Idaho Gov. Little slams Biden, proposes more tax cuts in State of the State address
Idaho Gov. Brad Little scorned the Democratic President Joe Biden and the federal government and touted Idaho’s frugality, as he proposed investing billions in tax cuts, public safety and education, during the final State of the State address in his first term as governor.
Little, who is expected to join an already crowded gubernatorial campaign in the coming months, spoke to a joint assembly of the House and Senate at the Idaho Capitol on Monday. Little spoke shortly after the two bodies kicked off the second regular session of the 66th Idaho Legislature.
The Republican governor framed his speech around Idaho’s economic success during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. He also notched a number of GOP talking points, including election integrity and border security.
He took aim at the federal government and Biden, repeatedly using the term “Bidenflation,” to signify that the Democratic president is responsible for recent inflation increases.
“While other states liquidated their rainy day funds and begged politicians in Washington, D.C., for a bailout, together we rolled up our sleeves, made tough decisions, and led Idaho,” Little said.
Little went on to criticize Biden’s COVID-19 vaccination mandates — one of the few times Little mentioned the pandemic Monday. Little signed onto a lawsuit with other governors that challenged the vaccine mandates.
Little also ctiticized Biden’s policy on the U.S.-Mexico border. Last year, the Idaho governor sent Idaho State Police troopers to Arizona to assist law enforcement officers there. Little announced a new program, “Operation Esto Perpetua,” which “will bring together law enforcement and communities in new ways.” Little said more details on the program will be released later.
“Biden’s inaction has spawned a growing drug threat in our state,” Little said. “The vast majority of illicit drugs in Idaho are now sourced in Mexico.”
Little on Monday released his budget proposals for the current and upcoming fiscal year. He announced a new plan, called “Leading Idaho,” which includes more than $1 billion in tax cuts and more than $1.1 billion in education funding.
“My plan is rooted in a longstanding conservative principle — fiscal discipline,” he said.
Little announced the state’s “robust reserves” have reached a $1.9 billion surplus, even higher than a previous record-setting estimate, $1.6 billion.
The record surplus is thanks to a nearly $900 million fund balance carryover from the last fiscal year, which ended June 30, along with higher than projected revenues from sales, income and business taxes last year, according to the governor’s office. That’s on top of billions in federal American Rescue Plan Act funding that continues to flow into the state.
Little proposes record increase for education funding
Education makes up the governor’s top budget recommendation. It would be the largest education appropriation increase in state history and the largest percentage increase, 11%, since 1999, said Alex Adams, head of Little’s budget-writing Division of Financial Management.
His record-setting education budget increases general fund education appropriations by $300 million. Though he didn’t directly mention kindergarten, he proposed $47 million in ongoing funding to literacy programs that could be used by local school districts for full-day kindergarten programs.
Full-day kindergarten has bipartisan support in the Legislature and backing from the State Board of Education. Lawmakers have told the Idaho Statesman that they’re optimistic the Legislature will fund the proposal this session.
House Speaker Scott Bedke, R-Oakley, told reporters Monday that the House Republican Caucus “generally supports the idea” of local control over literacy funds.
The state currently only funds half-day kindergarten. School districts with all-day programs fund them using supplemental property taxes, federal money or tuition charges. Earmarking the money for literacy programs allows local agencies the flexibility to use the money for full-day kindergarten or other means, Adams said.
“Local school districts across Idaho, with input from families, will decide how best to deploy the resources,” Little said during his address. “Literacy has been my top priority because it just makes sense. Our investments in education later on will have more impact if we can work with families to get more students reading proficiently early on.”
Little’s budget also would “accelerate” implementation of the teacher career ladder in fiscal year 2023 by allocating $104 million, representing a 10% increase in pay for teachers. The governor also recommended $1,000 bonuses for all teachers and a 5% pay bump for classified staff.
Little also proposed $50 million in “Empowering Parents” grants for at-home technology and tutoring needs. The grants will cover computers, tutoring, internet connectivity, among other things, Little said.
“The Empowering Parents grants put families in control of their child’s education, as it should be,” he said.
Little in favor of more tax cuts
Like his GOP counterparts in the Legislature, Little revealed he’s in favor of using the surplus for tax cuts and rebates. It would be the second significant tax cut in as many years, after a bill that approved nearly $400 million in tax relief in 2021.
His budget would provide $350 million in immediate income tax rebates, representing about 12% of income taxes. He also proposed an ongoing tax cut for the top income tax rate, from 6.5% to 6%, for both individuals and businesses.
Little said the rebate and cuts would allow “working families to keep more of what they earned and free them from the penalty of living with historic inflation.”
“We cannot delay in deploying this investment in working families,” he said. “We must also support Idaho’s small businesses, the backbone of our economy.”
Little ‘backs the blue,’ wants more Idaho State Police jobs
Little proposed additional funding for law enforcement, military and veterans.
He proposed a $60 million appropriation increase for the Idaho State Police, to fund 13 new positions, establish an air support operation and build a new Idaho State Police facility in Idaho Falls, among other things.
“Idaho is a state that openly values its police officers,” he said. “While others seek to ‘defund the police,’ Idaho defends the police. Idaho truly is a state that ‘backs the blue.’”
Little’s budget includes an additional $75 million investment in State Veterans Homes. He said he hopes to double the state’s investment in the Idaho National Guard’s scholarship fund, from $150,000 to $300,000.
“Military service has always been and always will be one of the most honorable ways for a person to serve their community, state, and country,” Little said.
Little looks to ‘preserve and restore’ infrastructure
Little proposed about $800 million in infrastructure projects. That includes $200 million as an ongoing investment package for deferred maintenance on roads and bridges and another $200 million as a one-time investment package to improve local bridges.
Idaho has 966 local bridges that are more than 50 years old, and many are closed or have restrictions that impede commerce, a budget overview said.
“The continued prosperity of our farmers, ranchers, and the folks who work in the woods depends on a safe, efficient system of roads and bridges,” Little said. “We cannot continue our record economic trajectory if our logging trucks can’t get across old bridges or we can’t get our farm products to market.”
Little also proposed improvements for airports, railroads and other transportation hubs, meant to boost the independence of the state’s supply chain. Meanwhile, the governor hopes to invest $225 million in federal funds to upgrade internet broadband infrastructure.
This story was originally published January 10, 2022 at 2:00 PM.
