Policy

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

Where Has All The Money Gone?: Why Idaho’s Spending Bomb is Global

By Fred Birnbaum

August 29, 2025

Those of us of a certain age remember the old anti-war song, most famously sung by the lefty folk rock band, Peter, Paul and Mary: “Where Have All the Flowers Gone?” The song tells the story of the cycle of life, with the flowers ending up on military graves. Remember, this was during the Vietnam […]

TAGS: Arizona, Brad Little, budget crisis, economic policy, fiscal conservatism, fiscal policy, France, Germany, global debt, government finance, government spending, Idaho politics, Idaho spending, Margaret Thatcher, spending cuts, state budget, tax revenue, taxpayer money

Returning America's Universities to Their Classical Roots

By Austin Rose

August 28, 2025

American education is dying. Public universities across our country are becoming nothing more than an extension of high school, where students go to check off a box on their resume rather than receive a meaningful education. The staff and administration at these universities have begun to view the institution as merely a business, whose sole […]

TAGS: academic integrity, AI in education, American universities, Center for American Education, ChatGPT, cheating, classical education, college degree value, college enrollment, college standards, conservative leadership, credentialism, education reform, education system, Founding Fathers, Higher Education, higher education decline, liberal arts, liberal arts curriculum, public universities, School Choice, student debt, Thomas Jefferson, virtue, wisdom

Updated Revenue Numbers Expose Idaho’s Spending Problem

By Fred Birnbaum

August 20, 2025

REVISION (August 21, 2025): Due to inconsistent reporting between the Division of Financial Management and Legislative Service Office, this article has been updated. The article now reflects the data that was provided by the LSO following the article's publication. For several years, the Idaho Freedom Foundation (IFF) has been sounding warnings about Idaho's excessive spending […]

TAGS: Brad Little, budget cuts, budget shortfall, conservative think tank, Division of Financial Management (DFM), Donald Trump tax cuts, fiscal discipline, General Fund, government spending, Governor Brad Little, Idaho economy, Idaho fiscal year 2026, Idaho Freedom Foundation, Idaho government, Idaho politics, Idaho State Legislature, Idaho tax revenue, IFF, Legislative Services Office (LSO), PERSI, Property Taxes, state spending, tax reform

Idaho’s DOGE wants efficiency? This proposal checks all the boxes

By Wayne Hoffman, IFF’s former President

August 18, 2025

I have, so far, sent one and only one recommendation to the Idaho Legislature’s new DOGE task force that is supposed to be on the hunt for efficiencies in government. I could send more, but I wanted to offer something that checks all the boxes for legislators who want to: Make government more efficient. Save […]

TAGS: DOGE Task Force, fire, fiscal responsibility, government efficiency, government spending, Idaho Freedom Foundation, Idaho government, Idaho legislature, Idaho politics, Idaho public employees, Idaho taxpayers, IFF, pension reform, PERSI, private sector, Property Taxes, Public Employee Retirement System of Idaho, retirement benefits, taxpayer money

Nampans Are Speaking. Will the Mayor and City Council Listen?

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

August 15, 2025

Since our last article, criticism of the proposed transfer of the Ford Idaho Center (FIC) to the College of Western Idaho (CWI) has escalated monumentally. Nampans are speaking out to express their disapproval — and they are not being quiet about it. At the August 11, 2025, “listening” town hall, the Mayor and members of […]

TAGS: Canyon County, civic generosity, College of Western Idaho, community outrage, CWI, Debbie Kling, fiscal responsibility, Ford Idaho Center, government accountability, government transparency, grassroots opposition, Idaho, Idaho politics, local government, Nampa, Nampa City Council, Nampa residents, political protest, property transfer, public assets, public engagement, public trust, Snake River Stampede, taxpayer money, urban development

Nampa’s Ford Idaho Center: A Multi-Million Dollar Giveaway?

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

August 7, 2025

In what may well be the most extraordinary act of unsolicited civic generosity on this side of the Treasure Valley, Nampa Mayor Debbie Kling and the Nampa City Council are contemplating the “conveyance” of the Ford Idaho Center (FIC) to the College of Western Idaho (CWI) — no appraisal, no payment, and an utter lack […]

TAGS: city governance, College of Western Idaho, CWI, Debbie Kling, fiscal responsibility, Ford Idaho Center, government transparency, Idaho Code, Idaho Freedom Foundation, Idaho politics, levy override, municipal debt, Nampa, Nampa Auditorium District, Nampa City Council, Natalie Jangula, progressive institutions, property appraisal, Property Taxes, public assets, public hearings, public property, real estate transfer, Snake River Stampede, taxpayer money, Treasure Valley, Victor Rodriguez

IFF Spending Index: Unmasking Idaho's Overgrown Government

By Fred Birnbaum

July 29, 2025

Last week’s kickoff of the Idaho DOGE Task Force highlights the need to rein in Idaho’s spending growth. It’s a tall order. Since 2019, the Idaho Freedom Foundation’s Spending Index has been the only yardstick for measuring the impacts of individual agency appropriations bills. And necessarily, the votes on these bills by legislators provide the […]

