Rep. Lauren Necochea The safety of your family is perhaps the most local and personal issue. I’ll never forget my first town hall as a state representative.
In a neighborhood outside city limits, constituents expressed concern about the lack of adequate fire response for their families. Their fire district wasn’t properly staffed. The district’s hands were tied by state law, which capped its budget using a complex formula.
The cap had nothing to do with the level of service needed to keep people and property safe, the service residents desired, or what locally elected fire district commissioners deemed appropriate. The lack of local control put Idahoans at risk. Sadly, since that day, the Republican supermajority has only made problems worse.
House Bill 389 has eroded local control as a distraction from the true property tax solutions Idaho homeowners need. On the way, GOP politicians have lobbed personal attacks at city and county leaders — repeated last month — that are unbecoming and unproductive. The need for property tax reform has multiple root causes.
First, in 2016, Republican legislators, catering to lobbyists, capped the homeowner’s exemption. Before, the exemption automatically went up with home prices. Every Democratic legislator opposed this, foreseeing the unfair shift of the tax load onto homeowners.
Second, the Republican leaders’ chronic underfunding of our schools has made districts reliant on levies funded by property taxes. By 2022, homeowners saw big jumps in their property taxes, while commercial real estate enjoyed annual decreases. Because this was working exactly as intended, the Republican supermajority did nothing to correct it.
Instead, they passed HB 389, with a litany of budget restrictions to force local governments to slash public safety services, among other negative impacts. Emergency responders warned about the harms of the legislation, but they went unheeded. One harmful provision in HB 389 reduced the property taxes that could be collected from new growth.
This costs the city of Meridian, for example, $1.4 million annually in lost revenue. Giveaways like this mean cost-shifting to existing taxpayers or cuts to services like law enforcement.
When Mayor Simison reported the impact of the legislation, the House Republican Speaker publicly insulted him instead of coming to the table to find solutions. No one can explain who wins from HB 389 and why Republicans refuse to repeal it. Developers themselves want a repeal because it makes it impossible for many smaller towns to approve new building projects.
The law prevents these communities from increasing services with population growth, so their current residents would be forced into diminished public safety. The true property tax solutions are not complicated. What’s complicated is the runaround the GOP supermajority has given cities, counties, and the people of Idaho.
Idahoans deserve better. Our school children deserve safe facilities. And after decades of letting buildings crumble, the Republican supermajority finally has a proposal.
But there’s a catch. As I explained to my sixth-grader on our walk to school, the plan also cuts $60 million annually from the revenue stream that funds school operations. Her response summed it up well, “That sounds counterproductive.
” Indeed, the bill helps repair facilities, but it’s a step backward in terms of our ability to support education. The most beneficial part of House Bill 521 would make $1 billion available over the next decade for construction, renovation, and maintenance. This could mean repairing the wing of a Pocatello high school that was gutted when faulty electrical wiring caused a fire.
Additionally, the legislation adds funding to a pot created by property tax legislation last year. These dollars largely pay down existing bonds and levies, allowing the few dollars leftover to be used for current facilities needs. Analysts have not yet produced reliable numbers for how each district will be impacted, even as the bill advances.
What’s clear is that the distribution is insufficient and inequitable. Valley View Elementary in Boundary County needs close to $20 million to replace an elementary school where a roof caved in, but will likely receive only a fraction of that. Last year West Ada failed to pass a $500 million bond to meet their building needs.
The district might receive 40% of that amount. The bill arbitrarily caps the bond funds that districts that pre-date statehood can receive. This clearly targets Boise, the only district impacted.
Boise Schools will consequently receive half the funding they would have received under equal treatment. While providing insufficient funding, the bill also makes it harder for school districts to fill the gap. Their option for doing so is through bonds and levies and the bill eliminates their option to hold these elections in August.
This hit comes after Republican lawmakers nixed the March elections last year. Communities will have dwindling opportunities to pass funding measures. Also damaging is the upside-down tax package in the style Republican legislators have been passing for years.
Through a reduction of the income and corporate tax rate from 5.8% to 5.695%, a family earning $80,000 annually will see $53 in savings, while a household bringing in $1,000,000 will receive $1,019.
And a corporation will continue to pay a lower tax rate on its profits than the 6% sales tax Idahoans pay when they buy food, diapers, medicines, and other necessities. Idaho students deserve quality facilities, without having to swallow a bitter pill of slashed revenue for our schools’ future, inequitable investments, and lopsided tax policies. For democracy to work, elected leaders must have the freedom to act in the best interest of their constituents.
This bedrock principle is now being severely undermined by Idaho’s House GOP leadership. We’re seeing historic levels of strong-arming around votes behind closed doors and harsh punishment for dissent. With the Idaho House looking more like the dysfunctional U.
S. House of Representatives, there are harmful repercussions for Idahoans. At the heart of the conflict is our Joint Finance and Appropriations Committee.
The committee’s recent departure from our decades-old budget-setting process consolidates power in the hands of a few people. The committee co-chairs are ramming through skeletal budgets they constructed without study and input from other committee members. Skeletal budgets leave out critical investments like raises earned by educators through Idaho’s teacher career ladder, the LAUNCH scholarships propelling young Idahoans to in-demand careers, and certain transportation funds.
While the co-chairs claim they will go back and plug budget holes, services are now at risk. The first House vote on a skeletal budget was a test case. The bill passed 38-31 (with all 11 Democrats opposed), showing many Republicans objected to the new budget-setting scheme.
That’s when the hammer came down. The next day saw an unprecedented vote on the House Floor in support of Speaker Moyle. The motion “to retain the speaker” received unanimous “yes” votes because no one was willing to fall into the trap of expressing disloyalty publicly.
The Legislative Services Office couldn’t find any other instances of such a motion in state history. Immediately after, in a private caucus, House Republicans ousted the first female majority leader because she was among those opposing the new budgeting scheme. Research turned up only one other instance of a leadership change in the middle of a session, which occurred when a Senate leader was battling cancer.
By making a historic example of the majority leader, the speaker sent a chilling message about the consequences of dissent. Skeletal budgets for different agencies are now zooming across the House Floor. Almost all pass on party-line votes, signaling Republicans are under immense pressure to toe the line.
This budget scheme has given Speaker Moyle the singular power to block second-round funding bills that plug budget holes. It won’t matter what the Legislature as a whole wants because he can prevent votes from even taking place. And the speaker is on the record opposing LAUNCH scholarships, Medicaid services, and other crucial investments that make life better for Idahoans.
