The 2024 Idaho Public Policy Survey finds newcomers are 11 percentage points more likely to identify as Republicans and 10 percentage points less likely to identify as Independents than Idahoans who have lived here for more than 10 years. One would expect the increasingly Republican voting population to align tightly with the Republican supermajority in power, but that is not the case. In fact, the polling shows that Idahoans overwhelmingly agree with Democrats on the major issues of our day.

A majority of Idahoans oppose the abortion ban the GOP enacted. Nearly 70% of voters trust their libraries to make decisions about the content they make available, while Republican lawmakers bring bills threatening librarians with jail time and expensive lawsuits. As GOP legislators push for school vouchers, only 49% of Idahoans approve, and support drops when respondents consider the diminished school funding they will cause.

For the first time in the survey’s history, more voters thought Idaho was moving in the wrong direction compared to 40% who think Idaho is on the right track.

A different poll showed strong opposition to Medicaid cuts and strong support for leaving Medicaid expansion in place, while the Republican supermajority seeks to slash Medicaid and repeal Medicaid expansion. Yet another poll revealed very strong support for investing in our dilapidated school facilities, an issue Republican lawmakers have refused to act on for years.

These discrepancies underscore a stark contrast between the policy preferences of regular Idahoans and the legislation pursued by the dominant political party.

To long-time Republicans who have been left behind by their party, I invite you to take a closer look at Idaho Democrats. For newcomers to Idaho who voted Republican in their former states, I invite you to get to know your Idaho Democratic candidates and our local issues. And every Idahoan should read the Idaho Democratic Party platform and compare it to the Idaho Republican Party platform, which is squarely outside the mainstream.

For representative democracy to function well, voters need to stay engaged, research candidates, and provide accountability when politicians ignore their views.

If you, like a majority of Idahoans, support adequate school funding and safe facilities, oppose costly voucher schemes with zero accountability, support our libraries, or want the restoration of our reproductive freedoms, a vote for Idaho Democrats is your best bet.

The integrity of our nationally-lauded budgeting process started eroding last year. GOP leaders knocked House Democrats down to just one member on the budget committee, taking away our proportional representation. This month, Republican co-chairs ushered in new procedures, beginning negotiations by cramming skeletal budgets through at the outset instead of studying funding needs first.

The speed-budgeting spent about $2 billion per hour. This meant many omissions and errors, including one that nearly slashed annual teacher pay by $6,359. My Democratic colleagues rightfully voted against this careless approach.

The skeletal budgets leave critical initiatives unfunded such as the LAUNCH scholarships for in-demand job training, interventions for the dangerous quagga mussels threatening our water, and upgrades to bridges that pose a safety risk. Small in scope, but still important, are items like guardian ad litem programs, which advocate for children as they navigate foster care.

Budget committee leaders claim they will add funding, but they have backed Idaho into a devastating default budget. And they made it difficult to resolve harmful cuts. Once a budget is passed, rules require that two-thirds of the committee vote to reopen it, or seven of the ten members from the House and Senate. This threshold means a “no” vote counts more than twice as much as a “yes” vote. A few fringe legislators have the power to keep slash-and-burn budgets in place.

What is the supermajority’s motivation? It appears to be about power. Traditionally, House leaders will hold off on approving one budget bill to prevent the Senate from adjourning, before they get something they want, and vice versa. The new process yielded a default skeletal budget to fall back on, creating a “hostage” legislative leaders may be willing to shoot, with harmful repercussions for Idahoans.

Additionally, the house speaker can unilaterally hold any bill, including bills that correct budget holes. It’s reminiscent of the power House Republicans in Congress gave each member to recall Speaker McCarthy. Matt Gaetz used it to leave our nation with a non-functioning government for weeks while Republicans haggled over who would become the next speaker.

These changes put undue power into the hands of a few who can manufacture budget space for their personal agenda items, such as the school voucher scheme that both budget committee chairs have endorsed.

Idahoans deserve a budget that goes through a fair process and is responsive to constituents. It’s more important than ever that Idahoans speak up about their budget priorities.

In his State of the State address, Governor Little touted a long-overdue investment in facilities
that made headlines. But when we read the fine print, we see he is largely continuing to kick the
can down the road. In the coming year, as schools face over $1.3 billion in facilities needs, they
would receive just $200 million. And that’s if this proposal can make its way through the
Republican supermajority, which has the same terrible track record in supporting school
infrastructure.

In addition to increased state investment, there are two obvious policy solutions GOP
lawmakers have rejected that would put schools on firmer ground. First, we must allow school
districts to charge impact fees on new developments. Local governments regularly charge
developers for the new roads, sewer lines, and other infrastructure that new housing
developments necessitate. By making the same allowance for school infrastructure, growth can
pay for itself instead of asking existing taxpayers to foot the bill.

