The legislative task force looking for funding for state parks and ISP has wrapped up its meeting for the day and tentatively set its next meeting for Aug. 11; you can read my full story here at spokesman.com. Rep. Raul Labrador, R-Eagle, warned, "Right now…
If the Idaho State Parks & Recreation Department got no replacement for the gas tax money it's now receiving for off-road recreation, it'd lay off 10 people and endanger programs that now result in grants to local government entities - $32 million over the last…
Idaho now has its first case of West Nile Virus of the season, a Bonneville County man in his 70s, who has been hospitalized. It's a big year for mosquitoes, which carry the virus, and state Health & Welfare officials are advising Idahoans to take…
Dick Rush and Wally Hedrick have been confirmed by the Obama Administration as Idaho's new USDA farm service agency director and state director for rural development, respectively. Both were nominated for those posts by Congressman Walt Minnick, Idaho's highest-ranking official who is of the same…
The Idaho State Police has some suggestions for how to make up the loss of roughly $20 million from its budget when gas tax funds the ISP now receives shift to highways in a year: Raise vehicle registration fees by $5, to generate $8 million;…
If the Idaho State Police had to just absorb the funding cut when it loses gas tax funds a year from tomorrow, ISP would have to lay off 204 people, Lt. Col. Kevin Johnson just told a legislative task force. "On the patrol side we…
The hole that looms to be filled in the Idaho State Police budget is actually larger than some may think, a legislative panel heard this morning. The fiscal year 2010 budget gives the ISP $15.7 million from the state highway fund, which largely comes from…
When the legislative task force ended up with time for some comments from the public this morning, off-road enthusiast Tom Crimmins of Hayden Lake was the first to step to the podium. "I recognize that you have a difficult task and challenge ahead of you…
Recreationists were there in force at today's legislative task force meeting, many wearing specially printed-up name tags that said in bright red above their names, "Hello," and below their names, "I WANT MY GAS TAX BACK." The Idaho Recreation Council printed them up, said Wendy…
Rep. Raul Labrador, R-Eagle, spoke out sharply after Sen. Dean Cameron's opening remarks at a legislative task force meeting this morning, objecting to Cameron's statements that the task force can't simply shift funding for state parks and the Idaho State Police to the general fund…
As the Legislative Task Force that's charged with finding new funding sources for state parks and the Idaho State Police to replace gas taxes they'll lose one year from tomorrow began its first meeting this morning, Co-Chairman Dean Cameron, R-Rupert, told the joint House-Senate panel…
News, happenings and more from the Idaho Legislature and the state capital.
