Policy

Obamacare’s Policy Failures Come To Idaho

By Fred Birnbaum

November 4, 2025

As the shutdown of the federal government extends beyond 30 days, the key reasons become apparent: it is about healthcare costs and who pays them. The debate over temporarily expanded healthcare premium subsidies and Medicaid eligibility is really about who pays what. You see, the notion that the Affordable Care Act (often referred to as […]

TAGS: Affordable Care Act, federal deficit, GLP-1 drugs, government shutdown, H443, health insurance premiums, healthcare costs, House Bill 443, Idaho healthcare, Idaho legislature, Idaho spending, Medicaid eligibility, medical cost inflation, Obamacare, public school funding, school district health insurance, state budget, state employee health insurance, state health plan, taxpayer burden

Week in Review: Everything Should Be Smaller in Taxes

By Ronald M. Nate, Ph.D.

November 1, 2025

That’s right, the title says “Taxes,” not “Texas.” Even in Idaho, taxes are out of control. Please enjoy — if that’s the right word — this mini-series on Idaho taxes. But, before you read, one word of reminder: high taxes are merely the symptom of the true disease: out-of-control government spending. This symptom inflicts real […]

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Income: You Earned It, You Should Keep It

By Ronald M. Nate, Ph.D.

October 31, 2025

Income Taxes: We have options Are you getting the idea that the Idaho Freedom Foundation (IFF) thinks government takes too much in taxes? Good, let’s keep going. By applying our 2026 Freedom and Family Agenda’s strong position on tax cuts, we have proposed eliminating the sales tax on groceries and have offered a plan to […]

TAGS: Economic Growth Incentives, Eliminate Income Tax, Fiscal Year 2026, Flat Income Tax, grocery tax, HB 40, Idaho Freedom Foundation, Idaho Income Tax, Idaho tax policy, Idaho Tax Reform, IFF, Lower Taxes Idaho, Mississippi Income Tax, Property Tax Elimination, Sales Tax on Groceries, State Income Tax, tax cuts, Tax Reduction, Tax Statistics

Zero Property Tax Would Be a Good Look

By Ronald M. Nate, Ph.D.

October 30, 2025

Nose hair is offensive. A tax on property is like the nose hair of public policy. There may not be a more offensive tax – well, maybe a tax on breathable air, but let’s not give big government any ideas. Here are the three most nose hair-ish things about the property tax: Good news! We […]

TAGS: Home Ownership, House Bill 292, House Bill 521, Idaho Freedom Foundation, Idaho tax policy, Local Government Funding, Property Rights, Property Tax, Real Estate Tax, School District Funding, Tax Elimination, tax reform, Taxation as Rent, Unrealized Gains Tax, Zero Property Tax

Repeal the Grocery Tax Already

By Ronald M. Nate, Ph.D.

October 29, 2025

Beginning in 1965, Idaho has had a sales tax on all consumer goods, including groceries. Since then, a “food tax credit” has been created and increased several times to offset the burden of paying sales taxes on groceries. The tax-and-credit system is flawed in many ways, and Idaho taxpayers are hurt by it in equally […]

TAGS: axe the tax on groceries, citizen initiative Idaho, food tax credit Idaho, grocery tax unfair, Idaho budget surplus, Idaho grocery tax repeal, Idaho politics and taxes, Idaho property tax reform, Idaho sales tax on food, Idaho tax policy reform, repeal grocery tax initiative, sales tax on groceries impact, state grocery taxes comparison, tax-and-credit system flaws, taxing necessities

It Is Time to Tackle Idaho’s Public Spending Addiction

By Fred Birnbaum

October 15, 2025

Idaho officials are addicted. The standard dictionary definition of addiction is “a strong inclination to do, use, or indulge in something repeatedly,” and there is nothing that matches this description more than the Idaho state government’s inability to curb the growth of spending. Mind you, it is not just Idaho. The shutdown of the federal […]

TAGS: budget deficit, budget holdback, fiscal responsibility, Fiscal Year 2026, Fiscal Year 2027, FY26 budget, FY27 budget, government spending, Idaho, Idaho budget, Idaho General Fund, Idaho legislature, Idaho politics, Idaho tax policy, Legislative Council, Medicaid spending, public school spending, rainy day fund, revenue shortfall, spending cuts, state budget crisis, state employee benefits, state healthcare costs

Political Targeting? The Valley School District’s Purported Vendetta Against Levy Opponents

By Rachel Hazelip, M.A.P.P.

October 14, 2025

Nothing says small-town charm quite like political retaliation. On one side, we have the Valley School District #262 trying to pass a $600,000 levy in the May 2025 election. On the other is a local farmer who dared to oppose it. When the levy failed by a mere seven votes, things escalated quickly. Cue a […]

TAGS: Campaign Finance Complaint, Civic Engagement Fear, Dean Dimond, Idaho Code Title 33, Idaho Freedom Foundation, Idaho School Levy, Jerome County, local government, Local Government Overreach, Political Retaliation, Public Records Request, School Board Election, School District Accountability, School Funding Transparency, Small-Town Politics, Sunshine Law Violation, Superintendent Ty Jones, Supplemental Levy Failure, Taxpayer Funds Misuse, Valley School District, Voter Intimidation

Idaho’s Parental Choice Tax Credit Is Constitutional

By Samuel T. Lair

September 26, 2025

A coalition of Leftist activists, including the Idaho Education Association, the Moscow School District, and Rep. Stephanie Mickelsen (R), has filed a challenge to block the implementation of Idaho’s parental choice tax credit. However, petitioners’ frivolous claims lack any basis in either our state constitution or Idaho Supreme Court precedent. Idaho’s school choice program is […]

TAGS: Article IX Section 1, EdChoice, education choice legal challenge, education funding lawsuit, education reform, education tax credit, expressio unius est exclusio alterius, H93, Idaho Constitution, Idaho Education, Idaho Education Association, Idaho Parental Choice Tax Credit, Idaho school choice, Idaho Supreme Court, K-12 education funding, Magee v. Boyd, nonpublic schools, parental choice, private school tax credit, public purpose doctrine, refundable tax credit, Rich v. Williams, school choice constitutionality, school vouchers, Stephanie Mickelsen, teachers union

Weight Loss Drugs Pack on the Fat to State Spending

By Rachel Hazelip, M.A.P.P.

