Byron Yankey's blog

Popkey's Prediction

Political Columnist Dan Popkey isn't predicting a quick end to the standoff between the Idaho House and Governor Otter.

"The Idaho House is taking a four-day weekend, but there are no signals Gov. Butch Otter will grant them their wish to end to the second-longest session ever.As long as the Senate sticks with Otter, stalemate continues."

I do wonder how much of this record breaking session is about transportation and how much is about power. Not long ago, the Governor asked voters to call their legislators and tell them they wanted better roads.  According to several legislators I have talked to,voters did call in, but it was not in support of the Governor's transportation plan. Holding Senate Republican in line will prove to be harder every day, especially now.

Someone told me last November, "Politics in not about forgive and forget, it is about remember and repay."   When all is over,I wonder what key Republicans will remember and how they will be repaid.

Late night at the Legislature

Betsy Russell is hard at it reporting on the frenzied, mindless vote marathon taking place in the House of Representatives at the Capitol Annex. Below you will see a variety of posts she has made.  The time stamp on each article is Pacific Standard Time so you can see how late they are working.  When all of the shouting is done and the ink is dried, what will this legislative session be remembered for? 

Here are some of Betsy's bests:

Pizza fueled decision making. At nearly 7 pm the House had passed 30 bills starting at about 10 in the morning and taking breaks for a press conference a caucus or two and some committee meetings.  See what I mean about frenzied and mindless.

The $20 million dollar shift. This bill is a shell game...shifting money between federal dollars and general fund dollars.  It is an unwise and unnecessary action.

"Rep. Shirley Ringo, D-Moscow, noted that the bill includes a shift of $20 million of school funding that had come from the state’s general fund, which was taken out and replaced by federal stimulus money. That freed up the $20 million for spending elsewhere in the state budget."

Emotional Debate??  The good Senator from Rexburg quoted below obviously doesn't understand what happened with the education budget.

Sen. Brent Hill, R-Rexburg, said, “I’ve always supported education … yet there are those that believe we’re the bad guys in this economic stress. … We sat here and voted to cut other programs left and right. Some of those were tough votes,” including sharp cuts in the departments of commerce, environmental quality and agriculture. “Why? So we could put more dollars in public education. …"  What about the $20million shift?

From Senator Kate Kelly One of the best quote of the day...

“I’m very sad to be part of the first legislature to cut funding for our public school system,” Senate Minority Leader Kate Kelly, D-Boise, told the Senate. “We’re doing something that we’ve never done before, and we’re leaving our kids behind.”

 

I don't hate teachers...  From Rep. Noni,

“Counter to everything you might read in the newspaper, I don’t hate teachers - I admire teachers. I think it’s an admirable profession.”

In my day, Rep. Noni would have had to write, I don't hate teachers. I don't hate teachers...a thousand times...on college ruled paper, no erasing.  Can you tell I had to do something similar a time or two in school?
AND HERE IT IS FOLKS...THE LAST ONE OF THE NIGHT The House of Representatives has adjourned at nearly 9 tonight. I wonder what will happen next? Maybe they all should join the Governor for a cup of coffee.

 SB 1166, a controversial bill to retroactively alter provisions regarding the state insurance fund, just passed the House 50-16. That’s the last bill the House is taking up tonight. Rep. Pete Nielsen, R-Mountain Home, announced that a barbecue scheduled for tomorrow is being put off to Monday because the House is adjourning sine die tonight.

12 reasons...

From the Times News (Twin Falls) comes a dozen reasons not to give up hope.  The Magic Valley paper lists 12 legislators and their accomplishments in this legislative session. It is a fairly non partisan list of elected officials.  At least it is food for thought.

Hotspots and Highlights

The Emmett Cherry Festival is listed in "Notable Places to Explore" a feature in this month's Smithsonian Magazine.  Check it out.

Not my Mom...

Driving to work this morning along 12th Ave in Nampa, I noticed a reader board outside a local business. It prominently announced a Mother's Day Special. This business must be experiencing the same economic slow down as others.  Not long ago the same reader board announced a two for one special.

As I continued my commute to school I thought about buying Mother's Day presents as a small child. I remember a couple of shopping trips to the local Rexall Drug Store with my younger brother.  Of course we were looking for that perfect gift for Mom.

The drug store had a little bit of everything; home remedies, hair products for that perfect crew cut, greeting cards, Whitman Samplers, hand creams, talcum powders, and assorted bric-a-brac.  A time or two we would combine the money we had saved from the tooth fairy or from sweeping the garage floor where my Dad worked.

More than once I remember spending a lot of time trying to select the perfect women's handkerchief. (Something you don't see anymore.)They were kept in a glass case in fancy boxes. Time and time again we would ask the clerk to take a handkerchief out of the case so we could see it up close.  Of course we could never touch it, just look.

When the selection was finally made we would pile our coins on the counter and carefully count out the money.  Each of us was hoping there would be money left for penny candy or a pack of Juicy Fruit Gum or maybe even a pack of Lifesavers;five flavors of course.

