"True peace is not merely the absence of tension; It is the presence of justice." - Martin Luther King Jr.
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WEEK 2 LEGISLATIVE UPDATE
Ignoring the Needs of Everyday Idahoans -- AGAIN
Entering this session with what our Budget Director in the Legislature described as a "boatload of cash," we had high hopes that the GOP supermajority would address the most important needs of Idahoans BEFORE they introduced a bill to give it all back in a lopsided income tax rebate that would gobble up most of the revenue before we addressed the most important needs we have: schools, crumbling infrastructure, and a workforce hemorrhaging employees that leaves us without social workers, teachers, guards, health care workers, etc.
In an election year it's no surprise that my colleagues can find the political will to introduce income tax cuts right out of the gate and tout how impressive it is. When last session, the last bill out of the gate was a terrible property tax bill that didn't even scratch the surface to help folks with the exponential rise in property taxes, and all I heard is that "something is better than nothing."
I have received plenty of calls from constituents about NOT taking an income tax cut, but instead investing the revenue in our schools and other important services that we need.
SIMPLE CONCEPT: PAY THE BILLS FIRST, right?
Or at least provide the kind of tax relief that people have been asking for and would help the most.
Property Tax Relief or Remove the Tax on Groceries
I have received a lot of calls from aging constituents who remind me that an income tax rebate does very little to help them when they are already retired, on a fixed income and have property taxes that are rising at such a rate that it's bankrupting them. The measly $75 bucks on average they would get doesn't even scratch the surface of the enormous property tax bill that awaits. And many people are being priced out. This has to be fixed and the easiest way would be to increase the Homeowners Exemption and fix the Circuit Breaker that my GOP colleagues amended last year that kicked about 4,000 elderly people off.
In the past, I have been reluctant about removing the sales tax on groceries, merely because we didn't have enough revenue to cover the removal of it when we had so many competing needs in education and infrastructure. However, in a time of inflation when things like groceries costs are rising, having a little extra in your pocket at the check out line would help. And it sounds like more Idahoans would prefer this approach than another income tax rebate.
HB 436 coming to the Senate soon: here's what it does...
HB436 has both a one-time rebate based on 12% of your 2021 income tax bill or $75 (per person), whichever is greater and permanent cuts to and flattening of the income tax. That includes reducing the corporate income tax rate from 6.5% to 6%--notable the same as the sales rate that people pay for food, diapers, medicines, and other necessities.
House Bill 436 passed the House on Thursday and now moves to the Senate. All Democrats voted against the legislation, and instead advocated more critical tax solutions, such as reducing property taxes or repealing the sales tax on groceries — both of which would bolster Idaho’s working families or local economies. The income tax cut is in large part funded by internet sales tax, a more regressive form of taxation paid disproportionately by those with lower and middle incomes, creating a reverse Robin Hood effect.
Per the legislation, someone with $1 million in annual taxable income will receive an ongoing yearly tax cut of over $5,000 on top of a nearly $8,000 one-time rebate. Idahoans with the most modest incomes will receive a rebate of about $75.
Rep Necochea and Rep. Ruchti said Idahoans have expressed a clear desire for property tax relief, a repeal of the grocery tax, and adequately funded schools. However, the bill — which has a one-time cost of $350 million in addition to an ongoing cost of $250 million — effectively precludes the state’s ability to eliminate the grocery tax while meeting the other stated funding objectives.
According to the Idaho State Tax Commission’s Tax Burden Study, Idaho is already below the national average for corporate taxes collected relative to state income, at 1%.
Remote Testimony Update and Protocols
Keep an eye on the Local Government and Taxation Committee in the Senate for your chance to testify or send comments via mail and email to the committee members.
Those wishing to testify remotely click on this link to learn more about the process to sign up. The committee chair may limit the amount of time allotted for each individual’s testimony as well as the time allotted for the testimony during the committee meeting. The chair will, however, make reasonable efforts to give individuals testifying remotely the same amount of time allotted to individuals testifying in-person.