TAGS: agency appropriations, budget analysis, budget process, conservative policy, Department of Government Efficiency, DOGE, DOGE Task Force, Elon Musk, enhancement budgets, fiscal conservatism, government growth, government inefficiency, government spending, Idaho budget, Idaho Freedom Foundation, Idaho legislators, Idaho politics, IFF Spending Index, JFAC, legislative accountability, legislative spending, maintenance budgets, public lands, spending cuts, state finance, taxpayer money, waste reduction

Idaho DOGE: Misses it by That Much

By Ronald M. Nate, Ph.D.

July 23, 2025

Ask any good conservative in Idaho politics, and they’ll tell you Idaho’s budgets and government growth are out of control. They’re right. Now, throw in the biggest buzzword in politics for the last six months (the start of President Trump’s return to power), “DOGE.” Of course, that’s shorthand for the Department of Government Efficiency (headed […]

TAGS: accountability, Argentina spending, budget cuts, conservative agenda, Department of Government Efficiency, DOGE, Elon Musk, fiscal responsibility, government efficiency, government waste, H14, H364, Idaho Code Cleanup Act, Idaho Freedom Foundation, Idaho legislature, Idaho politics, IFF, Javier Milei, Kelly Anthon, legislative analysis, legislative task force, Mike Moyle, political hypocrisy, public policy, special interests, spending index, state spending, taxpayer money, Trump administration, wasteful spending

The Answer is “Cowardice”

By Ronald M. Nate, Ph.D.

July 11, 2025

Want to know what happens in an Idaho Freedom Foundation team meeting? Here’s a glimpse. The question was asked, “If Argentina can cut its government and spending by 28% in one year, why can’t Idaho do that or more?” Without missing a beat, “The answer is ‘cowardice,’” rang out from one (unnamed) freedom fighter. And […]

TAGS: Argentina economy, budget cuts, conservative leadership, conservative values, constitutionalism, deregulation, economic prosperity, fiscal conservatism, for your article: Idaho politics, free market, freedom fighter, government accountability, government overreach, government reform, government waste, grassroots activism, Here's a list of SEO-friendly tags, Idaho Freedom Foundation, Idaho legislature, Idaho spending, IFF, Javier Milei, Limited Government, Milei effect, political courage, populist movement, separated by commas, state sovereignty, state spending, tax cuts, taxpayer money

The "Big Beautiful Bill": What It Means for Idaho

By Fred Birnbaum

July 4, 2025

Normally, we at the Idaho Freedom Foundation (IFF) don’t weigh in on federal legislation that does not directly impact Idaho. However, any massive Congressional omnibus bill with tax and spending provisions is bound to impact Idahoans. We would like to bring to the attention of our readers a few key points for consideration. And perhaps […]

TAGS: Big Beautiful Bill, border security, budget deficit, Congressional omnibus, continuous appropriations, debt ceiling, federal debt, fiscal policy, fiscal year 2025, FY25, FY26, FY34, government spending, Idaho Freedom Foundation, Idaho impact, IFF, Medicaid reform, national debt, Rand Paul, Senator Collins, Senator Murkowski, Senator Tillis, Speaker McCarthy, tax cuts, tax reform, tax revenue, welfare programs

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Policy

The ITD Money Pit of Idaho: Stop Digging!

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

Where Has All The Money Gone?: Why Idaho’s Spending Bomb is Global

Returning America's Universities to Their Classical Roots

Updated Revenue Numbers Expose Idaho’s Spending Problem

Idaho’s DOGE wants efficiency? This proposal checks all the boxes

Nampans Are Speaking. Will the Mayor and City Council Listen?

Nampa’s Ford Idaho Center: A Multi-Million Dollar Giveaway?

IFF Spending Index: Unmasking Idaho's Overgrown Government

Idaho DOGE: Misses it by That Much

The Answer is “Cowardice”

The "Big Beautiful Bill": What It Means for Idaho

Latest Research

Idaho Freedom Index

Policy

The ITD Money Pit of Idaho: Stop Digging!

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

Where Has All The Money Gone?: Why Idaho’s Spending Bomb is Global

Returning America's Universities to Their Classical Roots

Updated Revenue Numbers Expose Idaho’s Spending Problem

Idaho’s DOGE wants efficiency? This proposal checks all the boxes

Nampans Are Speaking. Will the Mayor and City Council Listen?

Nampa’s Ford Idaho Center: A Multi-Million Dollar Giveaway?

IFF Spending Index: Unmasking Idaho's Overgrown Government

Idaho DOGE: Misses it by That Much

The Answer is “Cowardice”

The "Big Beautiful Bill": What It Means for Idaho

Latest Research

Idaho Freedom Index

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