September 19, 2025

Well, isn’t that generous? The Group Insurance Advisory Committee (GIAC), under the Office of Group Insurance (OGI) within the Department of Administration — ever the example of fiscal responsibility — unilaterally decided to extend the GLP-1 weight-loss drugs to the employee health benefits plan for the previous few years. But don’t worry, when it was […]

TAGS: accountability, Department of Administration, Director Steven Bailey, employee health benefits, GLP-1 drugs, GLP-1 medications, government oversight, government spending, government waste, Group Insurance Advisory Committee, healthcare costs, Idaho Freedom Foundation, Idaho politics, Idaho state government, legislative oversight, misappropriation of funds, Office of Group Insurance, OGI, public funds, Representative Brooke Green, Senator Kevin Cook, state budget, transparency, weight loss drugs

The Political Bait and Switch: When Promises Become Propaganda

By Rachel Hazelip, M.A.P.P.

September 16, 2025

Imagine there’s a business you are looking to invest in. The businessman pitches you a compelling plan, explains how your money will be used, and promises long-term returns. You cut them a check and leave them to their work, excited for the future. A month later, you check in — only to find the original […]

TAGS: accountability, America First, campaign promises, conservative politics, elected officials, government overreach, government spending, grocery tax, House Bill 11, House Bill 335, House Bill 382, House Bill 94, Idaho Freedom Foundation, Idaho lawmakers, Idaho legislature, Idaho politics, IFF, Illegal Immigration, legislative session, political corruption, political doublespeak, political fraud, political strategy, Property Tax, Republican party, spending cuts, tax reform, voter accountability, voter trust

The ITD Money Pit of Idaho: Stop Digging!

By Ronald M. Nate, Ph.D.

September 9, 2025

Want to save the state nearly $100 million and help fix the budget hole created by years of overspending? Stop digging the money pit of the Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) headquarters on State Street. A couple of weeks ago, the governor’s office of the Division of Financial Management revised its tax collections forecast and reported […]

TAGS: Brad Little, budget deficit, Chinden Campus, Chuck Winder, financial management, fiscal policy, government efficiency, government spending, HB 770, Idaho budget, Idaho economy, Idaho Freedom Foundation, Idaho legislature, Idaho news, Idaho politics, Idaho transportation department, ITD, legislative decisions, Mike Moyle, public finance, spending index, state budget crisis, state government, taxpayer money

Public Recommendations to Idaho's DOGE Task Force to Increase Government Efficiency

By Idaho Freedom Foundation staff

September 1, 2025

Dear Members of the Idaho DOGE Task Force, At the request of members of this Task Force, we have attached our analysis and recommendations for the committee's consideration. Each proposed reduction, consolidation, or elimination falls within the committee's stated purpose and offers realistic options for waste reduction. The Idaho DOGE Task Force is positioned to […]

TAGS: agency consolidation, budget reduction, Department of Labor, fiscal conservatism, government accountability, government efficiency, government reform, government waste, Idaho budget, Idaho DOGE Task Force, Idaho Freedom Foundation, Idaho politics, Idaho Public Television, Idaho state government, legislative action, Medicaid expansion, public policy, spending cuts, state employee travel, taxpayer savings

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Policy

Obamacare’s Policy Failures Come To Idaho

Week in Review: Everything Should Be Smaller in Taxes

Income: You Earned It, You Should Keep It

Zero Property Tax Would Be a Good Look

Repeal the Grocery Tax Already

It Is Time to Tackle Idaho’s Public Spending Addiction

Political Targeting? The Valley School District’s Purported Vendetta Against Levy Opponents

Idaho’s Parental Choice Tax Credit Is Constitutional

Weight Loss Drugs Pack on the Fat to State Spending

The Political Bait and Switch: When Promises Become Propaganda

The ITD Money Pit of Idaho: Stop Digging!

Public Recommendations to Idaho's DOGE Task Force to Increase Government Efficiency

Latest Research

Idaho Freedom Index

Policy

Obamacare’s Policy Failures Come To Idaho

Week in Review: Everything Should Be Smaller in Taxes

Income: You Earned It, You Should Keep It

Zero Property Tax Would Be a Good Look

Repeal the Grocery Tax Already

It Is Time to Tackle Idaho’s Public Spending Addiction

Political Targeting? The Valley School District’s Purported Vendetta Against Levy Opponents

Idaho’s Parental Choice Tax Credit Is Constitutional

Weight Loss Drugs Pack on the Fat to State Spending

The Political Bait and Switch: When Promises Become Propaganda

The ITD Money Pit of Idaho: Stop Digging!

Public Recommendations to Idaho's DOGE Task Force to Increase Government Efficiency

Latest Research

Idaho Freedom Index

Request your printed copies of the Idaho Freedom Index mailed to you!