The stakes are high, and the need for a government that faithfully represents the people is more crucial than ever. Idaho Democrats will continue to vote our conscience and defend a strong, transparent democracy. Investments in public education benefit all Idahoans.
Regardless of whether we have children attending school at any given moment, the advantages of strong public education resonate throughout our communities. Unfortunately, the latest effort by the out-of-state voucher lobby and a faction of Republicans to implement a school voucher scheme poses a grave threat to our already underfunded schools and the state budget. House Bill 447 would start as a $50 million proposal to siphon public tax dollars to private, religious, and even for-profit institutions with zero accountability.
What is particularly concerning is that the bulk of the money has no limits on eligibility. That means a working family in rural Idaho could subsidize private school tuition for millionaires in Boise. Data in states like Iowa back this up, showing voucher programs most often serve students from well-off families already enrolled in private schools.
This not only creates a new budgetary obligation but also jeopardizes public school funding in future budgets. Additionally, voucher costs have a frightening propensity to explode, absorbing larger portions of the state budget. A recent analysis of vouchers in seven states between 2008 and 2019 revealed hundreds of millions of dollars being redirected to fund vouchers at the expense of local schools, despite a rise in public school enrollment.
In Arizona, where only 8% of kids receive a voucher, the program is projected to cost a staggering $950 million next year, $320 million of which is unbudgeted. Utah’s original voucher bill had a $42 million price tag. Less than a year later, vouchers are projected to cost $150 million.
Vouchers are too costly on their own. They are unfathomable in the context of our limited budget and the investments we’re failing to make in our children. Idaho already ranks last in the nation for per-pupil spending.
Schools are struggling to retain qualified staff and we have over $1 billion in neglected facility needs. We’re also ignoring opportunities proven to boost student success. For example, almost every other state invests in preschool because every $1 invested returns up to $16 to the economy, and kids are more likely to enter kindergarten ready to learn.
Today, 47% of Idaho’s children enter kindergarten already behind according to our Idaho Reading Indicator. Preschool is just one example of a proven investment that would increase student success. Vouchers, on the other hand, cut funding available to schools without generating any new educational services.
HB 447 would largely serve as a giveaway to families who need it the least. We don’t have a dime to spare, let alone $50 million for a voucher subsidy scheme. For the sake of our children, our schools, and our future, Idaho must reject vouchers.
Rep. Lauren Necochea All Idahoans should agree: the safety of our children is paramount. How we decide to protect them may differ from community to community.
When it comes to guns in schools, current Idaho law allows locally elected school boards to set the policies they deem appropriate. Some districts keep guns out of schools unless they are in the hands of law enforcement. Others have policies providing oversight.
Unfortunately, House Bill 415 is speeding through the Legislature and would undo local decision making, local training requirements, and collaboration with local law enforcement by overriding school management of firearms in schools. Today, school districts can require ongoing active shooter drills where employees test their ability to quickly distinguish between kids and assailants or mandate participation in meetings with local law enforcement to develop safety and incident response plans. School leaders can also use criteria to revoke privileges for staff who are not well-suited to the responsibility of carrying a firearm around children.
In contrast, HB 415 circumvents local control and gives blanket permission to employees and volunteers who have taken a one-time concealed carry course and shot 98 rounds. Schools must allow them to carry firearms regardless of shooting skill, temperament, mental state, visual acuity, length of time since they took a course, or other factors. A major alarm bell should be that law enforcement does not support this approach.
The Idaho Association of School Resource Officers and Idaho Sheriffs’ Association both oppose HB 415. It’s no wonder since experts have maintained that it is harder for police to respond to active shooters when unknown, untrained people are also engaging. Opening the door to an untrackable number of firearms means new liability for schools.
The Idaho State University professor who shot himself in the foot during class and the Utah teacher who accidentally shot herself in a school bathroom are two recent examples of the risks. At least one Idaho school district has already been notified that its insurance company will drop it if this bill is enacted. We can only imagine that costs will rise for insurance companies that continue to provide coverage.
Finally, this bill subverts the rights of teachers and parents who have come out in full force against this legislation. Parents won’t be able to ask whether their child’s teacher is armed, let alone demand more rigorous training requirements. One hundred Idahoans came out in opposition during the committee hearing.
Only five individuals supported the bill, including the out-of-state lobbyist who brought the legislation. Homegrown Idaho solutions and evidence-based safety measures are better than a one-size-fits-all approach from special interests. As this bill moves across the rotunda, I hope the Senate will see the wisdom in rejecting it.
When I was a kid, Idaho enjoyed a fairly healthy balance of political power. Democratic Governor Cecil Andrus served alongside a Republican lieutenant governor and for one legislative term, the Idaho Senate was evenly divided. As I grew up, Idaho veered rightward.
Today, new migration patterns are rapidly accelerating the trend, and an interesting paradox has emerged in Boise State University’s new polling. The finds newcomers are 11 percentage points more likely to identify as Republicans and 10 percentage points less likely to identify as Independents than Idahoans who have lived here for more than 10 years. One would expect the increasingly Republican voting population to align tightly with the Republican supermajority in power, but that is not the case.
In fact, the polling shows that Idahoans overwhelmingly agree with Democrats on the major issues of our day. A majority of Idahoans oppose the abortion ban the GOP enacted. Nearly 70% of voters trust their libraries to make decisions about the content they make available, while Republican lawmakers bring bills threatening librarians with jail time and expensive lawsuits.
As GOP legislators push for school vouchers, only 49% of Idahoans approve, and support drops when respondents consider the diminished school funding they will cause. For the first time in the survey’s history, more voters thought Idaho was moving in the wrong direction compared with 40% who think Idaho is on the right track. A different poll showed strong opposition to Medicaid cuts and strong support for leaving Medicaid expansion in place, while the Republican supermajority seeks to slash Medicaid and repeal Medicaid expansion.
Yet another poll revealed very strong support for investing in our dilapidated school facilities, an issue Republican lawmakers have refused to act on for years. These discrepancies underscore a stark contrast between the policy preferences of regular Idahoans and the legislation pursued by the dominant political party. To long-time Republicans who have been left behind by their party, I invite you to take a closer look at Idaho Democrats.
