Otter touts “wisdom” in budget process
Post Published: 13 July 2010Gov. C.L. “Butch” Otter held a press conference in Boise today about the budget numbers for the end of the fiscal , saying that they reflected the “wisdom” shown in the budget-setting process.
From his press release:
The Office of the State Controller said that an $8.26 million transfer from the State’s Permanent Building Fund to the General Fund will be required to ensure that the State’s budget for the fiscal year that concluded on June 30, 2010, remains balanced. The transfer is slightly larger than earlier estimated by the Division of Financial Management due to lower-than-anticipated tax revenues received in June. The transfer will not impact the operation of State agencies in fiscal year 2011.
Preliminary figures show that General Fund tax collections for the 12-month period through June were $86.5 million below the State’s forecast. June’s monthly collections were $6.9 million less than anticipated.
“Some people vigorously opposed our cautious, conservative approach to budgeting, and some still do. They glom on to every inflated projection, urge us to spend millions of dollars in make-believe money, and have nothing but contempt for any other view. Fortunately for Idaho taxpayers, common sense and a steadier hand carried the day,” Otter said in a statement. “The Legislature and I did what any family does when facing financial trouble – we looked for savings, we thought about what we could do without, and we made do with less. We lived within our means, and we didn’t raise taxes.”
Refugee program growing in second year
Post Published: 09 July 2010A grassroots summer school program for refugee children is finding its place in Twin Falls and has added programs for different ages of K-12 students. Almost 60 children from the CSI Refugee Center are enrolled.
To read the story and see a video about the program, visit here.
Simpson spurns “loyalty oath”
Post Published: 09 July 2010The Associated Press is reporting that U.S. Rep. Mike Simpson is the latest Idaho Republican who won’t sign a so-called “loyalty oath” that was included in the party’s platform at its convention two weeks ago.
From the AP:
Simpson joins state Rep. Maxine Bell, a Republican from Jerome, and Sen. Joe Stegner is expressing concern about the oath, which asks candidates for elected office to sign a statement saying they support the GOP platform – or list the areas where they disagree.
Simpson told The Associated Press he takes one oath: to defend the U.S. Constitution against all ene-mies, foreign and domestic.
Former state Senate Majority Leader Rod Beck, a delegate at the GOP convention in Idaho Falls, suc-ceeded in having the provision added to the platform.
Beck says it will help primary voters determine if elected officials support Republican principles.
May the force of Republicans be with you
Post Published: 30 June 2010If Idaho GOP delegates are Jedi knights, then where are their light sabers? And if they have light sabers stowed away somewhere, it’s probably safe to assume that they have blades that are red — not blue.
But delegates decided they don’t fancy themselves Jedi knights, even though the topic of Jedi — in one context or another — came up in a proposed resolution at the GOP convention last week in Idaho Falls.
“A lot of it was crazy nonsense,” said Leon Mills, a delegate from Twin Falls County who’s also running for commissioner on the GOP ticket this November. ”They had one that they rejected that was something about some Jedi warrior.”
The resolution didn’t pass, with delegates approving other resolutions that back the creation of a state militia, withholding “unconstitutional” taxes that are owed to the federal government, and a loyalty test that requires candidates to sign a public document that either agrees with the party’s platform or outlines the specifics where they disagree.
As for that Jedi resolution, it’s a mystery as to where it came from or what its intent was. If the GOP values diversity, not passing the resolution was probably a wise move that will keep trekkies happy instead of feeling left out.
“I just read it and it cracked me up,” Mills said. “I don’t know if it was a joke or what it was.”
One platform, many opinions
Post Published: 30 June 2010The Idaho Republican Party adopted a new platform last week at its convention, calling — among other things — for the end of the 17th amendment that allows U.S. senators to be elected by the people instead of state legislatures, the start of a state militia, and no longer paying federal taxes to the U.S. government that pay for “unconstitutional” programs.
But not everyone wholeheartedly endorses the platform without reservation, including Magic Valley delegates. My story is here.
Legislative ethics committee investigating Hart’s tax woes
Post Published: 30 June 2010
From the Associated Press: A legislative ethics committee has been appointed to look into whether a state lawmaker who refuses to pay income taxes used his position to get special treatment.
Republican state Rep. Phil Hart of Athol considers income taxes unconstitutional. Published reports say he faces nearly $300,000 in federal tax liens and owes another $53,000 in state taxes.
Idaho House Speaker Lawerence Denney appointed the seven-member ethics panel after Hart reportedly told the state tax commission he could delay filing an appeal on some tax claims for as long as the Legislature was in session.
House Minority Leader John Rusche of Lewiston formally requested the ethics investigation. He says Hart’s position on the House Revenue and Taxation Committee raises the question of whether Hart has a conflict of interest.
Allred outpacing Otter in campaign fundraising
Post Published: 29 June 2010Democratic gubernatorial challenger Keith Allred is out-raising incumbent GOP rival Gov. Butch Otter as they seek campaign cash.
Of course, money doesn’t necessarily mean the same thing as votes. Still, Otter has raised $289,307 between Jan. 1 and June 4, while Allred has pulled in $360,138, another 24.4 percent overall.
For both candidates, the majority of funding is coming from individual contributions from private citizens. But there are exceptions. In Otter’s case, $22,050 came from eight different political action committees, representing interests that include the trucking industry, loggers, general contractors and Qwest.
Allred, meanwhile, got a $10,000 contribution from the Washington, D.C.-based Democratic Governors Association and another $6,900 from the Idaho State AFL-CIO labor union.
To read my story, complete with copies of both candidates’ disclosure forms, go here.
In the news today
Post Published: 24 June 2010Reporter Joshua Palmer brings a detailed look at C3 and its history leading up to the announcement this week that it will occupy the Dell building and hire up to 1,200 employees.
School budget news: Cassia County School District passed its $45.4 million “bare-bones budget.”
In that same vein, Cassia County School District is increasing its athletic fees.
And Buhl School District is regrouping and making budget plans following the failure of a levy to pass.
CSI aiding C3 in training new employees
Post Published: 24 June 2010The College of Southern Idaho is planning to offer space to aid C3 employees as they get ready this fall for their new jobs. Capitol Confidential details the plans in this story.
State shutters Nampa charter school
Post Published: 24 June 2010One of the state’s largest charter schools is buing shut down by the state. Here are the details from The Associated Press:
BOISE, Idaho (AP) — State officials have decided to shutter one of the Idaho’s biggest public charter schools. The Idaho Public Charter School Commission voted unanimously Thursday to revoke Nampa Classical Academy’s charter, citing problems found with the school’s finances. The commission voted in March to begin the lengthy process of closing Nampa Classical Academy after the school failed to produce financial documents on time. School administrators have said that if the commission votes to yank their charter, they’ll appeal that decision to the state Board of Education.