest school districts to close the funding gap between their
needs and what they can afford. She gave the Legislature a year to come up
with solutions and retained jurisdiction of the matter.
The attitude of many conservative Legislators is to call the Judge's
decision a "cream puff" decision and they still strongly oppose any state
involvement in the state providing any help to school districts in terms of
mortar and brick. Your District 5 Legislators agree that the State has to
assist our poorer school districts with facilities. A number of states
faced with similar decisions did nothing and then the Judge laid out
precise requirements that in the case of Arizona cost the state over
$400,000,000 to bring school facilities up-to-date.
Basically, a number of Legislators are urging the Governor and Leadership
in both chambers to get together with the Judge and ask her the question,
"What will you do if we don't do anything to fix school
facilities?" Essentially I feel we only have six week remaining in this
session to come up with some solutions. A number of bills are coming up
including one that I proposed which would take $60 million from the surplus
and reduce bond indebtedness 10% for all school disticts. This would also
be a property tax cut although a one time shot. It would save substantial
interest as well. Another idea is to take about $90 million from the
surplus and pay off school bonds. This would save over $70 million in
interest. The conflict arises in that many of the tax cutters see this
taking money that should go back to the tax payer in terms of
cuts. Frankly, I'm not very optimistic that anything will be done so if
the Judge comes up with a high price solution, at least I can say that I
tried with school facility legislation I proposed to try and come up with a
solution.
2. Tax Cuts -- A new package with the Governor's approval was introduced
Tuesday. The package would increase the tax cut from the original $136
million to $147 million with more money earmarked for future tax cuts. The
added increase is a $15 million personal property one time tax cut on farm
machinery. If this proposal makes it through committee it stands a chance
of being passed; however, there are many on the Senate side who might take
it apart. It seems that everyone has their idea of tax cuts. I'll be
introducing a bill in Rev and Tax Committee on Monday that would grant
Seniors over 65 and with a gross income below $15,000 a $100 tax credit for
prescription drugs. The average Senior pays over $700/ year for
prescription drugs. I also introduced a resolution on Friday that would
have eliminated the sales tax on required university student books. That
was defeated 10-8. The legislation would have benefited many of our 55,000
students who are annually hit with 5-10% increase in student fees.
3. Idaho Public Television -- Idahoans should contact the Governor and
members of JFAC concerning their feelings on privatization of IPTV. The
Senate House Committee voted 8-0 against privatization. Last year the
House Ed Committee voted 15-2 against the concept of privatization. Most
of the pressure is coming from Legislators in the Idaho Falls area. One
initiative may be to simply eliminate delivery of IPTV to the Idaho Falls
area and then let the Legislators take the heat from their
constituents. We have one of the finest systems of Public Television in
the country, and I detect strong legislative support to continue it as it is.
4. Budgets -- JFAC starts setting budgets next week. We'll be making
education recommendations in the House Education Committee. We are all
concerned about beginning teacher salaries. Rep. Gary Young and I are
introducing a joint resolution that calls on the state to set a goal of
getting beginning teacher salaries up to $30,000 within a reasonable period
of time. Clark County in Nevada is recruiting Idaho beginning teachers at
$32,000/year plus signing bonuses of $10,000 in certain subject matter
areas. This is only one example.
5. Minimum Wage for Farm Workers -- HB 71 passed the House 49-20. This is
the bill that was promoted by the Governor and as reporter Dan Popkey of
the Statesman called it a "sham bill." It does not cover 40% of our farm
workers. Sen. Schroeder will introduce a bill that will cover all farm
workers from the Senate side, and I will try with HB 56 from the House
side. By not covering our largely Hispanic farm workers we are endorsing
second class citizenship for them. Dan Popkey summed up the situation in
his editorial, "Tuesday the House passed a Sham-I-Am minimum wage bill that
does nothing to end shameful discrimination against brown-skinned
farmworkers denied rights the rest of us enjoy." Boise State University
sociologist Richard Baker who has studied Hispanic drop-outs stated, "It's
easy to focus on Neo-Nazis -- everybody's against them -- but the real
problem is the everyday mistreatment of Hispanics and Native
Americans." Some Idaho religious leaders say such treatment can be
perceived as racist and it certainly doesn't help our Idaho Image Campaign.
5. Idaho Promise Scholarships -- The House passed by a 62-7 margin the
funding for the Idaho Promise Scholarship Program. It goes to the Governor
for signing this week. At least there is some good news coming out of Boise.
Rep. Tom Trail, district 5
ttrail@house.state.id.us
Phone: 208-332-1202
I would like constituents to contact me by e-mail me with their ideas,
comments and recommendations.
Legislative newsletters and additional materials and information can be
located on my web
and home page http://www.infotrail.com/idaho
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