For newcomers to Idaho who voted Republican in their former states, I invite you to get to know your Idaho Democratic candidates and our local issues. And every Idahoan should read the Idaho Democratic Party platform and compare it to the Idaho Republican Party platform, which is squarely outside the mainstream. For a representative democracy to function well, voters need to stay engaged, research candidates, and provide accountability when politicians ignore their views.
If you, like a majority of Idahoans, support adequate school funding and safe facilities, oppose costly voucher schemes with zero accountability, support our libraries, or want the restoration of our reproductive freedoms, a vote for Idaho Democrats is your best bet. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
said, “Budgets are moral documents” because they show our real values. Allocating our public dollars demands thoughtful, transparent deliberations. Unfortunately, recent moves by Republican legislative leaders have compromised Idaho’s process with serious consequences.
The integrity of our nationally lauded budgeting process started eroding last year. GOP leaders knocked House Democrats down to just one member on the budget committee, taking away our proportional representation. This week, Republican co-chairs ushered in new procedures, beginning negotiations by cramming skeletal budgets through at the outset instead of studying funding needs first.
Monday’s speed-budgeting spent about $2 billion per hour. This meant many omissions and errors, including one that nearly slashed annual teacher pay by $6,359. My Democratic colleagues rightfully voted against this careless approach.
The skeletal budgets leave critical initiatives unfunded such as the LAUNCH scholarships for in-demand job training, interventions for the dangerous quagga mussels threatening our water, and upgrades to bridges that pose a safety risk. Small in scope, but still important, are items like guardian ad litem programs, which advocate for children as they navigate foster care. Budget committee leaders claim they will add funding, but they have backed Idaho into a devastating default budget.
And they made it difficult to resolve harmful cuts. Once a budget is passed, rules require that two-thirds of the committee vote to reopen it, or seven of the ten members from the House and Senate. This threshold means a “no” vote counts more than twice as much as a “yes” vote.
A few fringe legislators have the power to keep slash-and-burn budgets in place. What is the supermajority’s motivation? It appears to be about power. Traditionally, House leaders will hold off on approving one budget bill to prevent the Senate from adjourning, before they get something they want, and vice versa.
The new process yielded a default skeletal budget to fall back on, creating a “hostage” legislative leaders may be willing to shoot, with harmful repercussions for Idahoans. Additionally, the house speaker can unilaterally hold any bill, including bills that correct budget holes. It’s reminiscent of the power House Republicans in Congress gave each member to recall Speaker McCarthy.
Matt Gaetz used it to leave our nation with a non-functioning government for weeks while Republicans haggled over who would become the next speaker. These changes put undue power into the hands of a few who can manufacture budget space for their personal agenda items, such as the school voucher scheme that both budget committee chairs have endorsed. Idahoans deserve a budget that goes through a fair process and is responsive to constituents.
It’s more important than ever that Idahoans speak up about their budget priorities. If we truly valued our children, we would ensure they spend their days in safe school buildings. But decades of neglect have caused Idaho schools to slide into a shameful state of disrepair.
Raw sewage leaking under a cafeteria, collapsing roofs, and freezing classrooms illustrate the dire condition of school facilities across the state. Most frighteningly, a fire destroyed much of a Pocatello high school after faulty electrical wiring went unaddressed. In his State of the State address, Governor Little touted a long-overdue investment in facilities that made headlines.
But when we read the fine print, we see he is largely continuing to kick the can down the road. In the coming year, as schools face over $1.3 billion in facilities needs, they would receive just $200 million.
And that’s if this proposal can make its way through the Republican supermajority, which has the same terrible track record in supporting school infrastructure. In addition to increased state investment, there are two obvious policy solutions GOP lawmakers have rejected that would put schools on firmer ground. First, we must allow school districts to charge impact fees on new developments.
Local governments regularly charge developers for the new roads, sewer lines, and other infrastructure that new housing developments necessitate. By making the same allowance for school infrastructure, growth can pay for itself instead of asking existing taxpayers to foot the bill. Second, we need to end the two-thirds majority requirement for passing school bonds.
This has tripped up desperate school districts like Boundary where recent bonds garnered a clear majority of the vote, but fell short of the threshold. The state is letting a minority of voters deny our students safe school buildings. Even a threshold of 55% or 60% of the vote would ensure that more projects with strong public support can proceed.
How we got here is a lesson Idahoans cannot afford to forget. As our schools have gone long underfunded, Little and his GOP colleagues have bragged about record budget surpluses, manufactured by the neglect of our core duties. They repeatedly doled out enormous rebates and permanent revenue cuts to the wealthiest while schools crumbled.
His overdue acknowledgment of the problem is a small step towards redemption, but it’s no cause for a victory lap. For over twenty years, Little has held office in the Republican supermajority that created this crisis. Idaho Democrats have tirelessly fought for increased investments in Idaho schools while the GOP underpaid our educators and let our schools fall into disrepair.
Little is right when he says we can do better. It is a shame that it took him more than two decades in public office to realize this. The Idaho State Capitol is not just a building; it’s the People’s House.
Regular Idaho families don’t have lobbyists and can’t afford big campaign donations, but their interests should always be front and center. As the legislature reconvenes, Idaho Democrats are prioritizing the working families who are too often left behind. First, we are committed to thriving Main Streets with economic opportunity in towns big and small.
A fundamental building block of a strong economy is education. Democrats will work to protect the new LAUNCH scholarships that are opening pathways to in-demand careers with family-sustaining wages and building the skilled workforce that industries need. We must finally address the $1 billion backlog in school facilities needs so that children aren’t contending with overcrowded classrooms, leaky roofs, or unsafe situations, such as the electrical issues that led to a severe fire in a Pocatello school.
Idaho Democrats want to correct last year’s funding methodology shift that shortchanged schools by $162 million. And we will again defend against voucher schemes that divert precious public dollars away from public schools and into private, religious, and for-profit institutions with zero accountability. Second, we will be a voice for Idaho’s working families when it comes to revenue collection.
Idaho’s upside down tax code gets worse every year. Today, an Idaho mom pays a higher tax rate on essentials like food and diapers than corporations pay on their profits. It’s past time we eliminate the sales tax on groceries, a move supported by 82% of Idahoans but consistently blocked by the Republican supermajority.
