Letters to the editor: BSU, library, Republicans
BSU
Boise State University is the largest it’s ever been with an enrollment of over 22,000 students at the beginning of the fall 2019 semester. It’s exciting to see all the growth at Boise State but it raises the question of how much this growth is benefiting Idaho students and Idaho taxpayers. The number of resident undergraduate students enrolled at Boise State is steadily decreasing and has decreased by a 1,000 students since 2015 while enrollment of non-resident undergraduate students has increased by 2,000 students. Idaho has the lowest “go-on” to college rates in the country and this rate is not improving in spite of the multiple task forces Otter and Little have thrown at it. While it’s a common practice for state universities to turn to out-of-state tuition when their state under funds them, it can create shortages in prerequisite classes, housing, parking, and other services for in-state students. Maybe it’s time for Boise State to create and implement a strategic enrollment plan that commits to attracting and retaining Idaho students.
Doug Henderson, Nampa
State funding
Money, money, money — tax money that is. There are several sources of money very easy for our state legislature to tap for education, mental health care, infrastructure, college costs for students and other needs. In 2019 they allowed $2.3 billion in exemptions to the sales tax. From 2005, that exemption has amounted to over a whopping $28 billion. Instead of raising the sales tax let’s end 75% of those exemptions.
Last year two counties in Oregon, Malheur and Baker, grossed $50 million from pot sales, a huge portion of that coming from Idahoans. Let’s keep that money here plus help us via the taxes. Plus we get a two-fer: people out of prison for pot crimes.
The legislature could easily pass a law that raises taxes on corporations and those making more than $250K per year to specifically help fund education pre-K thru 12. We wouldn’t have to do it by the initiative process like we’re having to do right now.
These three steps are all easy common sense solutions to some vexing revenue issues.
We voters have the common sense solutions, time to vote in legislators that share our common sense. The 2020 election is just around the corner.
Dallas Chase, Boise
Library
Politicians usually don’t lose re-elections against buildings, but the proposed high-cost library proved a worthy running mate for our new mayor, Ms. McLean, quietly joined by another proposed but now aborted sport stadium.
Diverse education and information sources quietly abound in our community. They are no longer landmark edifices but too often loosely integrated public systems varying from both general/specialty libraries to our schools, colleges and universities all of which are supported by our taxes. These taxes have doubled during the past two decades, but the above services have not improved twofold during this same period. Thus, it was appropriate that our last election signaled a significant pause in how our taxes are to be employed improving these systems. That pause was not called in Spokane this past November where costs for their proposed library/educational system easily were approved. In that electorate’s considerations stadiums were not involved, but all of the public education system was. That educational system now wisely is to have its information services more fully integrated with an expanded existing central library and branches. This will little increase central Spokane’s auto traffic, but it will enhance their IT traffic and information/educational services citywide. That’s smart.
Frederick Bauer, Boise
Republicans
As an American and a voter, I am very discouraged by the decisions of Republicans who are in power! The Senate Republicans seem to believe that a fair trial is not going to happen. The Idaho delegation has been remiss on standing up for fairness and standing up for country over trump. Ignoring all of the wrongdoing does not mean it didn’t happen! The Government Accountability Office report found that the law was broken by withholding appropriated money from Ukraine. GOP flip this off like it is a dandruff flake. Trump has done what he has done his entire life: ignore and fight any transparency into his decisions in this matter. He has never been held accountable and it looks like the GOP are bent on continuing this trend. Love him or hate him, he broke the law!
Republicans in Idaho want to tighten their control on which voters can vote in their presidential primary. Go for it! The days of voters given the opportunity to vote for the best candidate in either party is over! Republicans seem to be very afraid of voters since they are disenfranchising them!
Margaret Anderson, Boise