House and Senate Democrats held a press conference today to unveil a six-bill jobs package that includes fast-tracking renewable energy projects; setting up a new "jobs council" under the governor's office; providing state help to expanding small businesses; offering a tax credit for venture capital…
Sen. Jeff Siddoway, R-Terreton, asked IPTV head Peter Morrill, "Could you just do regular commercial advertisements like any other television station?" Morrill noted that IPTV raises more private money than many of its peer networks. But, he said, "Idaho Public Television is licensed by the…
Sen. Bert Brackett, R-Rogerson, asked IPTV General Manager Peter Morrill if he'd be allowed to come on IPTV to advocate for or against funding. "We really haven't produced any TV programs about the funding issue for Idaho Public Television," Morrill responded. "If we were to…
The governor's proposed budget for Idaho Public TV for next year is just $1.1 million in state general funds, down from $1.66 million this year. That's a reduction of $550,700, "or minus 33 percent," IPTV General Manager Peter Morrill told lawmakers. The governor proposes a…
Peter Morrill, general manager of Idaho Public Television, told legislative budget writers, "There is no statewide newspaper, there is no statewide radio system, there is no statewide commercial television." There is just Idaho Public Television, when it comes to a statewide medium that links the…
The College of Southern Idaho in Twin Falls supported formation of the College of Western Idaho in the Treasure Valley, CSI President Jerry Beck told lawmakers, but it did cost CSI money - it's no longer billing Ada and County counties for tuition for students…
Bert Glandon, president of the College of Western Idaho, says the new Treasure Valley community college set a record nationally when it opened with 1,208 students. Most community colleges start up with no more than 200 students enrolling, he said. "We jumped to 3,600 in…
Sen. Dean Cameron, R-Rupert, asked North Idaho College President Priscilla Bell about her support for a proposed $1.047 million additional allocation to College of Western Idaho next year for its enrollment growth. "I want to gauge your level of support - are you willing to…
North Idaho College President Priscilla Bell told legislative budget writers this morning that her college has no wish list for funding, recognizing the tight state budget. Students will, however, feel the impact of holdbacks and budget reductions, she said, as they come at a time…
The Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee has received the report and recommendation from the Joint Economic Outlook & Revenue Assessment Committee, and voted unanimously to accept the report - which doesn't mean it's accepting that panel's numbers for the state budget. "The process this morning is for…
Idaho should start planning now to replace the state's most outdated, inefficient, hard-to-staff and expensive-to-run prisons, a new report from the Legislature Office of Performance Evaluations found today, a move that would yield big long-term savings and set the state up to better manage the…
GOP congressional candidate Vaughn Ward was enthusiastically endorsed by former Idaho Gov. Dirk Kempthorne, state Superintendent of Schools Tom Luna, former state Board of Education President Milford Terrell and Canyon County Prosecutor John Bujak at a Statehouse press conference on Tuesday as he kicked off…
At the rules hearing earlier today on part-time state employee health benefits, the Senate Commerce Committee refused to pass on the rule change until the Department of Administration explains why it made the change without seeking legislative approval. "I wasn't as troubled by the actual…
Former Idaho Gov. Dirk Kempthorne emerged back on the Idaho political scene today, endorsing 1st District congressional candidate Vaughn Ward, introducing Ward at a Statehouse press conference officially announcing his candidacy, and traveling with Ward around the state for two days of Ward's planned four-day,…
Seventy-five to 80 part-time state employees have dropped health insurance since November, when the state sharply increased the costs for part-timers, state Department of Administration official Teresa Luna just told the Senate Commerce Committee. The panel is questioning her about a series of rule changes,…
Idaho is losing an estimated $35 million a year in sales taxes on Internet sales, says Hayden Lake Sen. Mike Jorgenson, and the state ought to join 23 other states in the Streamlined Sales Tax Compact as a first step toward doing something about it.…
The House has voted 64-1 in favor of HB 379, Rep. Lynn Luker's bill to eliminate the tax return checkoff that lets taxpayers send $1 of their taxes to the political party of their choice. "Unlike any other checkoff, this particular checkoff comes out of…
Legislative budget writers heard today about the medical residency programs in Idaho, which train medical residents in psychiatry and family medicine here though the state lacks a medical school. That's considered key because doctors tend to settle and practice where they finished training. The psychiatry…
Idaho State University President Arthur Vailas told lawmakers ISU has a record enrollment this year by headcount, which includes all students, full and part-time, professional-technical and academic, graduate and undergraduate. That figure at ISU this year is 15,553, and includes students from across the nation…
BSU President Bob Kustra displayed a pie chart to legislative budget writers showing the amount of state general funds per student that each Idaho four-year college or university receives. The amounts: $8,946 at the University of Idaho; $7,324 at Idaho State University; $5,459 at Lewis-Clark…
Rep. Darrell Bolz, R-Caldwell, House Appropriations vice-chairman, questioned BSU President Bob Kustra about the university's unrestricted net assets, just as he questioned University of Idaho President Duane Nellis about that a day earlier. "How much of that money could be used today to help us…
Boise State was able to cover the 6 percent holdback it took this fall from its reserves, BSU President Bob Kustra told lawmakers this morning, but he said, "Of great concern is a permanent base reduction for 2011." He noted that 10 years ago, the…
BSU President Bob Kustra opened his presentation to JFAC this morning with a video of the faked punt that the Broncos used to dramatically win the Fiesta Bowl this year. "There are some who call those trick plays," Kustra said. "We don't call trick plays…
Here's a link to my full story at spokesman.com on the University of Idaho's budget situation. The U of I and LCSC kicked off a full week of education budget hearings in JFAC, which continue tomorrow with BSU, ISU and health education programs. For next…
Here's a news item from the AP: BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Idaho police say the growing menace of graffiti merits felony punishment. They're pushing a bill to create stiff fines of up to $5,000 and 5 years in prison for recalcitrant taggers whose art work…
News, happenings and more from the Idaho Legislature and the state capital.
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