We should have a meaningful child tax credit to help make it affordable to raise the next generation and finally establish a state earned income tax credit to avoid taxing working families into poverty. Third, we should act on the principle that affordable healthcare is a necessity. We will work to properly fund Medicaid, a lifeline for children, seniors, and Idahoans with disabilities, and to extend coverage for postpartum mothers.
We’ll oppose the repeal of Medicaid expansion, which would take healthcare away from tens of thousands. What Idahoans don’t need is more extremism. Whether it comes to your most intimate medical decisions, the books you read, or who you love, it’s time for GOP politicians to stop interfering in your private life.
While Democrats are underdogs in the Legislature, we stand behind an agenda that is broadly supported by voters. We hope Republican lawmakers will meet us here so that we can govern to make life better for Idahoans. To advance our shared priorities, we need the voices of Idahoans to resonate in the People’s House, demanding policies that truly reflect your values.
I hope to see you there. The end of a year offers a moment to take stock of our progress to date and our vision for the future. As I reflect on the future Democrats want for Idahoans — thriving Main Streets with economic opportunity, quality education, personal freedoms, and an affordable path to raising the next generation — it’s clear that supermajority rule is holding us back.
Idaho Democrats are rolling up their sleeves to repair our political system by rebuilding our party. This year, we established local Democratic committees in all 44 counties and won 73% of the 65 local races where Democrats made endorsements and deployed campaign tactics. Focused candidate recruitment has positioned us to contest more races in 2024 than we have in years.
Idaho’s Democratic lawmakers are also making an impact. We delivered critical wins by blocking school vouchers, stopping a bill creating bounties on libraries, protecting Medicaid expansion, enacting scholarships for in-demand careers, creating incentives for nurses serving rural Idaho, and safeguarding voting rights. Nevertheless, many votes were too close for comfort.
It’s critical we elect more Democrats to make life better for Idahoans and combat political dysfunction. I will never forget the words of a very conservative colleague who congratulated me on becoming chair of the Idaho Democratic Party. In spite of our policy disagreements, the legislator sincerely wished me luck and, motioning to the House Chamber, declared, “Because this isn’t healthy.
” Indeed, when one party holds 82% of the seats, there is little accountability and compromise, which are necessary for a healthy democracy. In the absence of accountability, the extremists who once operated at the fringes of the Idaho Republican Party have taken the helm. Local party tribunals are pushing GOP politicians deeper into extremism by punishing those who stray from their platform — a platform that ranges from dangerous fringe ideas that would destabilize our financial system, like returning to gold and silver standards, to outright cruelty, like murder charges for abortion even when the patient faces certain death.
In 2024, Democrats will be reaching out to voters, offering an alternative to this extreme agenda. We hope to have openhearted conversations about the central issues that unite us. Voters who get to know their local Democratic candidates will find ample common ground.
Polling confirms that voters agree with Idaho Democrats on the issues that affect you daily: tax policies should be fair to regular Idahoans rather than heaping more benefits onto the wealthy and well-connected, public dollars belong in public schools, Medicaid should be strong, politicians shouldn’t interfere in our most intimate decisions, and life must be affordable for working families. As we welcome 2024, I’m hopeful Idahaoans can come together to reject GOP extremism and build the future people deserve. Access to healthcare saves lives, prevents financial ruin, and simply makes life better.
I am proud that advocating for affordable coverage was a focus of my earlier career. Alongside many tireless advocates, I worked for years to expand Medicaid — closing the coverage gap for Idahoans whose wages were too low to qualify for health insurance tax credits and too high for Medicaid. Republican obstructionism in the Idaho Legislature made it a lot harder than it should have been to champion a policy that’s extremely popular among Idaho voters.
The scariest setback, however, came from Congress. In 2017, Republicans took control of both chambers in Congress and the White House. As they seized power, repealing the Affordable Care Act was their top priority.
Frighteningly, they had no replacement plan to prevent millions of Americans from losing coverage. As advocates in Idaho, we had to pause our work to expand healthcare access and try to block this serious attempt to take healthcare away. Months of nerve wracking negotiations culminated in Senator John McCain’s iconic and dramatic thumbs-down vote on the Senate floor.
Fortunately, McCain joined two Republican U.S. Senators and every single Democrat to kill the repeal effort.
Recalling this barely averted disaster makes it all the more startling to hear every Republican presidential candidate vow to repeal the ACA. Again, they have no coherent replacement. The renewed threat to working families and small business owners is staggering.
ACA repeal would mean protections for up to 259,000 Idahoans with preexisting conditions would vanish, allowing insurance companies to deny coverage or hike costs for people with previous cancer diagnoses, high blood pressure, asthma, and other conditions. Medicaid expansion, which finally passed by a decisive majority of Idaho voters through an initiative, would end. Tax credits to purchase coverage, which assist 80% of individuals on the market, would disappear.
Young adults would no longer be able to stay on their parents’ insurance. Insurance companies could again impose lifetime caps on coverage. Idahoans are already losing healthcare access, thanks to Republican politicians.
From passing one of the most extreme abortion bans in the country to criminalizing doctors and nurses, Republican politicians continue attacking our freedoms and making Idaho a hostile place for providers. Idaho ranks last in the nation for physicians and hospital beds per capita and more than 70% of Idahoans live in mental health shortage areas. This year, rural hospitals in Sandpoint and Emmett announced they can no longer provide labor and delivery services.
More than 9,000 healthcare jobs in Idaho remain unfilled, according to Idaho Business for Education. The ACA is a lifeline for Idahoans. Democrats will continue protecting the healthcare that is essential to the wellbeing of our families.
Rep. Lauren Necochea Every Idaho child deserves an education that prepares them for career opportunities and helps them succeed. It’s a fundamental promise to our children, enshrined in our state constitution.
This promise is once again under threat from a dangerous agenda that seeks to divert your tax dollars away from our public schools and into the hands of private and religious schools through voucher schemes. Last legislative session, parents, teachers, and community leaders came together to speak out against vouchers, which are deeply unpopular among Idaho voters according to a recent poll commissioned by the Idaho Education Association. Idaho held the line as other states fell to the pressure of the voucher lobby.
In the House Education Committee, Democratic votes prevented legislation from advancing, but the threat remains. Proponents of vouchers spare no expense when it comes to buying our elections and pressuring legislators. These out-of-state activists with deep pockets have flooded our political landscape, running baseless attack ads against leaders who support public education, propping up the most far-right extreme candidates, and building an army of lobbyists-for-hire.