Second, we need to end the two-thirds majority requirement for passing school bonds. This has
tripped up desperate school districts like Boundary where recent bonds garnered a clear
majority of the vote, but fell short of the threshold. The state is letting a minority of voters deny
our students safe school buildings. Even a threshold of 55% or 60% of the vote would ensure
that more projects with strong public support can proceed.

How we got here is a lesson Idahoans cannot afford to forget. As our schools have gone long
underfunded, Little and his GOP colleagues have bragged about record budget surpluses,
manufactured by the neglect of our core duties. They repeatedly doled out enormous rebates
and permanent revenue cuts to the wealthiest while schools crumbled. His overdue
acknowledgment of the problem is a small step towards redemption, but it’s no cause for a
victory lap. For over twenty years, Little has held office in the Republican supermajority that
created this crisis.

Idaho Democrats have tirelessly fought for increased investments in Idaho schools while the
GOP underpaid our educators and let our schools fall into disrepair. Little is right when he says
we can do better. It is a shame that it took him more than two decades in public office to realize
this.

Community schools recognize that students come with families — families who need to be engaged in their children’s education and who often need connections to resources to thrive.

Four Boise schools first launched the national model in Idaho in 2016. Today, Idaho has 41 community schools across 25 districts. I was fortunate to see the difference firsthand at my children’s elementary school: parents are frequently invited into the school to engage with their students’ learning, staff coordinate parent support classes, partnerships with food banks fuel in-school pantries, and coordinators connect parents to nonprofit resources when they are facing homelessness, healthcare needs, and other challenges.

The community school approach is backed by research demonstrating better student attendance, reductions in disciplinary events, and improved achievement. Unfortunately, a major limiting factor in their expansion in Idaho has been funding. We have a patchwork of haves and have-nots when we ought to ensure every child can attend a community school. This is why our new federal investment is so exciting.

U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona’s recent visit to Idaho underscores the promise of this opportunity. Idaho will receive a Full-Service Community Schools grant totaling $6.5 million annually from the Biden Administration to expand the reach of community schools. This will mean 50 additional schools implementing the model, specifically targeting rural areas and Title I schools, which have higher portions of families facing low wages.

The Marsing School District has demonstrated the lifeline that community schools provide in rural Idaho. In the absence of state-funded preschool, the district established early learning programs at the local community center and partnered with neighboring districts to create a special education partnership. When the local food bank and senior center closed, the school district and community partners collaborated to create a school resource center. Marsing illustrates how community schools fill critical gaps in services, especially in regions where resources are more spread out.

The success of community schools across diverse landscapes is partly why they have broad political support. They also provide a stark contrast to school vouchers, which siphon critical taxpayer dollars to private schools with no oversight or accountability.

We must make smart investments in the promise of public education and offer real solutions to the unique challenges faced by students and families. Idaho Democrats will continue to support initiatives to ensure every student has the opportunity to succeed

However, Idaho is seeing a disturbing trend, leading us away from this ideal. Extremist
candidates with radical agendas are gaining power, often damaging the very institutions
they are meant to safeguard. On November 7, voters must be vigilant and reject
extremism as we decide who will lead our school boards and communities.

The West Bonner School District is a cautionary tale, illustrating the stakes and the
ease with which extremism can take hold. In 2021, far-right candidates, Keith Rutledge
and Susan Brown were elected as trustees. They had extremely narrow margins of
victory in a low-turnout election. Overall, only a few hundred votes were cast, just a
fraction of eligible voters.

It is understandable that local elections can be overlooked due to the demands of work,
family, and other responsibilities. Nevertheless, as we have seen in West Bonner, the
consequences of sitting on the sidelines can be profound. Brown and Rutledge, along
with a third trustee, hired an unqualified, inexperienced ideologue who supports school
vouchers to serve as the school superintendent. The embattled superintendent ignored
input from the public, made unpopular decisions, and alienated educators. He also
demanded an expensive package of perks and benefits — including free legal
assistance for his spouse and a car — all while calling for deep cuts to educational
service investments.

Ultimately, the dysfunction united the community, which successfully recalled the two
trustees. But undoing the damage was a difficult task, involving gathering signatures to
secure a recall election, raising funds, and pouring volunteer hours into running recall
campaigns. Even after voters decisively ousted Rutledge and Brown, court orders,
criminal investigations, and obstruction ensued before the superintendent finally
resigned.

Idaho voters can prevent disasters like this one on Tuesday. Important races will take
place across the state and many could be decided by a handful of votes. Doing our
research before we enter the voting booth gives us the best chance of supporting
candidates who will faithfully strengthen public education, maintain community safety,
and support thriving Main Streets.

