Governor’S Effort Average Overall

Gov. Dirk Kempthorne deserves credit for shining a spotlight on children’s issues during his first three months in office. However, his aloof management style and failure to give little more than lip service to school building and safety needs somewhat overshadowed that accomplishment.

Overall, he deserves a C+ for his first legislative session, including A’s for vision and for promoting children’s issues, a D for communication skills, a C- for failing to bird-dog important legislation, a C+ for getting most of his legislative package approved, and an incomplete at this point on his ability to veto bad bills.

Kempthorne’s performance wasn’t great. But former Gov. Phil Batt got off to a slow start, too - and he went on to become one of Idaho’s best governors. Besides, Kempthorne certainly had a better session than the do-nothing 55th Idaho Legislature. Without Kempthorne’s legislative blueprint, lawmakers would have had little to show for their 10 weeks in Boise.

Easily, Kempthorne’s top accomplishment was focusing much-needed attention on Idaho’s children. Not only did he push through legislation that targets reading skills in the lower grades but he helped establish a voluntary registry to increase Idaho’s immunization rate for children 2 and under. Until recently, the immunization rate had ranked at or near the bottom among the states. To his credit, Kempthorne also proposed an early childhood development initiative, which passed the Senate easily but was shot down by House as being “too vague.”

Unfortunately, Kempthorne’s biggest defeat also involved children. In his State of the State address, he raised expectations he’d do something about the poor condition of many schools by urging lawmakers to support lowering the supermajority requirement to pass school bonds from two-thirds to 60 percent. Then, he failed to lobby for legislation to send the matter to a public vote.

At this point, Kempthorne is busy signing bills, although he studiously has avoided a handful that should be vetoed. One of these is a goofy piece of legislation, backed by the National Rifle Association and 87 lawmakers, that would allow teens to take firearms to school. If Kempthorne signs that bill, he’ll make Idaho a laughingstock and undermine his success so far.

All in all, Kempthorne’s budget proposal and a majority of his 43 initiatives won approval with minor changes. That’s a decent record for a first-year governor without experience in state government. Those who know him are confident he’ll do better throughout the remainder of his term. Idaho needs someone to continue to push for children’s issues and school building needs. The Legislature certainly won’t.