In the face of defeat, the anti-public education lobby has come up with a new tactic, which is to bypass the House Education Committee that rejected vouchers. They plan to push vouchers via our tax code and force the bill through the House Revenue and Taxation Committee. But tax code vouchers bring the same problems: Huge costs to the state with zero accountability.
The primary beneficiaries of tax credit vouchers would be wealthy families with kids in private schools who will enjoy a cash subsidy paid by taxpayers. Rural families are unlikely to have private school “options.” What they will see is that their public schools receive fewer resources.
Across the state, middle-class families and those who work paycheck-to-paycheck won’t be able to close the gap between the voucher credit and private tuition. Other states illustrate the damaging consequences of these schemes. In Wisconsin, vouchers blew a hole in the state’s budget, forcing homeowners to shoulder a $577 million property tax hike.
In Arizona, vouchers will cost the state $900 million this year while rural schools are shuttering. Between 75% and 90% of voucher users in states like Arizona, New Hampshire, and Wisconsin were already in private schools, forcing taxpayers to subsidize wealthy families. Voucher schemes also cause pandemic-sized drops in student outcomes — proving they will only hurt student success.
We must speak out during the 2024 session to defeat these schemes. Idaho Democrats remain committed to ensuring that all kids have the opportunity to receive an excellent education. This can only happen within the framework of strong, well-funded public schools that are accountable to Idahoans.
Together, we will protect our children and our shared future. Rep. Lauren Necochea Great schools depend on strong communities.
Strong communities, in turn, require great schools. In Idaho, many education leaders are working to bolster student success with the “community school” model. The announcement of a new federal grant marks a significant stride toward expanding this proven approach across our state.
Community schools recognize that students come with families — families who need to be engaged in their children’s education and who often need connections to resources to thrive. Four Boise schools first launched the national model in Idaho in 2016. Today, Idaho has 41 community schools across 25 districts.
I was fortunate to see the difference firsthand at my children’s elementary school: Parents are frequently invited into the school to engage with their students’ learning, staff coordinate parent support classes, partnerships with food banks fuel in-school pantries, and coordinators connect parents to nonprofit resources when they are facing homelessness, health care needs, and other challenges. The community school approach is backed by research demonstrating better student attendance, reductions in disciplinary events, and improved achievement. Unfortunately, a major limiting factor in their expansion in Idaho has been funding.
We have a patchwork of haves and have-nots when we ought to ensure every child can attend a community school. This is why our new federal investment is so exciting. U.
S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona’s recent visit to Idaho underscores the promise of this opportunity. Idaho will receive a Full-Service Community Schools grant totalling $6.
5 million annually from the Biden Administration to expand the reach of community schools. This will mean 50 additional schools implementing the model, specifically targeting rural areas and Title I schools, which have higher portions of families facing low wages. The Marsing School District has demonstrated the lifeline that community schools provide in rural Idaho.
In the absence of state-funded preschool, the district established early learning programs at the local community center and partnered with neighboring districts to create a special education partnership. When the local food bank and senior center closed, the school district and community partners collaborated to create a school resource center. Marsing illustrates how community schools fill critical gaps in services, especially in regions where resources are more spread out.
The success of community schools across diverse landscapes is partly why they have broad political support. They also provide a stark contrast to school vouchers, which siphon critical taxpayer dollars to private schools with no oversight or accountability. We must make smart investments in the promise of public education and offer real solutions to the unique challenges faced by students and families.
Idaho Democrats will continue to support initiatives to ensure every student has the opportunity to succeed. Rep. Lauren Necochea How confusing is the 2024 election season in Idaho? So much so that Secretary of State Phil McGrane, Republican Party of Idaho Chair Dorothy Moon, and Idaho Democratic Party Chair Lauren Necochea were compelled last week to issue a joint news release to attempt to clarify the distinction between party presidential nominating caucuses, the statewide May primaries, and affiliation deadlines for voters.
They only stirred around the mud, despite their best efforts. The mud is deep. How else could you explain a joint news release from Dorothy Moon and Lauren Necochea, who likely couldn’t come to agreement on the same order at a restaurant with one item on the menu? We wouldn’t have believed it if we hadn’t seen it.
They’re on opposite ends of the political rope, yanking and pulling and tugging while accusing the other of attempting to spiral Idaho into an abyss. What they do appear to share, though, is the feeling that Idahoans should make plans to exercise their right to vote. Regardless of how you feel about the caucus system — and we find it to be wholly non-representative — we’re stuck with it for 2024.
As one of our board members bluntly put it, ‘And that sucks.’ “As we gear up for the May 23rd caucus, we want to ensure every eligible voter’s voice is heard,” Necochea said in the release. “We encourage all residents to engage in the process by taking part in this important event.
” Added Moon, “We encourage all eligible voters who wish to have a voice in the party caucus to ensure their party affiliation is up to date by the December 31st deadline.” And then there’s McGrane, who narrowly defeated Moon in the 2022 election for Secretary of State, urging Gem State voters to take part in the May 21 primary, which will include party races for state legislators and county sheriffs, commissioners and prosecutors. “The primary election is a crucial step in shaping the future of our state,” McGrane said in the release.
“We want to ensure that every eligible voter has the opportunity to participate, so it’s essential to be aware of the party affiliation deadlines.” The deadline to change affiliation for the primary is March 15, though unaffiliated and newly registered voters may affiliate up to and including Election Day. But, if you want to have a say in the GOP presidential nominating caucus on March 2, you must affiliate by Dec.
31 — but that’s a Sunday, so plan accordingly. To take part in the Democrats’ caucus, you must be a registered Democrat or unaffiliated voter and affirm that you have not participated in any other 2024 presidential nominating contest. The nearly 500-word news release concludes: “Idaho political parties are required to communicate with the Secretary of State’s office through written correspondence to identify the voters eligible to participate in the May 21st primary election by November 30th.
” Clear as mud, right? Let’s try to clear it up, because Moon and Necochea are right: We must vote in 2024, and likely as if the future of our democracy depends on it. The Republican presidential nominating caucus is March 2, the Democratic presidential nominating caucus is May 23, the statewide primary is May 21, and the general election is Nov. 5.
