Proposition 3
Related Coverage, Page 13
21 Idaho districts unilaterally set contracts for teachers
BOISE – At least 21 Idaho school districts are unilaterally imposing contract terms on teachers this week, after failing to reach agreement with local teachers unions – an option for districts under the state’s controversial “Students Come First” school reform laws. In the Lakeland School District in Kootenai County, 96 percent of members of the Lakeland Education Association voted “no” on the district’s last offer on salaries and benefits for the coming year. That offer, like the past four years, includes no base salary increase but some small thaws in the multiyear pay freeze.
Teacher talks fail in 21 Idaho school districts
At least 21 Idaho school districts are unilaterally imposing contract terms on teachers this week, after failing to reach agreement with local teachers unions - an option for districts under the state’s controversial “Students Come First” school reform law.
Eye on Boise: Five Wives vodka, four wives lawsuit
BOISE – The attorney and law professor who prompted Idaho’s state liquor division to reverse itself on allowing Five Wives vodka to be sold in the state last week also is pressing a lawsuit challenging Utah’s bigamy laws on behalf of the star of the reality TV show “Sister Wives.” Jonathan Turley, an attorney and law professor at George Washington University Law School in Washington, D.C., last week sent a letter threatening a federal lawsuit if Idaho didn’t reverse itself and allow the provocatively labeled vodka brand to be sold in the state; state liquor officials had rejected the brand as offensive to the state’s large Mormon population.
32 Idaho school districts make student laptop list
BOISE — A mix of large and small school districts will be first in line when Idaho starts providing laptop computers for every ninth- through 12th-grader next year, according to a list obtained today by The Associated Press.
Eye on Boise: Idaho backs Montana’s campaign spending fight
BOISE – Idaho is one of 22 states that filed a brief in support of Montana’s fight in the U.S. Supreme Court to prevent the 2010 Citizens United decision from being used to strike down state laws restricting corporate campaign spending – even though Idaho has no such laws. Idaho allows direct corporate giving to campaigns and unlimited corporate independent expenditures in campaigns. “But we do have requirements for reporting,” said Deputy Attorney General Brian Kane.
Eye on Boise: Cigarette tax hike quickly stubbed out
BOISE – When a proposed $1.25-per- pack cigarette tax increase was rejected by a House committee last week – the panel refused to introduce the bill or allow a hearing – two North Idaho lawmakers were outspoken in their opposition to the bill. Rep. Dick Harwood, R-St. Maries, said, “The smokers, I want to thank them for this building we’re in,” noting that Idaho tapped cigarette tax proceeds to pay for the bonds to renovate the state Capitol. “It’s kind of ironic that they can’t smoke in it,” he said.
Bill to restore Idaho teacher pay clears Senate
BOISE – The Idaho Senate has unanimously backed a major change to the controversial Students Come First school reform law that requires annual cuts to the teacher salary funds to pay for new classroom technology and teacher merit-pay bonuses. SB 1331, sponsored by Senate Finance Chairman Dean Cameron, R-Rupert, and co-sponsored by 15 other senators including Senate Education Chairman John Goedde, R-Coeur d’Alene, would eliminate all the cuts in teacher salary funds. The state still would be required to fund the technology boosts, including phasing in laptop computers for every high school student, and the merit-pay plan, but it wouldn’t be required to cut teacher salary funds to do it.