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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Kindergarten Bill Author Gets Lesson In Partisan Politics

Just how did it happen that the pet bill of one of the most powerful Republican committee chairmen in the Legislature got killed in the Senate? By one vote?

Rep. Kitty Gurnsey, R-Boise, co-chairman of the Legislature’s budget committee, isn’t sure. “I was really shocked,” she said.

Gurnsey, who carried the bill 20 years ago that started state-funded kindergarten in Idaho, wanted to finish the job this year by making kindergarten a standard part of education in Idaho. Every Idaho school district now offers kindergarten, but it’s still optional for districts.

Gurnsey didn’t require attendance. She just wanted to make sure districts didn’t decide to drop kindergarten.

The bill died in the Senate this week on an 18-17 vote.

“It seems maybe the word was going around this was an IEA bill,” she said, referring to the Idaho Education Association, the state teachers’ union that’s closely tied to Democrats. “The IEA had nothing to do with this.”

Gurnsey had the blessing of the governor, the state superintendent of schools, and the state Board of Education. There was zero opposition to the bill in committee, so she didn’t bother to lobby senators.

Few would argue any more, as lawmakers did 20 years ago, that kindergarten isn’t needed or that children are better off staying home.

Interestingly, the vote broke along gender as well as party lines. No woman senator voted against making kindergarten standard in Idaho. No Democrat did, either.

“The Democrats were delighted, because that’s good campaign fodder,” Gurnsey said acidly. “They had a caucus right away.”

North Idaho’s two male Republican senators voted against the bill. Sen. Gordon Crow, R-Hayden, said, “Why should we mandate it if they’re already doing it?”

Crow said he wouldn’t object if a district decided to cut kindergarten. “They have to be able to make those calls on a local level.”

Sen. Clyde Boatright, R-Rathdrum, agreed.

Sen. Mary Lou Reed, D-Coeur d’Alene, didn’t. “My feeling is kindergarten is the best investment we could make,” she said. “Early childhood education is inexpensive and pays off in the long run.”

Sen. Jim Risch, R-Boise, told senators that backers promised they’d “never, ever” try to make kindergarten mandatory. Gurnsey said she can’t speak for the Senate, but in the House, where she carried the bill, “That promise was not made.”

Then they’ll take Manhattan

The Wildest Claim of the Week award goes to Tim Brennan, lobbyist for the Idaho Retailers Association. Brennan told the Senate Local Government & Taxation Committee that if Boundary County’s Kootenai Tribe got a sales tax exemption, other tribes would follow and soon there would be tax-exempt tribal businesses everywhere. “It could be downtown Boise,” he said. “I think we’re opening a tremendous can of worms.”

Idaho’s other Indian tribes already have sales tax exemptions. And the nearest reservation is more than 100 miles from downtown Boise.

Just the right job

It’s not uncommon for former legislators to go to work for those they dealt with in the Legislature, from interest groups to state agencies. But last week’s request from the state Tax Commission was a first:

The commission requested $50,000 to create a job for Rep. Steve Antone, R-Rupert, who’s been the chairman of the House Revenue & Taxation Committee for 22 years.

“I retired from farming this year because of some problems,” Antone, 74, said in an interview. “Obviously, I’d a lot rather farm than work for the tax commission, if it’s profitable.”

The well-liked Antone hadn’t announced he wouldn’t run for re-election.

, DataTimes MEMO: North-South Notes runs every other Saturday. To reach Betsy Z. Russell, call 336-2854, fax to 336-0021 or e-mail to bzrussell@rmci.net.

North-South Notes runs every other Saturday. To reach Betsy Z. Russell, call 336-2854, fax to 336-0021 or e-mail to bzrussell@rmci.net.