Governor praises Trump and Musk in speech, but Idaho economy could get DOGE’d | Opinion

One of the more ironic elements of Idaho Gov. Brad Little’s State of the State address Monday was his repeated bashing of “out of control federal spending,” in a state that has been a remarkable beneficiary of that federal spending.

Further, Little’s praise of President-elect Donald Trump and non-anything-elect Elon Musk’s promise to reduce the size of the federal government came in the same speech in which Little touted projects that will necessarily rely on federal government spending.

The theme of Little’s speech this year was “Keeping promises.” But if Trump and Musk keep their promises, it could spell disaster for Idaho.

Trump has tapped Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy to head a new Department Of Government Efficiency, or DOGE.

Little on Monday bragged that Musk, himself, posted three times about Idaho’s government efficiency, noting Idaho’s reduction of government regulations, making it the “least regulated state in the country.”

But fewer regulations don’t translate to less government spending.

Idaho’s budget swelled to $14 billion in fiscal year 2025, including $5.2 billion from the federal government, or 37% of the state’s total budget.

That money doesn’t even include all the federal money that pours into Idaho at such places as Gowen Field, the Mountain Home Air Force Base or Idaho National Laboratory, or on programs with a local presence such as the Veterans Affairs medical centers and homes, the National Weather Service or the National Interagency Fire Center, not to mention the National Forest Service and federal Bureau of Land Management.

Billions of dollars in federal government pandemic relief money over the past five years flowed directly to state coffers, and in the form of direct stimulus payments and payroll protection loans to small businesses that were later forgiven.

All that aid has led to $4.6 billion in tax cuts and rebates in Idaho since the pandemic began.

But the party might come to an end on Jan. 20, when Trump takes office with Musk riding his coattails.

Musk has foolishly speculated that he could cut federal government spending by as much as $2 trillion, or nearly a third of federal government spending.

Imagine if Idaho received a third less money from the federal government?

So while Little was praising the “new direction” that voters chose in the election of an old president who was already in office, he boldly promised more spending on water projects, fire suppression, education and road construction — the funding for which often comes from the federal government.

During his speech, Little called out the “feds” for not doing a good enough job of putting out wildfires, ignoring the fact that the U.S. Forest Service and other natural resource agencies need additional funding. Under Musk and Ramaswamy, don’t expect an increase in funding.

While Little bashed President Joe Biden’s “out of control spending,” he bragged about “investments” made to Idaho’s roads and bridges. We remind the governor that the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, an unfulfilled promise by Trump but actually delivered by Biden, provided hundreds of millions of dollars in funding for Idaho’s roads and bridges.

Micron’s massive expansion project in Boise comes thanks to the federal CHIPS and Science Act, which includes $1.5 billion for a new fabrication plant in Boise.

Little on Monday talked a lot about the importance of water and water projects in Idaho.

Idaho received $21 million from the Infrastructure Law for clean water projects.

In addition, a project to raise the Anderson Ranch Dam by 6 feet will cost $125 million, with $73 million of that, or nearly 60% of the total, coming from the federal government.

What about those Payment In Lieu of Taxes funds that the federal government pays Idaho counties that have substantial federal lands?

What will happen when “President Trump’s vision for America actually looks a lot like Idaho” — when he eliminates the Department of Education, as he promises?

Without federal dollars to augment education funding in Idaho, how would Idaho fund Idaho Launch, one of Little’s signature projects, let alone the $50 million he proposed for vouchers for private schools?

And we seriously doubt that Idaho can be very successful against Chinese and Russian hackers, as Little mentioned in his speech, without the resources of the federal government, such as the Idaho National Lab.

You can’t have it both ways.

It should be obvious that you can’t complain about federal government spending and then brag about your accomplishments — which came courtesy of that federal government spending.

And you certainly shouldn’t make promises and then cheer a new administration that likely will put your promises in jeopardy.

This story was originally published January 7, 2025 at 4:00 AM.