Governor
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Eye on Boise: NRA’s loaded questions have pre-targeted answers
BOISE – A.J. Balukoff, a Democratic candidate for governor, is refusing to fill out a National Rifle Association candidate questionnaire, saying it’s “biased and loaded with leading questions that do not allow me to accurately state my position on gun laws.” In a letter back to the NRA, Balukoff wrote, “The leading questions and multiple-choice answers in your questionnaire allow for only polarizing and extreme positions.”
Eye on Boise: IPATT’s Mike Lanza booted from education task force
BOISE – Mike Lanza, the parent-turned-education activist who chaired the campaign that successfully overturned the Students Come First school reform laws, says he’s been booted from Idaho Gov. Butch Otter’s education improvement task force because he signed on with the campaign of Otter’s Democratic opponent. The 31-member task force brought all sides in the education reform debate together and made 20 recommendations, all of which Otter endorsed; the Legislature started work on some of those this year.
Education was Idaho legislators’ priority this session
BOISE – Education funding took center stage at the Idaho Legislature this year. Lawmakers nearly doubled Gov. Butch Otter’s proposed 2.9 percent increase in school funding, to $66 million. The cash infusion was an attempt to jump-start a series of reforms recommended by a state task force.
Wildfires should lead to FEMA funding, lawmakers say
BOISE – Catastrophic wildfires should be no less a priority for federal funds than hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes or other natural disasters, lawmakers from Oregon and Idaho said Monday. They joined Interior Secretary Sally Jewell and Idaho Gov. Butch Otter to tout a bipartisan effort to change how the nation pays for those costs: to tap disaster funds instead of draining fire-prevention accounts when fires get too big.
Idaho lawmakers move forward with pay-raise bill
BOISE – Idaho lawmakers are moving forward with plans for raises for top state elected officials next year, from 2.5 percent for the governor, secretary of state, treasurer and controller to 16 percent for the attorney general and 19.6 percent for the lieutenant governor. Legislators already decided that state employees, whose pay lags far below market rates, will get a total of 2 percent for merit-based raises next year – half of that permanent and half as a one-time bonus.