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DEMOCRATIC PRIORITIES
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Full Day Kindergarten to increase preparedness and literacy
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Early Learning Programs to get kids prepared socially and emotionally for learning
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Child Care so families can get back to work
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Property Tax Relief
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Proper Staffing and Support in Child Protection Services
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Repairing crumbling infrastructure and invest in more public transit opportunities
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Public Employee (and teacher) salary increases so we can retain quality staff and services
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Protect Access to Our Public Lands
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Supporting CTE and Higher Education Funding
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Affordable Housing
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Quality Healthcare Services
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Removing the Sales Tax on Groceries
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Demographic Drought - Why We have a Workforce Shortage
The Idaho Business for Education Association held a webinar for legislators to better understand the workforce shortage we are experiencing all over our country. Labor Economist Ron Hetrick shared the research behind his recent report, The Demographic Drought: How the Approaching Sansdemic Will Transform the Labor Market for the Rest of Our Lives.
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Hetrick outlines the shifts in labor over the years and how the pandemic has created the perfect storm of storms to create a workforce shortage:
- Lowest birth rate in history
- Baby Boomers retiring early due to the impacts of the pandemic
- Women exiting due to child care issues
- Stagnation in our immigration due to a lack of staff to process work visas for millions of people waiting in the hopper to enter the work force
- Entry of Millennials in the workforce who are more focused on life/work balance, nothing like Boomers
- Rising death toll due covid19 and opioid related overdose deaths.
All these factors have created a wicked problem that will force business and government to meet a significant challenge to address WORKING CONDITIONS that attract and retain workers who can work for a LIVING WAGE WHERE people can have a better work/life balance.
 The1980s movie Nine to Five, could be very instructive where Lily Tomlin, Jane Fonda, and Dolly Parton transformed their working environment with on site child care, job sharing, flexible hours, substance abuse programs, self help groups, and a better physical working environment after the patriarchal boss was side-lined.
Hetrick challenges us to think about how to incorporate some of these very simple things on the job site to improve working conditions and making work more accessible for a variety of workers.
Check out this website for more info.
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Boise State published the 7th Annual Idaho Public Survey that shows the priorities Idahoans have for our state. One thing is clear, the Idaho Legislature may not be responding to Idahoans needs as well as we should: more and more citizens think our state is going is the wrong direction.
The number one priority is no surprise: EDUCATION. Yet my colleagues started the session with a tax cut instead a promise to dig our schools out of a hole we have created through underfunding. The Governor's recommendation is the biggest increase I have seen, but this legislature has been trying to dismantle public schools, and it's this legislature that has to approve his budget.
Check out the survey and learn more about Idaho's priorities.
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Donate today!
The American Red Cross is facing a national blood crisis – its worst blood shortage in over a decade, posing a concerning risk to patient care. In recent weeks, the Red Cross has had less than a 1-day supply of critical blood types. Blood product distributions are outpacing donations. At times, as much as one-quarter of hospital blood needs are not being met.
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Meet One of the Pages
It's my honor to sponsor Boise High School student Tyler Freeman who is joining us for part of the legislative session. Tyler will be preforming various tasks to assist legislators to help make session go easier. For example, delivery of correspondence and legislative material while getting work experience benefits. I look forward to working with Tyler throughout his time here!
Tyler: Hello, my name is Tyler Freeman and I go to Boise High. This is my first session working here and it has been a lot of fun so far. Everyone here is been so nice, I think the word "family" would be an accurate depiction of my coworkers. I'm excited to be here and assist legislators this session.
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District 19 Virtual Town Hall – January
THURSDAY, JANUARY 27, 2022 AT 6 PM
Hear from your District 19 legislators Senator Melissa Wintrow, Representative Lauren Necochea, and Representative Chris Mathias, on how the 2022 legislative session is going. Please email idahod19democrats@gmail.com with any questions or concerns.
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USING THE FLAG TO DIVIDE --
SHAMING PEOPLE FOR EXERCISING THEIR CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS
A Senator introduced a resolution on Friday to fly the US flag at half mast on the anniversary of Roe v Wade; this felt like an attempt to further divide and alienate people who make the choice to have a legal abortion, and a way for her, in my estimation, to use the media to campaign for another office. I was in a conference about Opioid Addiction and Policy at the time, so I couldn't comment; below are the comments I had prepared and posted on social media.
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Local news resources to stay updated on the legislature
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