Legislative frustrations and a spiked budget bill…
Feelings are running high on the House side of the rotunda, with today’s defeat of the Arts Commission budget and subsequent barbs flying between the House minority and majority. Minority Democrats are steamed that their bills aren’t getting introduced or considered, when Republican proposals like a bill attempting to ban Sharia law in Idaho courts can get an introductory hearing in a House committee.
"They keep refusing to listen to our bills, but expect us to go along and vote in favor when they need us,” said House Minority Leader John Rusche, D-Lewiston. “Today was a statement.” After the arts budget was killed on a 33-36 vote and Democrats – eight of whom had joined in the negative vote – asked for reconsideration, 36 Republicans quashed the idea.
Rep. Heather Scott, R-Blanchard, who had voted against the budget bill, switched sides and supported reconsideration. “I don’t mind it being reconsidered – that was a political game,” she said. “They want their voices heard, their citizens’ voices heard, the same way I want my citizens’ voices heard. … It’s hard when people’s voices are suppressed.”
Noting that she votes against a lot of budget bills, Scott said she opposed the Arts Commission budget bill because “I don’t think it’s a priority right now,” saying she’d rather wait to consider such budgets after all higher-priority budgets like education and roads have won final approval.
Sen. Patrick McDonald, R-Boise, supported the Arts Commission budget bill and also supported reconsideration. “What’s to be accomplished?” he asked. “Just delaying things is all you do.”
Rep. Brent Crane, R-Nampa, said he opposed both the budget bill and the reconsideration on principle, because he doesn’t think funding the arts is government’s role.
House Speaker Scott Bedke, R-Oakley, said, “Well, we’re at the end of the session. Every year frustration boils over in different ways, but it’s predictable. It’s very easy for everybody to be civil and decorous at the first of the session. Now we see what we’re made of.”
He said, “I suspect that the budget for the Commission on the Arts is going to come through this unrelated altercation unscathed.” You can read a full report here from AP reporter Kimberlee Kruesi.
