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Policy

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

Idaho Government has a Spending Problem, not a Revenue Problem

By Fred Birnbaum
June 30, 2025
Could Idaho’s government run out of money? That might be a reasonable worry based on your first reading of a recent article highlighting how Idaho’s General Fund revenue was $141 million behind legislative projections for Fiscal Year 2025 (FY25, ending June 30, 2025).  We are told to be concerned because Idaho taxes won’t catch up. […]
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