What we should hear from our governor
Idaho will hear from its governor, Brad Little, today. What he should do is what the 2024 elections said Idahoans want from their government: lower taxes, less wokeness in schools and government, protection of rights, true school choice, immigration reform, less reliance on the federal government, and shrinking—instead of growing—state government budgets.
In short, the governor should be echoing the legislative agenda Idaho candidates won on. Winning candidates across the state championed all the above. And they won big. The 2024 election produced a net gain for conservatives of eight House members and three senators in the Idaho Capitol. Idaho has arguably the most conservative legislature in its history, and the governor’s plans should match those shifts in the Senate and House.
Recall, the Idaho Freedom Foundation has already outlined its robust agenda for what conservative state leadership should accomplish. It is a roadmap to help Idaho families and businesses prosper and thrive. Our Idaho Freedom and Family Agenda for 2025 includes:
- Universal school choice via education tax credits.
- Grocery tax repeal and property tax relief/elimination.
- Immigration reform to protect Idaho taxpayers.
- Elimination of diversity, equity, and inclusion nonsense in Idaho schools and government.
- Sound money investment, usage, and privacy protections.
- Serious budget reforms, including reversing outrageous spending growth over the past five years (54% growth is NOT conservative).
- Reversal of outrageous spending and waste in Idaho’s Medicaid programs. Focus on Idahoans’ health freedom, not more dependency.
- Increased transparency and efficiency in government.
What we will probably hear instead
If history is a guide for us, we shouldn’t get too hopeful about expecting a conservative, frugal, liberty-embracing message from our governor. In the past, he has championed record spending increases, massive growth in government programs, capitulations and concessions to all sorts of special interests, and more dependency on the federal government. Do we expect our own Idaho groundhog to finally cast a conservative shadow this year? Let’s see.
Here’s what we will likely hear:
- A limited, token nod to school choice (intended to stave off real school choice). The governor will mention his great cooperation with Idaho Superintendent Debbie Critchfield in drafting a plan to provide small scholarships to a limited number of students in needy families, expanded charter school options, and the new curriculum opportunities from PragerU’s partnership with Idaho’s Department of Education (aided by collaboration with IFF). But we all know that’s not enough.
- More spending and “investment” in public education. We expect the governor to ignore the facts that public education has seen a tripling of its budget at the same time outcomes have stayed flat at roughly 50% proficiency in reading and math since 2008. Instead, the governor will tell us even more spending is needed to repair the broken system. Remember the $2 billion in spending expected over the next 10 years on school facilities bonds (H521)? We do.
- Tripling down on Idaho Launch. This is the governor’s big corporate welfare program to provide taxpayer-funded training for high school graduates, to provide workers with the skills his corporate leaders deem most in-demand. The program already costs over $80 million per year.
- More “investments” for highways and bridges, as well as water and wastewater projects. This is on the heels of record spending in these areas under the era of big Covid spending and expansive federal debt. There was over $300 million included for these areas in last year’s budget. And, don’t forget the wasted money we will see from Idaho hanging onto a dilapidated Transportation Department building on West State Street in Boise. The restoration estimates are double what was first estimated and now stand at $62 million.
- Words, not deeds, about improving government efficiency and rooting out waste, fraud, and abuse. Will the governor take necessary steps to assure us that misappropriation and malfeasance – like in Bannock County’s misuse of funds for a forensic lab, or the missing money from Luma, or the misspent Child Care Grants program – will be eliminated?
- There will be talk about reducing our dependence on the federal government. But Idaho still relies for 40% of its spending coming from a federal government that heavily depends on borrowed funds. Our grandkids are on the hook for such excess.
- Words, not deeds, about cutting taxes. The governor will talk about reducing property taxes (but only by shifting burdens to the state government). He may even mention how income taxes and grocery taxes could be reduced, but he will not lead out in any meaningful way.
- He will champion pay increases for all state employees, probably by more than 4%. He will highlight the need for judges, teachers, and all our part-time legislators to get raises far more than increases warranted by inflation. The Citizens Committee recommended a 22% increase for legislators — while legislative leaders proposed twice that much. Judicial leaders want 27% more for judges, and education advocates always want massive increases for teachers and administration. The governor will be loath to oppose any of them.
We’re sorry to sound like Johnny Raincloud at the start of the new year, but the IFF knows too much about our governor and the history of leadership and what happens with Idaho’s State of the State addresses and their blueprints. Often, even our pessimistic expectations fall short of the damage Idaho’s government accomplishes. Don’t get us wrong, we at the IFF would love to be proven wrong on our predictions, but only if that means moving Idaho toward liberty and conservative governance. Make us smile!
What we actually got from the governor
Tune into IFF on Tuesday, January 7 to get the rundown of how Gov. Little’s State of the State turned out and what to expect from him and our new Legislature.
Current governor just another example of how feckless the GOP is. He appears to be another in a long line of empty suits the party offers up to the grey masses.
It should be obvious by now that the government schools are a disaster - just observe individuals who have spent 12 years in the system. For all that time spent a large percentage know very little about a large range of subjects.
The best hope for any changes starts at the local level. Perhaps future leaders who have become "radicalized" can help to facilitate needed change. But it really starts at the individual level.