Your generous contributions make this work possible.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| published Monday, February 18, 2008 |
1116 Views |
|
 |
Two huge events overshadowed virtually every political story in Idaho this past week: the massive public response to Sen. Barack Obama’s visit to Boise on Saturday morning (over 14,000 people were in the arena and over a thousand listened outside) and the unprecedented turn out for the Democratic caucuses on Tuesday evening (over 21,000 people, breaking the record by more than four times). The fact that Idaho was hit by three more snow storms during that time did not dampen the sense that Idaho political history was being made. Yes, the legislature still met this week but according to several Democratic legislators their Republican colleagues were a bit jealous they couldn’t participate in the fun. To make matters more frustrating, by Thursday the overwhelming favorite among GOP legislators – Governor Mitt Romney – had suspended his campaign for President. Former US House Speaker Newt Gingrich also picked a heck of tough news week to come to Idaho to promote his book and his generous support for zoos and species conservation.
After being shot down in the House for three years, Rep. George Saylor and 13 co-sponsors along with many parents, grandparents, day care providers and others advocates for child safety decided to introduce their bill for basic day care standards in the Senate. Currently, Idaho provides minimum health and safety standards for day care centers with thirteen or more children, but does not provide any regulation for those providing care for six or fewer children, and very minimal regulation for those providing care for seven to twelve children. Senate Bill 1376 extends licensing standards to all providers who receive compensation and care for four or more children. Those standards include criminal history background checks, health and safety inspections, fire inspections, restrictions on alcohol and tobacco use, firearms safety, and infant CPR and first aid training.
Almost every day, one can find examples of how oblivious many legislators are to the distinction between public service and private interest. It happened again on Friday when the Senate State Affairs Committee voted to confirm Mike Gwartney’s appointment to run the Department of Administration. Most Senators saw no problem with the fact that he serves on the board of the insurance company that contracts with Idaho to provide health insurance benefits to state employees. Gwartney, an attorney, readily admitted he had a conflict and would recuse himself if the state was to bid the insurance contract today. Reminiscent of the child who pointed out that the emperor was wearing no clothes – Sen. Kate Kelly pointed out the obvious conflict. The fact that Gwartney says he will not accept a state salary for his powerful public job reinforced the impression that his links will be stronger to private interest than public interest. Kelly was the only dissenting vote on the confirmation. Keep pointing out the obvious, Senator. We do care even if your colleagues don’t.
On Wednesday, the legislature moved closer to healing wounds it generated last year by its attack on the sovereignty of Idaho’s Indian Tribes. The state and the tribes had been negotiating for many years about how to address the issue of taxing fuel sold on tribal lands. Last year, a majority of lawmakers got huffy and passed a law unilaterally imposing the tax, knowing that Idaho taxpayers would be stuck paying the legal expenses to defend this law of dubious constitutionality. Once lawmakers went home, tribal leaders and representatives of the Governor continued the negotiations in good faith and reached agreement before the legislature’s law went into effect on Dec. 1. This week, the Senate State Affairs ratified the agreements with the four separate sovereign nations: the Coeur d’Alene, Nez Perce, Kootenai and Shoshone-Bannock Tribes. Tribal leaders were gracious enough not to remind lawmakers of last year’s heavy handed response.
Many lawmakers cling to a short term view of public investments in schools, health care or transportation, even though these are the building blocks of a strong local economy. Their vision gets even more myopic in election years. Kudos to those who buck that cynicism and keep their eye on long-term economic opportunity for everyone. Unfortunately, their work got harder this week when the announcement was made that tax receipts in January were down by about $35 million. Early promises to improve public investments (such as proposals to improve student performance) started melting faster than snow falling on an Idaho hot spring. In a few days, legislators on the budget committee will finish listening to state agency’s budget presentations, most of which include a few hopeful requests for long-neglected programs. They’ll then start setting budgets and news of the revenue slump gives them further excuse to just say no.
Last year, the legislature tapped into public anger over a broken immigration system by scape-goating immigrants in a couple of bills. This year, they are at it again with a bill that targets immigrants without adequate documentation even at the risk of reducing traffic safety for everyone. On Monday, the House passed House Bill 366 to deny driver’s licenses to those without adequate documentation of their immigration status. Opponents of the bill (18 of the House’s 19 Democrats, plus 3 of the House’s 51 Republicans) pointed out that the bill creates even more traps for people who are in the US under variety of visa programs or are waiting word on asylum applications. They are already stuck in a legal limbo. The bill creates more bureaucratic hurdles for them, their employers and local law enforcement. Sponsors seemed nonplussed by what they admitted were the bill’s “imperfections” and blithely passed it.
The last two weeks in the legislature brought home to everyone how close we all are to a sudden and expensive health care crisis. Governor Butch Otter underwent surgery on his hip, a procedure that is essential to ensure he is able to continue to walk well into the future. Senator Clint Stennett underwent brain surgery and is preparing for a treatment plan that will include chemotherapy. And on Thursday, Representative Dennis Lake suffered an apparent stroke on the floor of the House and was rushed to the hospital. All three were in our thoughts and prayers and have assured the people of Idaho that they have been well taken care of and are on the mend. We are thankful that we, the people of Idaho, have invested in their health insurance so that they can continue to serve us in the jobs they were elected to. Perhaps this is a good time for us to remember the thousands of Idahoans who have no health insurance. In our hearts, we know that an investment in a health care system that covers everyone will make our families, our communities and our state so much healthier.
|
|
|
|
|