It’s Dec. 31 to participate in the Republican presidential nominating caucus, March 15 (to change party affiliation) or May 21 (to affiliate with a party if unaffiliated) to participate in the statewide primary, and May 23 to participate in the Democratic presidential nominating caucus. Go online: VoteIdaho.
gov , IdahoGOP.org , and IdahoDems.org .
Regardless of how you feel about the caucus system — and we find it to be wholly non-representative — we’re stuck with it for 2024. As one of our board members bluntly put it, “And that sucks.” But, Idaho will caucus.
So, stomp the mud off your boots and make plans to have your say next year. The future of our state is in your hands. Your story lives in the Magic Valley, and our new mobile app is designed to make sure you don’t miss breaking news, the latest scores, the weather forecast and more.
From easy navigation with the swipe of a finger to personalized content based on your preferences to customized text sizes, the Times-News app is built for you and your life. Don’t have the app? Download it today from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store . Maya Angelou famously said, “When someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time.
” Similarly, when politicians vow to take away your freedoms, take them at their word. Among many extreme positions in the Idaho Republican Party platform is the criminalization of any abortion, even to save a patient’s life. We should therefore be unsurprised that Republican lawmakers are doubling down on their extreme, anti-abortion agenda.
Recently, Republican AG Raúl Labrador and Idaho’s Republican legislative leaders teamed up with out-of-state activists to file a frightening legal appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court.
Their goal is to reverse a small court-ordered reprieve for abortion care in medical emergencies. Idaho’s abortion ban has no allowance for patients facing health risks from carrying a pregnancy. Risk of permanent disability or fertility loss and even conditions that eventually cause death are not valid exceptions.
This means physicians may have to prove in court, under threat of a lengthy prison sentence and loss of their medical license, that they performed an abortion to avert imminent death. Simply preserving the patient’s health is not acceptable. The U.
S. Department of Justice successfully argued in court that this ban violates federal law enacted by President Ronald Reagan. The law requires hospitals with emergency departments to provide stabilizing treatment to anyone who seeks care.
An Idaho judge agreed, ruling that pregnant women and those experiencing pregnancy loss deserve access to the full rights and protections of emergency medical care. How did Republican legislative leaders respond to this lifeline for patients and doctors? They immediately appealed the ruling. Now, they are asking the U.
S. Supreme Court to allow the prosecution and imprisonment of doctors and nurses who perform emergency abortions while the appeal works through the legal system. I know most Idahoans want to make their intimate medical decisions with their families and doctors — not have them dictated politicians.
But the new Idaho Republican Party continues to prove it is light years away from what voters believe. This assault on your freedoms isn’t coming from a few far-right fringe legislators. The ban was deliberately written without health exceptions and approved by nearly every Republican legislator.
In fact, a few Republicans voted in opposition because they didn’t think the bill went far enough. We should not be surprised that this new brand of Idaho Republican politician is sticking to the script. But we should be very alarmed by their extreme ideology and the lengths to which they will go.
This is not the representation that Idahoans want. Patients’ lives and our ability to keep doctors in Idaho make it urgent that we vote them out. Rep.
Lauren Necochea With the holiday season upon us, I’m reminded of the ways in which we care for one another. One of the best ways we do this as Idahoans is through Medicaid. It provides necessary care for our children, pregnant Idahoans, seniors who need nursing home care, and both adults and children with disabilities.
Medicaid delivers developmental screenings to our kids, substance use disorder treatment, cancer care, and much more. And it demonstrates a fundamental belief we share: We never want Idahoans to go without health care due to an inability to pay. Idaho voters continue to express strong support for Medicaid.
They passed Medicaid expansion in 2018 with 61% in favor and the policy has only become more popular. Recent polling commissioned by Idaho Voices for Children shows that 73% of voters favor keeping Medicaid expansion. Additionally, voters resoundingly oppose cuts to Medicaid services.
Unfortunately, Idaho’s Republican supermajority isn’t getting the message. They have made repeated attempts to roll back Medicaid expansion and take coverage away from Idahoans, chronically underfunded Medicaid services, and threatened to make cuts to a critical lifeline. Today’s direct care worker crisis illustrates what happens when budget setters starve a crucial service.
Direct care workers help seniors and individuals with disabilities with daily tasks, like eating and dressing themselves. This support allows Idahoans to live independently in their homes and is typically funded through Medicaid. But a new report from the Office of Performance Evaluation reveals that this workforce faces a 3,000-person shortage and workers can earn 36-39% higher wages in other industries.
Idahoans requiring this assistance can be forced into the more costly and less desirable option of moving into an institution when there are no direct care workers available. There are clear steps the Idaho Legislature must take to protect Idahoans who rely on Medicaid. First, we must bolster reimbursement for Medicaid services, especially direct care workers so that Idahoans can live as independently as possible.
We should also reject proposals that cut Medicaid services. Second, we need to extend postpartum Medicaid coverage to mothers for one year after birth. This is a key recommendation that Idaho’s Maternal Mortality Review Board made after studying how we can best prevent maternal deaths in our state Third, we must reject attempts to dismantle Medicaid expansion.
Too many Republican politicians prioritize their anti-government ideology over people’s needs. And while some lawmakers do not believe that the public sector should solve problems and help Idahoans access health care, voters clearly do. Voters want to ensure a strong Medicaid program is there when they, their loved ones, and their neighbors need it.
Idaho Democrats will continue working to protect and strengthen Medicaid to keep all Idahoans healthy. Rep. Lauren Necochea From the Idaho Transportation Department: The National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula Program was established as part of the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law – also called the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA).
This program invests federal funding into states to build out a national network of electric vehicle charging stations, using primarily American-made materials and certified EVITP contractors. We rely on infrastructure to power and connect our daily lives. This includes the roads we drive on, our water delivery systems, and broadband access that links us to information and commerce.
Two years ago, President Joe Biden signed the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, a once-in-a-generation investment in our nation’s infrastructure. This landmark legislation is rebuilding long-neglected public structures and creating good jobs with family-sustaining wages along the way. In Idaho, $2.
5 billion in funding has been announced, with over 252 specific projects identified. The investment covers $1.6 billion for roads, bridges, public transit, and airports, $210 million for water projects, and $583 million to ensure rural Idahoans can access reliable high-speed internet.
In fact, more than 49,000 Idaho households are already saving on their internet bill. The impact of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is best demonstrated by the projects underway across Idaho. The North Portneuf Crossing project will enhance traffic safety and improve traffic flow while making the road safer for pedestrians and cyclists.
