[Vision2020] Legislative Newsletter VII February 20-24, 2012

[Rep. Tom Trail]

 LEGISLATIVE NEWSLETTER
–FEBRUARY 20-24, 2012
Constituents:
      
The
Homestretch:  We
are headed down the homestretch with March 25th as a possible target date
for Sine Die.  JFAC started
passing supplemental budgets. 
These are mostly bills which allow spending authority for federal
grants, and 2013 budgets for dedicated fund agencies.  Last Friday the budget committee
approved a 2% salary increase for all state employees.   Yesterday afternoon in the
House Commerce and Human Resources Committee we approved on a 8-1 vote
legislation approving a 2% across the board increase for state
employees.
       Stream lined sales tax
bill:  the first
step toward a sales tax on internet sales was introduced as House bill
581.  The bill will have a
hearing in Rev and Tax this coming Wednesday.
   
   Animal Cruelty
Legislation: 
SB1303 passed on a 31-1 margin.   This would establish an
animal torture charge—punishable as a felony on the third
charge.  The felony would apply
only to the third animal cruelty conviction within 15 years.    The fines are fairly
minimal.   Many Idaho
citizens are pursuing an initiative that would have some teeth.  The initiative would establish an
animal torture initiative charge—punishable as a felony on the first
offense.  The initiative also
would ratchet up the fines for animal cruelty; a third conviction would
also carry a prison sentence of six months or more.  Since this language would apply
only to repeat offenders, it’s hard to see how this initiative would
swell the ranks of the state’s prison population.  The Senate bill will come up in
House Ag Affairs next week and there will be a trailer bill which may
define the term torture and have increased penalties.   My hope is that we can get
these measures passed this session.   I’ve been working on
these issues for over 10 years and it would be nice to finally see some
good legislation protecting our animals.
      University of Idaho—Flagship
Designation:  The
State Board’s recent decision to remove the word
“flagship” from the University of Idaho’s mission
statement reflects a choice that should cause concern for all of
Idaho’s citizens.  
It is a choice of whether to encourage academic excellence or
reduce all universities to the lowest common denominator.    As one editor
mentioned, “What if the State Board told BSU that it could no longer
refer itself as having a top ranked football program?   Why not just refer to the
Broncos as just another Idaho public university football team?   The University of Idaho is
the top academic institution in the state.   The UI is recognized as a
First Tier Research University and BSU is somewhere in the Third
Tier.  The UI generates 73
percent of the competitive research dollars in the state and it is the
state’s land grand university. 
The UI has by far the highest graduation rate and retention rate in
the state.  Seventeen of the 19
national merit scholars who enrolled in Idaho public institutions this
year enrolled at the University of Idaho, and the UI has more national
merit scholars than the University of Washington—an institution of
more than 40,000 students.  The
Board’s action almost appeared to come out of “Thin Air”
and was widely criticized even here in the Treasure Valley.   The solution is
simple—the State Board should simply recognize the UI as the
Academic Flagship and BSU as the Football Flagship.
      Tax Commission:  I’ve been a firm supporter as
evidence at the end of the last session for the 48 permanent and 22
temporary positions that were added to the State Tax Commission for the
purpose of gathering uncollected taxes.  The goal was to collect more
revenue without raising taxes and collect $7.00 for every dollar
spent.   Over the past
three years, the State spent $3.7 million and collected $53 million.  That is nearly $50 million that the
state would not have collected except for this initiative.  The program was an unqualified
success as about $14 dollars were collected for every dollar
invested.   This has been
a wise investment of taxpayers’ dollars.
       Occupy Boise:  Members of the 99% movement camping
on the grounds of the old Ada County Courthouse will have to move on
Monday with the Governor signing the legislation.    The Boise Chief of
Police noted that law enforcement had inspected the camping site on a
regular basis and found it neat and clear with no major problems.   He also reported that the
camp leaders told him in late December that they were getting ready to
pack up and leave.   Then
the Idaho Legislature came into town and spent several weeks crafting
legislation to “Run the Bums” out.  This was time that we could have
well spent in working on other higher priority issues.
       Some
California and Idaho
Comparisons:  Some
facts to remember in comparing California and Idaho statistics: 
·        
Food
stamps:  Nearly
14.5 percent of Idaho’s citizens are drawing food stamps.  At one point Idaho had the fastest
growth in the food stamp caseloads in the U.S.  Only 9.7 percent of
California’s population qualifies for that help.  
·        
Economy—Idaho’s
still anemic 8.3 percent unemployment rate looks better compared to
California’s 11.1 percent rate. 
But if you have a job in Idaho, you earn less.    Idaho’s per
capita income is ranked 45th and California is ranked 10th.  
·        
Public
schools—Idaho spends less per student than every state
but one.  By comparison,
California’s ranking at 34th looks good.  
·        
Higher
education—California, 29.9 percent of the work force
has at least a four year degree. 
Only 14 states do better. 
In Idaho, it’s 24 percent.  Only 10 states do worse.  
·        
Health
care—Both states do a poor job of insuring people for
health care.  In California 10
percent are uninsured, compared to 17 percent in Idaho. 
·        
Mental
Health—Idaho now has the fourth highest suicide rate in
the nation.  California is
ranked 42nd.  
Unfortunately, both the Governor and the legislature disregarded
warnings that cutting Medicaid and mental health services would lead to
more suicides.
      We move
ahead to Week 8 of the session.  
I sent out an earlier announcement that I would not be running for
my House Seat again, but instead will run for the Latah County District 1
Commissioner seat.   
I feel that 16 years in Boise is enough.   The increasing polarization
in terms of political discussion on the issue and the disconnect between
what Idaho citizen’s needs are and how the Legislature addresses
those needs has become increasingly apparent to me.
      Please send
me your comments, etc.   

My e mail is ttrail at house.idaho.gov or
thomasftrail at gmail.com  

 My phone
# is 208-332-1184
Thanks,
Rep. Tom Trail
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