Quizzed by Land Board members about his concerns over Supt. Luna's proposal, endowment fund manager Larry Johnson said, "I don't think that this would be catastrophic." He said, "I think if I can be guaranteed that this is a one-time and one-time only process, then…
Larry Johnson, manager for the Endowment Fund Investment Board, went over the figures on Luna's proposal, and said they'd leave the public school earnings reserve fund with one year's reserve, rather than three years', as Luna says. "He was using our numbers, so we agree…
Attorney General Lawrence Wasden asked Supt. Luna if he considers his proposal a deviation from the recommendations of the Endowment Fund Investment Board. Luna responded that everything is different in this budget crunch, from how families are handling their budgets to moves being made by…
"We're faced with a constitutional dilemma, maybe," Gov. Butch Otter said. The constitution "directs this board ... toward maintaining the long-term financial best interest of the beneficiaries, all the beneficiaries. ... I believe that's one of the reasons the fund was created, so that we…
Idaho Secretary of State Ben Ysursa said the public school earnings reserve fund isn't a rainy-day account, it's a "shock absorber" to protect the state's ability to make payouts to schools each year. He noted that Luna talked about how much more kids need to…
Supt. Tom Luna said his funding proposal for schools "will not completely offset cuts to public education. Instead," he said, it will make them "manageable." The $52.8 million, he said, is equivalent to 1,000 teaching jobs or 10 days of school. Without it, he said,…
Idaho's public school shortfall was $135 million when he addressed JFAC, Supt. Tom Luna told his fellow Land Board members, but now it's grown to as much as $160 million. "Under the principles of trust law we as trustees can and often should consider what…
Idaho Attorney General Lawrence Wasden has laryngitis, so a deputy was allowed to sit with him to help him communicate. "The attorney general as you know is a lawyer and has lost his voice," Gov. Butch Otter declared to laughter, prompting Secretary of State Ben…
There's a full house this afternoon for the Land Board meeting, at which the state's top five elected officials - the governor, the secretary of state, the attorney general, the state controller, and the state superintendent of schools - will vote on a proposal to…
The House Majority Caucus just wrapped up a 35-minute closed-door meeting, and topics covered include the question of a cost-of-living adjustment for PERSI; the Land Board's upcoming vote on education funding this afternoon; the budgeting timetable for the session; and the need to submit bills…
Here's a news item from the Associated Press: BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Two Democrats contend the House and Senate went too far when members voted overwhelmingly to dump a provision that's allowed Idaho residents since 1976 to chip in a buck of their taxes to…
Rep. Frank Henderson, R-Post Falls, told state courts Administrative Director Patti Tobias, "My congratulations on bringing forth the concept of a surcharge to provide additional revenue for a critical function of the state." He asked if the judiciary had any more ideas along those lines.…
Idaho's court system has undergone deep budget cuts, court Administrative Director Patti Tobias told JFAC today, including a hiring freeze that has prevented the filling of any position for the past 15 months. All services have been affected, from court-ordered drug testing to court computer…
Wayne Hammon, the governor's budget chief, presented the budgets for the governor's office and the Division of Financial Management to JFAC today. "The office of the governor is a lean operation," he told lawmakers. But, he said, "The vast majority of the costs within the…
Rep. Frank Henderson, R-Post Falls, said Idaho certainly shouldn't back away from its anti-invasive species efforts, but he asked state Ag Director Celia Gould if her department has considered increasing fees for boat stickers and other programs to allow the efforts to "continue at full…
Celia Gould, state agriculture director, began her budget presentation to JFAC this morning by noting the newly restored state Capitol. Recently, she said, she spoke with the Arizona ag director; "They had just sold their state capitol building," she said. "I'm proud to say I…
Here are links to my full story from today's Spokesman-Review on the introduction yesterday of the Coeur d'Alene Tribe's state-tribal law enforcement bill; my full story on the passage of the "Idaho Health Freedom Act" on a party-line vote in the Idaho House; and my…
Gov. Butch Otter's chief economist, Mike Ferguson, says there's nothing in the January revenue figures that would persuade him to adjust his forecast for state revenue for the current year or next year - as he did both last year and the year before. "You…
Chief Allan, chairman of the Coeur d'Alene Tribe, was sitting in the audience as the House Judiciary Committee voted unanimously today to introduce legislation proposed by the tribe regarding cooperation with tribal law enforcement agencies. "I know there has been a lot of misinformation out…
The House Judiciary Committee has voted unanimously to introduce legislation proposed by the Coeur d'Alene Tribe regarding cooperative agreements between tribal police and local sheriffs. "I'm in the dark here on how all this works, and I would like to know more about that," said…
The Idaho AARP has released a strongly worded statement condemning today's House vote in favor of HB 391, the "Idaho Health Freedom Act," headed, "Idaho House moves state closer to health care disaster." In its statement, the group said the bill could cost Idaho millions…
House Speaker Lawerence Denney said after today's stormy House debate on health care reform, "I've been expecting something to come up. There's a lot of stress, and tempers are getting shorter. ... I hope that that's the hardest one that we have to do." Denney…
HB 391, the Idaho Health Freedom Act, has passed the House on a 52-18 vote - a straight party-line vote, with all Republicans voting in favor, and all Democrats voting against. Shortly before the vote, Rep. Lenore Barrett, R-Challis, began her debate for the bill…
Rep. Elfreda Higgins, D-Garden City, spoke against HB 391. "This bill fails to look at unintended and possibly long-term consequences," she said, and would require the state to spend thousands to go to court to fight health care reform requirements. "How can we justify that,…
Rep. Lynn Luker, R-Boise, co-sponsor of the "Idaho Health Freedom Act," told the House, "As Idahoans we are a freedom-loving people and this particular bill deals with that freedom. This bill is very narrowly drafted, it deals with one issue and that is mandatory health…
News, happenings and more from the Idaho Legislature and the state capital.
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