Meanwhile, the Genesee and McCall-Donnelly Districts were awarded funds to purchase electric school buses. Children will no longer have to breathe diesel fumes at the bus stop, schools will see big savings in fuel costs, and entire communities will benefit from fewer emissions. The St.
Maries School District will make energy-efficient building upgrades to create healthier learning environments. As wildfires continue to threaten lives and property, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law supports prevention and community resilience. These include the Clark County Roadside Fuel Breaks project to bolster wildfire protection for communities in Dubois, Kilgore, Spencer, and Medicine Lodge and funding to reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfire, sustain industry, and protect recreation across the Boise and Payette National Forests.
A $4 million effort to line the Treasure Valley’s New York Canal will more efficiently deliver water to farms and residents. And the Idaho Falls Regional Airport, a critical gateway for Eastern Idaho, received $5 million to upgrade its terminal. Local leaders are celebrating this progress because they have seen dire needs go unmet for too long.
It’s also good news for our economy. The International Monetary Fund estimates that every $1 invested in infrastructure yields $1.40 in new economic activity.
As we celebrate a transformative legislative accomplishment, we should remember it passed despite Republican obstructionism. Idaho’s congressmen, Mike Simpson and Russ Fulcher, both voted in opposition. Nevertheless, one shouldn’t be surprised to see them at ribbon-cutting ceremonies for the popular projects the law is making possible.
While some Republican politicians try to roll back historic progress and heap more tax benefits on those who need them the least, Democrats will continue investing in the middle class and the infrastructure that sustains us all. Rep. Lauren Necochea Democrats had plenty of good news to celebrate in Tuesday’s off-year elections and more evidence that they can win races centered on the national debate over abortion.
As Sen. Raphael Warnock says, “A vote is a prayer about the kind of world we want to live in.” Indeed, every election allows citizens to act on their hope for our shared future.
With far-right extremists getting louder, more numerous, and more brazen in Idaho and Congress, many are deeply worried about the future. Today’s Republican Party seeks to divide us based on our differences, puts profits over people, erodes our public institutions, and takes away our freedoms. Nevertheless, Tuesday’s election filled me with hope as voters shifted toward leaders who will build communities where we take care of each other.
In Virginia, Democrats exceeded expectations, retaining control of the Senate and flipping the state House. This victory thwarted Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s plans to pass an abortion ban.
In Ohio, voters amended the state constitution to guarantee the right to make personal decisions about reproductive health care, including abortion. Even in deep-red Kentucky, voters reelected Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear.
Here in Idaho, Democratic values prevailed in encouraging ways. In Boise, Mayor Lauren McLean, who focused on home affordability, secured another term. Hayden Paulsen, a 29-year-old newly elected to Pocatello City Council, returned to his hometown driven by a belief that Idahoans shouldn’t have to leave their community to find economic opportunity.
Education champions triumphed in school board elections in Caldwell, McCall-Donnelly, Blaine County, Teton County, and Moscow over far-right ideologues who seek to ban books, police curriculum, and privatize our public schools. In the 45 races where local Democrats endorsed nonpartisan candidates based on shared values — not necessarily party affiliation — 73% won. Meanwhile, voters are starting to realize that Republican endorsements often signal the most extreme, far-right candidate in a race.
Coeur d’Alene City Council incumbents beat back far-right challengers endorsed by the Kootenai County Republican Central Committee. A Twin Falls City Council incumbent beat out a Twin Falls Republican Party official. We can take a moment to celebrate, then turn to the work ahead.
In 2024, all 105 seats in the Idaho Legislature will be up for election. Idaho Democrats are committed to having a Democrat on the ballot in every legislative district and will continue to work hard to deliver leaders who better represent the people of Idaho. You can join us.
Together, we can deliver on the issues that matter most to Idahoans — safeguarding our freedoms, ensuring quality education, and fostering opportunity in every corner of our state. It won’t happen magically but through the grit of candidates and volunteers who meet voters at their doors to show that Idahoans deserve better and that doing better is possible. Let’s carry this momentum forward and continue building a brighter future for Idaho.
Rep. Lauren Necochea Democracy is at its best when consensus candidates prevail. In this ideal world, officeholders have broad support from their constituents and work to strengthen the institutions under their purview.
Library board commissioners seek to make library services better and more accessible. Municipal leaders are dedicated to building vibrant cities and delivering public safety and other services reliably. School board trustees believe in providing quality public schools in every child’s neighborhood with qualified teachers and proven administrators.
However, Idaho is seeing a disturbing trend, leading us away from this ideal. Extremist candidates with radical agendas are gaining power, often damaging the very institutions they are meant to safeguard. On Tuesday, voters must be vigilant and reject extremism as we decide who will lead our school boards and communities.
The West Bonner School District is a cautionary tale , illustrating the stakes and the ease with which extremism can take hold. In 2021, far-right candidates, Keith Rutledge and Susan Brown were elected as trustees. They had extremely narrow margins of victory in a low-turnout election.
Overall, only a few hundred votes were cast, just a fraction of eligible voters. It is understandable that local elections can be overlooked due to the demands of work, family, and other responsibilities. Nevertheless, as we have seen in West Bonner, the consequences of sitting on the sidelines can be profound.
Brown and Rutledge, along with a third trustee, hired an unqualified, inexperienced ideologue who supports school vouchers to serve as the school superintendent. The embattled superintendent ignored input from the public, made unpopular decisions, and alienated educators. He also demanded an expensive package of perks and benefits — including free legal assistance for his spouse and a car — all while calling for deep cuts to educational service investments.
Ultimately, the dysfunction united the community, which successfully recalled the two trustees. But undoing the damage was a difficult task, involving gathering signatures to secure a recall election, raising funds, and pouring volunteer hours into running recall campaigns. Even after voters decisively ousted Rutledge and Brown, court orders, criminal investigations, and obstruction ensued before the superintendent finally resigned.
Idaho voters can prevent disasters like this one on Tuesday. Important races will take place across the state and many could be decided by a handful of votes. Doing our research before we enter the voting booth gives us the best chance of supporting candidates who will faithfully strengthen public education, maintain community safety, and support thriving Main Streets.
Your vote in local elections is critical to protect what your community has built and make necessary progress. On Tuesday, let’s elect Idahoans who prioritize the public good and the betterment of the state we call home. Rep.
