Courtesy Idaho Freedom Caucus

January 9, 2023

Idaho Freedom Caucus dismayed with Governor Little’s State of the State Address
Today the governor once again demonstrated his lack of understanding on how much Idaho
families are struggling. His big-government platitudes will not help financially strapped
families who are collapsing under staggering inflation and getting crushed by high property
taxes. Throwing more money to executive bureaucrats to expand government programs is
NOT a conservative solution.
The governor is deaf to the plight of Idaho children trapped in poorly performing schools.
Idaho’s return on so-called “education investment” is dismal as assessment scores continue to
drop. Idaho must fund students not systems.
Idaho DOES NOT have universal school choice, instead we have a government school system
that rewards the teaching of woke agendas which are full of radical gender identity and liberal
indoctrination. Gone are the days of being rewarded for performance. Instead, the governor
gives a nod to socialism by increasing the pay for all, regardless of how good or bad a teacher
may be. Who among us doesn’t want a $6,300 pay raise?
The governor proposes to give every high school graduate an $8,500 scholarship to further
their education. This is something we expect from the Biden administration, not from
“conservative” Idaho. Welfare education is a tool of socialist countries, not a path to limited
government and fiscal conservatism. A real solution would be to lower the cost of tuition by
eliminating waste and misplaced education priorities.
The governor completely ignores the Medicaid budget monster that is now the biggest
spending hole in Idaho. Idaho spends more on Medicaid and welfare programs than
education and even pays many who don’t qualify. The governor is oblivious to this $4.6 billion
spending dragon.
It’s unclear how using $120 million dollars of a $1.5 billion surplus towards an “investment” in
roads and water quality will provide real property tax relief for Idahoans. Sounds like more
breadcrumbs for families. Shouldn’t Idaho families get all $1.5 billion of their tax over
payments?
The Freedom Caucus is dismayed with the Governor’s massive spending agenda which
continues to grow the government while offering little to no real relief to hard-working
families. The caucus will work to represent the best interests of all Idahoans and not those of
special interests and big-government bureaucracies.
What Idaho needs is more Ron DeSantis, less Gavin Newsom.