I abruptly returned to thinking about the sign I had seen and the Mother's Day Special it advertised. Boy times have changed...I imagine a conversation going something like this.  "Gee Mom, I had a hard time deciding what to buy you this year until I saw this sign on 12th Ave.   They had the greatest Mother's Day Special.  I hope you will like your new tattoo..."      

We're leaving...

House leaders say Wednesday is the day. The countdown is on.  Battle lines have been drawn,again. And now the voters of the state will have to wait to see what happens.  With differences on all sides, legislators heading home for jobs and commitments, this doesn't have signs of ending well. Last minute focus on transportation has pushed all other bills and appropriations to the end of the line.  That raises questions about how completely these important legislative acts will be considered and reviewed.  It looks like the last days of work for this session could become a scripted event where bills will are quickly read and voted on at a frenzied pace.  This would not build credibility or confidence in our elected officials.

Transportation Smack Down

It's just getting crazier.  Governor Otter is asking between $75 to $80 million for transportation.  The last best offer from House Majority Leadership in about $30 million.  That seems to be a long way apart.  In my career on occasion I have used a strategy I call consensus by exhaustion.  It seems like that same strategy is being used by both sides.

Late this afternoon the drama continues.

Jason Kreizenbeck, Otter's chief of staff, said the House's current plan is not enough.

"He needs something more around $80 million," Kreizenbeck said. "The goal here is to find as stable, predictable, long-term revenue source that is based on a user-pay philosophy."

Senate Assistant Majority Leader Joe Stegner said, “The governor hasn’t changed his resolve to have a fuel-tax bill this year.”

Stegner, R-Lewiston, was one of four Republican senators who met with Otter for an hour Monday afternoon.

“He expressly indicated to us that he is as committed today as he was last week that he wants the transportation-funding issue solved this session with a dedicated source to do it,” said Bart Davis, R-Idaho Falls, the Senate majority leader.

Unseating Minnick...

I got the Statesman this morning and there it was! Right on the front page (under a sports headline, NO BRONCOS DRAFTED...talk about news priorities)

The 2010 Congressional race is heating up already. The last race was one of the most expensive in Idaho's history.  That means the 2010 campaign will be a slug fest to build huge war chests that can be spent to inundate the 1st District with mailings,commercials and billboards.

It was interesting to me that State Senator John McGee didn't warrant a picture or even a reference in this article. As cheerleader and water boy for Governor Otter, I believe he is building the best political capital he can by demonstrating that he is trustworthy,loyal, articulate and focused hoping that money will come later. 

I was a bit puzzled to see John McCain's picture in the lineup with potential Republican candidates.  Let's hope he doesn't become the de facto leader of the Idaho Republican Party. (Oh wait, maybe he already is.)

Republican Primary Smackdown

Bill Sali again???

It could be a fun primary season in 2010.

"Sali has filed papers with the Federal Election Commission allowing him to raise funds, but has consistently said he hasn't made up his mind about 2010.

His campaign reported raising $2,352 in the quarter ending March 31. He still owes creditors $111,084 from his 2008 race.

Vaughn Ward of Eagle, a Marine veteran, has declared for the GOP nomination and raised $50,100 in the first quarter. State Treasurer Ron Crane is also considering the race, as is state Sen. John McGee, R-Caldwell."

I can't imagine that a four way race for the primary would occur.  It tickles me to imagine what behind the scenes actions could happen between now and the next political season to whittle down the numbers.  I think I can already hear some bloggers salivating at the possibilities.

 

The ultimate "Dear John" letter

"It's time for the Legislature to wrap up its business and goes home."  So, begins a "dear John" letter written by the GOP House Leadership team.

"As House leaders, we recognize there may be a day and time that we need to consider raising the fuel tax to supply more revenue for our roads and bridges. But this is not the day or time to raise them, considering the record amount of financing available for highways in Idaho. The votes for a fuel tax increase have not been there after multiple tries in the House and we don’t see many colleagues changing their minds."

For the countless reasons that I hope each Representative has, you have to see their point of few.  How many more votes would it take?  I suppose you could speculate that at some point someone would figure out what trade off would need to be made to get some votes changes, but how much longer would that take?

"Governor Otter has made a strong statement and we respect his convictions. But we also think the good Governor should respect the thoughts and convictions of the majority of House members. The overwhelming consensus is that House members strongly believe that raising fuel taxes is the wrong thing to do during an economic recession."

Okay, now the issue of mutual respect raises its ugly head. If you think of respect as the checks and balances designed into our system of government then maybe their point of view carries that strongest weight.

   "So let’s not make this a test of political wills."

Too late for that request.  It has always been a test of political wills!

"This is a citizens legislature and people in this body have jobs, families and personal lives beyond serving. We have been in session for more than 100 days, the second longest in Idaho’s history, and the people want us to go home."

Well, they are right about the last part...people want them to go home.

"But make no mistake, legislators are willing to stay as long as necessary to complete the people’s work."

Translation, "but we won't back down."

There are many important bills and budgets left to be passed. (And don't forget the bills the Governor vetoed.) So, let's hope the weekend helps reason to prevail.