Lauren Necochea The best part of my day is when I walk my kids to school. We spend this quality time connecting, while the exercise helps us wake up and get focused for the day ahead. Along the way, we benefit from sidewalks, stoplights, and crosswalks that make our journey safer.
It’s less stressful than navigating traffic in a car and my kids can do it alone if my husband and I are unavailable. Every child deserves a safe route to school. And parents across Idaho should feel confident sending their children out the door.
Unfortunately, we’re moving in the wrong direction as a nation. In 1969, 42% of children ages 5 to 14 walked to school. By 2009 that number was down to 13%.
This trend means a lost opportunity for kids to get exercise and gain independence. It also means more cars on the road, with the related increases in traffic and air pollution. A report card from the Safe Routes Partnership shows that Idaho, in particular, has a lot of work to do to keep our kids safe.
That work was highlighted last week when I attended the 2023 Transportation Policy Conference put on by the Idaho Walk Bike Alliance. The conference covered the need to improve bike and pedestrian safety. I attended because I want every family to be able to walk and bike safely and because the stakes could not be higher.
Reading recent headlines, I’m heartbroken by the spike in pedestrian and bike fatalities, including child deaths. On average, 445 Idahoans are involved in motor vehicle crashes per year while walking or biking. Between 2017 and 2021, 25% of these crashes resulted in serious injury or death.
People traveling in vehicles are facing increasing risks. During what law enforcement calls the “100 Deadliest Days,” the period from Memorial Day to Labor Day, Idaho experienced 21% more car accident fatalities in 2023 than in 2022. Facing such tragic trends, it’s unconscionable that Republican legislators are working against measures that prevent fatalities.
The legislation they succeeded in passing, House Bill 87, limits a key transportation funding stream to road maintenance, expansion of travel lanes, and congestion mitigation. Every Democrat voted against this limitation, understanding that roads also need sidewalks and other features that keep our families safe. We also believe the locally-elected highway district commissioners should have the freedom to address local needs and not be restricted by mandates from far-away state legislators.
Notably, the lone House Republican who voted with us is a retired police chief. While this legislation is a serious setback, Idaho Democrats will continue to strive for a future where we manage our roads with our children’s safety top of mind. Rep.
Lauren Necochea Idaho’s economic prosperity and the very health of our communities depend on the strength and sustainability of our water resources. Idahoans deserve to turn on the faucet with confidence, knowing they have access to safe and clean drinking water. Similarly, food producers and other businesses need reliable water to operate and deliver their products to market.
Recent reporting by the Idaho Statesman underscores the mounting concerns surrounding our water infrastructure. In White Bird, residents had to import water from neighboring Grangeville when one of their wells dried up in June. Other cities, grappling with aging infrastructure, population growth, and the high cost of upgrades, could face similar fates.
Projects like wastewater treatment system upgrades in Preston, well installations in American Falls, and wastewater system replacements in Gooding require significant investments, with costs reaching tens of millions of dollars or more. Many of our smaller communities, facing limited local tax revenue and state-mandated budget restrictions, rely on state and federal funds to finance necessary repairs and upgrades. Unfortunately, partisan politics have come into play, with the integrity of our water systems hanging in the balance.
In 2021, every Idaho Republican in Congress voted against the American Rescue Plan Act. These funds have played a pivotal role in supporting desperately needed infrastructure upgrades across Idaho, such as the $3.3 million wastewater upgrade in Grand View.
Similarly, New Meadows utilized a $1.9 million ARPA grant to ensure access to clean drinking water. When there was another opportunity to bring federal dollars back to our state months later, Reps.
Mike Simpson and Russ Fulcher voted against the Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. Thankfully, strong Democratic support in Congress led to the single most significant investment to improve water infrastructure in our nation’s history. To date, $151 million has been announced to provide clean and safe water across Idaho.
Incredibly, many Republicans in the Idaho Legislature want to turn down these federal dollars, even when they are urgently needed in the communities they serve. During the 2023 legislative session, 27 Republican lawmakers voted to oppose millions of federal grant dollars for local water systems. Rejecting this support risks higher property taxes, unmanageable rate increases, and more deferred maintenance and repairs.
In White Bird, $400,000 in federal funds were employed to secure drinking water and locate a new well. These funds have been a lifeline, helping our towns and communities maintain aging infrastructure and provide essential services to residents. We reach moments like this when leaders have been pennywise and a pound foolish.
The repercussions of further neglecting our water infrastructure could be catastrophic. We must seize the opportunity and take advantage of available funds to protect the future of water in Idaho. Rep.
Lauren Necochea A well-educated workforce is the engine that drives our economy. That’s why Democrats in the Idaho Legislature were proud to support Idaho Launch earlier this year. Now accepting applications , Launch is a monumental step forward for our state, covering 80% of the costs for Idaho graduates pursuing in-demand careers, up to $8,000.
From training nurses and welders to equipping young people with the commercial driver’s licenses they need to bring our products to market, Launch will allow more Idahoans to earn family-sustaining wages while helping employers hire the workers they need. Every industry in Idaho faces a pressing need for more qualified workers with specific skills. The demands of the modern job market have evolved.
Today almost 80% of all jobs require some form of postsecondary education or training. In particular, there is a growing demand for workers in “middle-skill” jobs — positions that require more than a diploma but less than a four-year college degree like electricians, bookkeepers, and medical assistants. I was encouraged to see the broad, statewide support that Idaho Launch garnered when it was introduced in early 2023.
Education leaders and every major business group in the state threw their weight behind it. They recognized the positive economic benefits for students and businesses alike. However, it was disheartening to see the unnecessary obstacles this program faced within the Statehouse.
The ideological objections and the rise of far-right extremism within our Legislature’s Republican caucus make it difficult for popular and much-needed investments like this to pass. Only a few years ago, the same brand of obstructionism killed an $18 million, three-year grant to support early learning collaboratives across the states by making false claims that the locally designed programs amounted to “indoctrination.” Similarly, certain Republican politicians denounced Launch as “socialism,” ignoring our economy’s dire need for a qualified workforce.
Those views are out of touch with the majority of Idahoans who understand the importance of preparing our youth for the jobs of tomorrow. Without the unanimous support of Idaho Democrats in the Legislature, Idaho Launch would have failed. In the House, it passed by a single vote.
If one Democrat representative had lost their election, Idahoans would be missing out on this smart investment to addr.
