Senate President Pro-Tem Bob Geddes and House Assistant Majority Leader Scott Bedke just finished a newsy and informative talk to the Idaho Press Club, including a Q-and-A exchange with reporters on everything from texting while driving to tax increases. "We're probably getting close to halfway through the session," Geddes told the group. Said Bedke, "I think there's going to be some sticker shock ... when those revenue numbers are translated into budgets." People will realize, he said, that "none of their sacred cows are exempt."

In the question-and-answer session, Geddes revealed that he was rear-ended by a driver who was texting. Yet, he's still got reservations about texting-while-driving legislation, though he thinks he'll likely support it. "I'm getting a large amount of emails saying, 'Don't take away another freedom,'" Geddes said, noting, "It's already illegal to drive while distracted." Both he and Bedke said they support the concept, however, of banning texting while driving, because it's so dangerous.

Asked if lawmakers will release prisoners due to the budget crisis, Bedke said, "I don't anticipate that," and Geddes said, "I hope not." Asked if they're likely to raise taxes next year - after resisting the move this year - Bedke said, "I don't see it ever being easy to raise taxes in Idaho. Certainly given the current makeup of the Idaho House and its revenue and tax committee, I don't see a lot changing. That's not to say that there won't be tax proposals that come out this year, that's not to say that there won't be some next year. It will all depend on the idea and the situation."

Bedke said of ideas like those proposed by citizens on the governor's "Efficiency" Web site, including taxing plastic grocery bags and legalizing and taxing marijuana, "Stuff like that just never seems to get critical mass in the Legislature." He said, "When we raise the taxes, if we raise the taxes, it will be in an across the board, predictable, fairer way, and course that'll be in the eye of the beholder." As far as next year's budget, he said, "Everything is on the table," including the possibility of delaying the next scheduled boost in the state's grocery tax credit.

Geddes said, "I heard it from House leadership that there was no idea that they would not consider in the House committees to raise revenue, and that offer was even made to the minority, that if you think there's a way for us to raise revenue this year in a way that can be acceptable to the Legislature and to the governor, bring your idea forward. They've committed to print the bills and hold the hearings. ... So far some of those ideas have not yet made it into the form of legislation."

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