Your vote in local elections is critical to protect what your community has built and make
necessary progress. On November 7, let’s elect Idahoans who prioritize the public good
and the betterment of the state we call home.

Every child deserves a safe route to school. And parents across Idaho should feel confident sending their children out the door. Unfortunately, we’re moving in the wrong direction as a nation. In 1969, 42% of children ages 5 to 14 walked to school. By 2009, that number was down to 13%. This trend means a lost opportunity for kids to get exercise and gain independence. It also means more cars on the road, with the related increases in traffic and air pollution.

A report card from the Safe Routes Partnership shows that Idaho in particular has a lot of work to do to keep our kids safe. That work was highlighted last week when I attended the 2023 Transportation Policy Conference put on by the Idaho Walk Bike Alliance. The conference covered the need to improve bike and pedestrian safety.

I attended because I want every family to be able to walk and bike safely and because the stakes could not be higher. Reading recent headlines, I’m heartbroken by the spike in pedestrian and bike fatalities, including child deaths. On average, 445 Idahoans are involved in motor vehicle crashes per year while walking or biking. Between 2017 and 2021, 25% of these crashes resulted in serious injury or death.

People traveling in vehicles are facing increasing risks. During what law enforcement calls the “100 Deadliest Days,” the period from Memorial Day to Labor Day, Idaho experienced 21% more car accident fatalities in 2023 than in 2022.

Facing such tragic trends, it’s unconscionable that Republican legislators are working against measures that prevent fatalities. The legislation they succeeded in passing, House Bill 87, limits a key transportation funding stream to road maintenance, expansion of travel lanes, and congestion mitigation. Every Democrat voted against this limitation, understanding that roads also need sidewalks and other features that keep our families safe. We also believe the locally-elected highway district commissioners should have the freedom to address local needs and not be restricted by mandates from far-away state legislators. Notably, the lone House Republican who voted with us is a retired police chief.

While this legislation is a serious setback, Idaho Democrats will continue to strive for a future where we manage our roads with our children’s safety top of mind.

Every industry in Idaho faces a pressing need for more qualified workers with specific skills. The
demands of the modern job market have evolved. Today almost 80% of all jobs require some
form of postsecondary education or training. In particular, there is a growing demand for workers
in “middle-skill” jobs — positions that require more than a diploma but less than a four-year
college degree like electricians, bookkeepers, and medical assistants.

I was encouraged to see the broad, statewide support that Idaho Launch garnered when it was
introduced in early 2023. Education leaders and every major business group in the state threw
their weight behind it. They recognized the positive economic benefits for students and
businesses alike. However, it was disheartening to see the unnecessary obstacles this program
faced within the Statehouse.

The ideological objections and the rise of far-right extremism within our Legislature’s Republican
caucus make it difficult for popular and much-needed investments like this to pass. Only a few
years ago, the same brand of obstructionism killed an $18 million, 3-year grant to support early
learning collaboratives across the states by making false claims that the locally designed
programs amounted to “indoctrination.” Similarly, certain Republican politicians denounced
Launch as “socialism,” ignoring our economy’s dire need for a qualified workforce. Those views
are out of touch with the majority of Idahoans who understand the importance of preparing our
youth for the jobs of tomorrow.

Without the unanimous support of Idaho Democrats in the Legislature, Idaho Launch would
have failed. In the House, it passed by a single vote. If one Democrat representative had lost
their election, Idahoans would be missing out on this smart investment to address serious
workforce challenges.

Sadly, far-right ideologues want to dismantle the progress we’re making. That’s why Idahoans
must speak out to protect Idaho Launch today. Contact your legislators and tell them you
support investing in our future workforce. Encourage eligible high school seniors to consider the
in-demand careers that await them with Idaho Launch.
Idaho Democrats remain committed to championing education investments to ensure the future
prosperity of our state. Together, we can build a brighter future for every Idahoan.

Still, the most notable result was the successful recall of two West Bonner School District trustees. The district offers a cautionary tale of the damage that occurs when far-right politicians seize power. And it reminds us that ongoing vigilance is required to defend against extremism at all levels of government.

In June, West Bonner trustees, Keith Rutledge and Susan Brown, voted to install a far-right politician with zero school administrative experience. This superintendent holds fringe views, including support for censuring curriculum and voucher schemes that siphon funds from public schools to private and religious schools. His lack of experience, coupled with his anti-public education ideology should have disqualified him. Instead, Rutledge and Brown saw these as assets.

The superintendent’s first priority was personal gain. On top of a six-figure salary exceeding his predecessor’s, he asked for eye-popping perks like a personal vehicle, car insurance and free gasoline, a housing allowance, relocation reimbursement, and free meals. A red flag was embedded in his bizarre request for the district to cover legal costs for both himself and his wife.

