Risk Of More Flooding Jeopardizes Pay Hike Advocate Of Raise For State Workers, Batt Admits Few Options In Tight Budget
Having seen multimillion-dollar damage bills from two floods in less than a year, Idaho lawmakers are queasy about prospects for even more flood damage - and bigger bills - this spring.
And the $8 million Gov. Phil Batt earmarked for a 2 percent state employee pay raise could be diverted to cover those expenses.
“The problem is the budget,” Senate Republican Caucus Chairman Mel Richardson said on Monday after the GOP majority discussed the situation for an hour behind closed doors.
“We’re trying to save $10 million somewhere,” Richardson said. “Where are we going to get it?”
Just last week, the co-chairmen of the budget committee essentially discounted talk of stiffing state workers on a proposed pay hike. But Senate President Pro Tem Jerry Twiggs concedes now that it is an obvious target in the search for cash to finance future flood relief.
Richardson said eliminating the pay hike was only one of a number of alternatives broached during the caucus and no consensus was reached.
But Batt, who has been a staunch advocate for state workers, admitted that few other pieces of his no-frills 1998 budget could generate the kind of cash likely required if record and near-record snowpacks melt into heavy floods in May and June.
“Circumstances have changed since we made our recommendations,” Batt said just as the Senate caucus was beginning. “Certainly it’s not something we’d like to do, but we’re going to be looking for sacrifices from everyone.”
With the past two floods causing nearly $100 million in damage - about 10 percent of it covered by the state - the governor said resources are stretched to the limit now and spring flooding will only exacerbate that.
“Obviously, none of us are happy with the fiscal straits we’re in, but all of the budgets have been tightened down so much,” he said, that the employee pay raise “is a logical place to look.” xxxx LEGISLATIVE ACTION Introduced in Senate SB1047 (Health and Welfare) Deletes obsolete language from public assistance law. SB1048 (Health and Welfare) Deletes obsolete language from public assistance law. SB1049 (Health and Welfare) Adopts non-financial requirements of the Social Security Act for cash assistance eligibility. SB1050 (Health and Welfare) Authorizes the Health and Welfare Department to obtain financial information in carrying out its responsibilities under federal assistance laws. SB1051 (Health and Welfare) Revamps state law to more efficiently use public money in assisting the developmentally disabled. SB1052 (Health and Welfare) Creates a state directory to track newly hired public and private industry employees under federal welfare reform laws. SB1053 (Health and Welfare) Expands the possible actions against deadbeat parents. SB1054 (Health and Welfare) Authorizes genetic testing to be ordered in efforts to determine paternity. SB1055 (Health and Welfare) Extends adoption of child support guidelines through mid-1999. SB1056 (Health and Welfare) Clarifies income withholding orders in delinquent child support cases. SB1057 (Health and Welfare) Clarifies licenses subject to suspension upon non-payment of child support. SB1058 (Judiciary and Rules) Allows retired judges and magistrates to solemnize marriages. SB1059 (Judiciary and Rules) Cross references the maximum charge on bounced checks. SB1060 (Judiciary and Rules) Adds terrorism to the crimes covered by the state’s victims compensation law. SB1061 (Judiciary and Rules) Gives discretion to judges on whether to order continued support payments after a child reaches 18. SB1062 (Judiciary and Rules) Revamps Idaho’s Uniform Interstate Family Support Act. SB1063 (Resources and Environment) Approves water plan for the South Fork Snake River. SB1064 (Resources and Environment) Increases the stream channel alteration fee for non-residents from $10 to $100. SB1065 (Resources and Environment) Includes mountain lion among animals that cannot be wastefully destroyed or mutilated. SB1066 (Resources and Environment) Allows foreign exchange students to obtain hunting and fishing licenses at resident rates. SB1067 (Resources and Environment) Creates a $10 Wildlife Management Area Upland Game Permit. SB1068 (State Affairs) Bans out-of-state contributions to political campaigns. SB1069 (State Affairs) Requires preelection financial disclosure by anyone making independent expenditures in a political campaign. SB1070 (State Affairs) Raises the state minimum wage to $5.15 on Sept. 1 with a 33 percent tip reduction for tipped employees. SB1071 (State Affairs) Limits contributions to political campaigns to $1,000 for non-statewide offices and $5,000 to statewide offices.
Introduced in House HB146 (Transportation and Defense) Amends Local Land Use Planning Law as it relates to regional transportation planning organizations. - Associated Press