Legislature Faces Decision On School Funding

The Idaho Legislature will open the second week of its 1996 session by deciding whether to restore a $13 million holdback in public school funding ordered by Gov. Phil Batt.

When state revenue started to run under projections last year, Batt ordered a 2-percent holdback in spending, or about $26 million. That cuts state support for public schools by about $13 million.

Monday afternoon, House Republicans have set aside 90 minutes for a party caucus to decide whether to restore the funding.

In his budget message, Batt said earnings on school endowment funds are running about $4 million higher than expected, which will erase some of the public schools hold-back. He said lawmakers should try to cut spending in other areas, and then take the rest of the holdback out of a $32 million reserve fund.

After the 57 House Republicans decide what to do about the school holdback, the Legislature’s Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee is scheduled to vote on Tuesday.

Batt told lawmakers he wants to make the other $13 million of his holdback permanent, and there appeared to be little sentiment among legislators to do otherwise.

Rep. Jim Kempton, R-Albion, also will give the GOP strategy session his analysis of the governor’s revenue estimate for the budget year starting next July 1. Indications are that the Legislature will accept Batt’s prediction that general tax revenue will go up less than 6 percent in the next fiscal year.

Meanwhile, U.S. Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole, the Republican front-runner for president, will address the Legislature Monday morning. After that, the Kansas Republican will attend a campaign fund-raising event at the Boise Centre on the Grove.

After a first week devoted more to ceremony than substance, the Legislature will get into some controversial areas this week.

The House State Affairs Committee on Monday will look at legislation from Rep. James Stoicheff, D-Sandpoint, to ban dog racing. Batt, who voted against dog racing when he was in the state Senate, has not settled on a position now. He is concerned that banning dog racing could have an economic impact on the Post Falls area, location of the state’s only dog racing track.

The same committee will examine a proposal to protect shooting ranges from encroaching residential development.

A special subcommittee on charitable games will start working today on proposals to change the new Bingo Advisory Commission.