Then came the mismanagement. Despite fierce opposition from the community, he advanced plans to combine the middle school and high school. He fired two administrators without cause (prompting a lawsuit) and replaced them with political allies, one of whom is the spouse of a vocal anti-semite. The State Board of Education warned he lacked the credentials to hold the
job lawfully and educators fled the chaotic district.

Fortunately, parents, educators, and business owners sprang into action. Working across party lines, they publicized the superintendent’s terrible leadership and the lack of transparency from Rutledge and Brown during the hiring and negotiations. Volunteers knocked on doors and built a homegrown recall effort, gathering enough signatures to put the trustees on the ballot.

With massive voter turnout and by decisive margins, Rutledge and Brown were successfully recalled.

The efforts of the concerned residents were remarkable. Still, serious damage was done and the future of West Bonner Schools remains uncertain. In one of their final acts, the trustees amended the superintendent’s contract, making his removal more difficult.

It is imperative that Idaho avoids future calamities like this one.

In November, voters across Idaho will elect school board members. Extremist candidates campaigning today share the far-right’s objectives: to sow chaos, bully teachers, and undermine our schools. Idaho voters must pay close attention to these races and vote for candidates who will protect and improve our schools, rather than tear them down.

Our children’s access to food should have been a serious priority. It’s harder for kids to learn on an empty stomach and food insecurity impacts everything from a child’s mental and physical health to their future economic prosperity. That’s why it’s crucial to take advantage of every opportunity to nourish our kids.

This new federal program first launched in 2020, providing eligible families with the cost of breakfast and lunch that their children receive during the school year when school is out. These extra funds for food cost Idaho nothing but required coordination between the State Department of Education and the Department of Health and Welfare to determine eligibility and administer benefits. Over the intervening years and with a leadership change at the State Department of Education, elected Republican officials had the opportunity to act. They could have fought for an appropriation needed to implement the program, ensured schools could update the necessary data systems, and put a plan in place to implement the program. Instead, they did nothing. The deadline to participate in the 2023 summer passed earlier this month with no action.

While Republican state leaders dropped the ball in such a profound way, they have no sense of accountability to the kids and families who are impacted. The State Department of Education’s explanations that changing course would be “difficult” or “that’s the way it was done before” are not much better than Gov. Little refusing to comment on the mess at all. The uncomfortable truth is that elected Republicans calculated that they could deny Idaho families their due benefits without any consequences because the kids at risk of going hungry have no political power. And the Idaho Republican Party’s walled-off primary elections reward not what is right, but what is the most extreme.

Denying summer meals for Idaho children is an administrative failure and a moral outrage. One-party rule will continue to harm Idahoans and put our shared prosperity at risk — until we change it. This summer, our children will pay the price. We can and must do better.

Idahoans overwhelmingly backed this move, with 80% supporting an advisory question on the November 2022 ballot. Unfortunately, rather than protecting and expanding learning opportunities for the coming year, many of our schools and districts are now considering layoffs and other cost-cutting measures because of an unfair and outdated funding formula. School leaders expect a funding reduction of $140 million, meaning they will receive a little more than half the boost they were promised.

Idaho is one of a handful of states that calculates school funding on average daily attendance instead of more reliable measurements like enrollment. Widely considered to be the most inequitable way of calculating funding, average daily attendance often undercounts enrollment, particularly for students with the most challenges.

While this funding formula has long been a problem, the COVID pandemic amplified it by causing severe volatility in attendance. Recognizing this, the Idaho Board of Education wisely voted to switch to enrollment-based funding. But, this temporary rule change is set to expire at the end of the school year.

The return to attendance-based funding means schools will lose millions of dollars. Idaho’s largest district, West Ada, will have $18 million less than expected. Districts will have to scramble to manage these shortfalls and learning opportunities will suffer. For example, funds earmarked to increase wages for teachers and paraprofessionals or expand career technical programs may be redirected to cover basic operating expenses like utilities. In a news interview, Twin Falls School District Superintendent Brady Dickson warned, “For most districts around the state, they’re gonna have to reduce staff.”

This didn’t have to happen. During the 2022 legislative session, all Democratic legislators — along with a number of Republicans — voted to extend enrollment-based funding through the coming year. The legislation also called for an interim committee to explore a permanent solution for funding calculations. Frustratingly, Gov. Little vetoed the bill, despite pleas from teachers, school boards, and the public.

While the nuances of school funding are complex, the bottom line is that schools deserve reliable adequate funding. Without action, the positive effects of HB1 will be severely diminished and our promise to Idaho’s children will go unfulfilled.