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Coming Up:

Monday, April 27

First Lady Lori Otter reads to fourth-grade classes at Cole Valley Christian School, 1:30 p.m., 8775 Ustick Rd., Boise.

Tuesday, April 28 
I will preside over Capital for a Day activities, 9 a.m.-2 p.m., Idaho Youth ChalleNGe School, Pierce.
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Sine Die 2015

 

The 2015 session of the Idaho legislature ended in the early hours of the morning on April 11th. This year's session had several high points as well as some lows, but all in all a lot of great work was done for the people of Idaho. While some unanticipated challenges left it with a grade of "Incomplete," I believe the 2015 session should be remembered for nailing down a historic five year plan that will result in better schools, better paid teachers, and our first installment towards paying for Idaho's transportation needs.

 

Education

If I could give any area of the session an "A" for a letter grade it would be education. We continued making sustainable, responsible investments in our public schools and in the educators on whom our children rely. Starting this year Idaho will have a "Career Ladder" plan for improving public school teacher pay, allocating $33.5 million for the first year of a five-year plan that includes establishing clear expectations and rewarding excellence in the classroom. The new money is in addition to the annual appropriation of $16 million for educator leadership premiums implemented last year.

 

We will also be restoring $24.8 million in discretionary operational funding to public schools as part of a five-year plan approved in 2014 to restore that funding to fiscal 2009 levels. The new money is in addition to $38.6 million appropriated last year, leaving $30.7 million more to reach FY 2009 levels.

 

Our state will also provide $9.4 million for teacher professional development, $5 million for classroom technology, $5.4 million for such "Advanced Opportunities" as dual credit programs, advanced placement exams and professional-technical programs; $2 million for statewide Wi-Fi services to all Idaho public high schools, and funding to achieve other recommendations from the Governor's Task Force on Improving Education.

 

A STEM Action Center will be created in my office to improve the focus throughout Idaho's education system on Science, Technology, Engineering and Math.

 

The $8.4 million that was cut during the Great Recession from K-12 facilities funding and Safe and Drug Free Schools funding will be restored, which will represent the final installment in a three-year restoration plan.

 

In regards to higher education more than $2 million will be allocated to Idaho's four-year college and universities and more than $1.2 million to community colleges for the Complete College Idaho program, aimed at improving the "K-through-Career" education pipeline by helping prepare Idaho's workforce for higher-skilled, higher-paying jobs. We will also be investing $1 million to higher education institutions statewide for the Advanced Manufacturing Initiative expanding opportunities for professional-technical education.

 

There will be funding for ten seats authorized over the previous two legislative sessions for Idaho students to study at the University of Washington medical school as part of the WWAMI (Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana, Idaho) compact. The Legislature also provided funding for five additional WWAMI seats, bringing the number of Idaho's first-year WWAMI medical school seats to 35 next fall. That means Idaho soon will have 140 medical students studying through the WWAMI program - up from 80 just three years ago.  

 

Transportation

I believe that we saw some good work this year in regards to transportation. We had a breakthrough after years of effort to create a framework for meeting our long-term transportation revenue requirements. However we know that this year's installment is just a down payment on what most agree are our long term transportation infrastructure requirements. That is why I give this year's transportation grade an "Incomplete."

 

But what the money we did raise allows us to do is increase the funds available for work on a growing backlog of maintenance and improvement projects on Idaho's roads and bridges. Idaho's 25-cents-per-gallon fuel tax - untouched since 1996 - will increase to 32 cents per gallon on July 1. Along with vehicle registration increases and a "surplus eliminator" plan for transferring half of any General Fund balances at the end of each fiscal year to the Idaho Transportation Department, House Bill 312 figures to raise about $95 million a year toward reducing the highway and bridge work backlog and opens the door to continuing discussion about sustainable, long-term funding.

 

Health Crisis Center 

Allocating funding for a Behavioral Health Community Crisis Center was one of our greatest highlights of the 2014 session, and we are following suit this year with funding for a second of three eventual centers. Our first center, located in eastern Idaho is already proving to be a smart investment and is saving taxpayers money. As a result of this year's legislation, we are allocating $1.7 million for the second Behavioral Health Community Crisis Center that will be located in northern Idaho.

 

Governor Otter cutting the ribbon of the first Health Crisis Center in December. 

Commerce

We will be providing another $1.7 million for the Opportunity Fund, an Idaho Department of Commerce economic development program that provides targeted grants to support expansion of existing Idaho businesses and recruit new companies providing better jobs for Idaho citizens. Opportunity Fund grants are performance based and pay for infrastructure and other public costs related to job creation.

 

Government

We also passed a balanced budget that reflects our commitment to keeping government's growth below the growth of our economy. Almost $57.7 million will be deposited to the State's Budget Stabilization Fund and $21.5 million to the Public Education Stabilization Fund. These are our "rainy day" accounts that are used in the event of a future economic downturn impacting State revenues.

 

All of Idaho's open government-related laws will be consolidated under a new title in Idaho Code called "Transparency and Ethics in Government." The goal is to make it as easy as possible for citizens to follow the workings of State government and to hold public officials accountable.

 

All in all there is still some unfinished business left following the end of this year's session. However I see a lot of real, tangible and lasting progress for the citizens of Idaho. We have a lot of work ahead of us this year, but I believe we have good plan forward and are already aware of what more we can do when next year's session begins.

 

 
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Arbor Day

Arbor Day 2015
Arbor Day 2015

Happy Arbor Day! Today is the one day every year that we are encouraged to come together to think about our forests and trees during Arbor Day. This year I have partnered with the Idaho Forest Products commission to create a new Arbor Day public service announcement to stress the importance of these natural resources and to help everyone appreciate our Idaho forests. Happy Arbor Day everyone and do not forget to stop by your local Home Depot to pick up your free seedling to plant this Arbor Day!

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Spotlight Agency:
Idaho Department of Lands

 

Today is Arbor Day, the annual celebration of trees and all the benefits they provide Idahoans.

 

Much of the money the Idaho Department of Lands (IDL) makes for public schools, veterans homes, and other State institutions comes from the sale of TREES on the State endowment lands. Even though State endowment forests only make up five percent of the forested land base in Idaho, they contribute a third of the annual harvest in Idaho. Last year, trees valued at $72 million were harvested from State endowment forests!

 

Reforestation is a key investment in Idaho's forests. When trees are harvested, more trees are planted and grown. In the past five years IDL has planted more than seven million trees in State endowment forests! This year alone they are planting three million trees.

 

KTVB in Boise recently covered the reforestation efforts in a State endowment forest near Boise. You can watch the story here.

 

Planting trees keeps forests healthy so that they are more resistant to disease and fire. The Land Board and IDL are committed to growing education in Idaho through planting, growing and harvesting trees for current and future generations of Idaho school children.

State forest 15 years after plantation of new trees 

 

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Recent Appointments:

 

Children Risk Task Force

Josh Wickard - Boise 

 

Chiropractic Physicians

Dr. Mary Jo White - Post Falls 


Dormitory Housing Commission -- CSI
Steve Kohntopp - Filer

Dormitory Housing commission -- CWI
Gerald Hunter - Boise

Idaho Housing and Finance Association
Jeff Nesset - Lewiston

Public Charter School Commission
Alan Reed - Idaho Falls

Public Safety & Security Info System
Sheriff Shaun Gough - Gooding

Scaling Practices
Bob Boeh - Sandpoint