In the news today

Here’s what’s in today’s Times-News:

The Idaho Department of Environmental Quality has suspended for a second year a program that gathers water quality data because of budget cuts.  But DEQ director Toni Hardesty told the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee that the program cannot be cut a third year because of federal requirements through the Clean Water Act. The story is here.

Reporter Nate Poppino has a story about the statewide impact of the Idaho Supreme Court’s ruling that upholds Gooding County’s confined animal feedlot operation (CAFO) ordinance. The story is here.

Idaho Delegation statement about Idahoans in Haiti

Idaho Senators Mike Crapo and Jim Risch, along with Congressmen Mike Simpson and Walt Minnick issued the following statement today about the arrest of Idahoans in Haiti relating to child abduction charges.  The Idahoans, members of the Central Valley Baptist Church in Meridian and the East Side Baptist Church in Twin Falls.

“Our offices are often asked to intervene to help Idahoans and, while it is not customary to discuss any details because of constituent privacy, family members and church leadership have allowed us to comment on the situation,” delegation members said.

“We are in steady contact with the U.S. State Department and the U.S. offices in Port-au-Prince regarding the holding of the 10 Americans, many of them from Idaho.  We are working with the State Department to monitor the safety of these Idahoans and to make sure they have adequate food, water, medical care and proper housing.  We hope for their return to the United States as quickly as possible.”

We’ll post updates about the situation at magicvalley.com.

Livestock waste rule passes House committee

A rule regulating where third-party livestock waste can be stockpiled has cleared the House Agricultural Affairs Committee today.

That’s its last major hurdle before the House and Senate vote on it. The rule will put setbacks in place for manure stockpiling, keeping it a specified distance from neighbors, schools, churches, state surface waters and public highways. Violations can lead to fines of up to $3,000.

Committee members Rep. Jim Patrick, R-Twin Falls, and Rep. Donna Pence, D-Gooding, both said the rule would help the Magic Valley, where Idaho’s dairy industry has a strong presence.

The Senate Agricultural Affairs Committee has already approved the rule.

Jerome School District facing tight times

Jerome School District may have to declare an emergency and its funding shortfall could reach $573,000 with holdbacks that the governor has proposed for public schools in response to state revenues plummeting.

Cutting field trips, travel for athletic games, and fewer school days are all prospects as the school districts looks at its budget. Reporter John Plestina has the full story here.

The news came the same week that K-12 and higher education are giving their presentations to the Legislature’s Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee. Gov. C.L. “Butch” Otter has proposed 1.6 percent or $40 million in holdbacks this fiscal year, though that figure’s widely anticipated to not be enough.

How does Idaho stack up with state education funding?

One question that sometimes gets overlooked is how Idaho fares with reductions in state funding. In the 2009 session, legislators cut state funding for public education, though that was offset somewhat by federal stimulus dollars.

According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, at least 36 states (out of 40 surveyed) have made cuts to funding for K-12 or higher education in the current fiscal year. The report is cited in a memo sent to JFAC from Paul Headlee, a budget and policy analyst with the Legislative Services Office, prior to this morning’s presentation.

“In general, states have taken measures to reduce eduction funding in their foundation formulas, implemented furloughs, reduced funding for textbooks and school supplies, closed satellite campuses, reduced scholarships and financial aid, and allowed increases in tuition and fees,” Headlee wrote in his memo.

Utah, for example, went to a shorter school year, resulting in four or five less days of school. The Utah Legislature reduced its ongoing state funds for K-12 education by 13 percent. But that was backfilled on a one-time basis with stimulus funds and state funds, according to the NCSL.

In Nevada, lawmakers approved a 4 percent pay cut for teachers. But that never was enacted after the state met up against stiff union resistance.

Education week at the Legislature

This week is a busy one for the Legislature’s Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee that’s sure to attract a lot of attention.  Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Luna will make a presentation about his public schools budget proposal this morning to the committee.  In the current state budget situation, public education — and steps to preserve it — will consume the lion’s share of the committee’s efforts to balance the budget.

College of Southern Idaho President Jerry Beck made a presentation to JFAC on Wednesday. To read the full store, visit here.

The short version: CSI is focusing on growth and carefully watching all its classes, which have grown in size as the college expands and holds off on filling positions to meet budget shortfalls. Everyone’s working harder at CSI, but faculty came forward and asked what could be done to help the college’s budget, Beck said in his presentation.

Livestock waste rule passes Senate committee

The Senate Agricultural Affairs Committee today unanimously approved a rule that would put setbacks in place for livestock waste stockpiles that are greater than 50 cubic yards and in place longer than 30 days.

The rule originated from a dispute between a farmer and his neighbor over stockpiled manure in rural Filer, with its supporters calling it a “good neighbor” rule.

The setbacks are: 300 feet from a neighbor’s residence; 500 feet from a hospital, school or church; 100 feet from a domestic or irrigation well; 100 feet from state surface waters; and 50 feet from a public highway.
Temporary stockpile staging sites could still be in place within the setback areas, provided the waste is only kept there for up to 30 days. After 30 days, violators would face a fine of up to $3,000 for each offense.

The House Agricultural Affairs Committee still needs to approve the rule.

Governor to hold Friday press conference

Gov. C.L. “Butch” Otter will hold a press conference at 11 a.m. on Friday to discuss parks and recreation management with  Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation  director Nancy Merrill.

Details won’t become official until 11 a.m., of course, but Capitol Confidential has learned that the announcement will be centered largely on a change to a stronger fee-based system for parks, a move partly aimed at keeping parks open.

For those interested in keeping the Magic Valley’s Thousand Springs Park open, this could become a catalyst that helps the park continue to be part of the area’s recreation.

Armstrong talks to JFAC

Richard Armstrong, director of the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, spoke to JFAC this morning as his agency wrapped up several days of presentations.

Armstrong asked for flexibility in the budget process and stressed that salary reductions or personnel reduction would “damage morale.”

He suggested the possibility of shifting funds from trustees and benefits over to the operations sides. While that would imply a reduction in services, Armstrong said that such a shift “may not be the case.”