State employees should be concerned after listening to Governor Otter's State of the State speech yesterday. In fact, all residents of the Great State of Idaho should be concerned. As the speech progressed, it became increasingly obvious that Governor Otter simply isn't learning the lessons he should be when it comes to the "new normal" in the state's budget.
Governor Otter explained his philosophy of Idaho government as one that respects its revenue as "the people's money". Yet he apparently doesn't believe in spending that revenue on services to the very people he is talking about. It was obvious that this is an election year speech because he still is still unwilling to address the problems around revenue. I'm not talking about increasing taxes here, I'm just talking about making the existing tax structure fair to ALL of the people of Idaho, and not just wealthy landowners, corporate agribusiness, and big business in general. Why is Governor Otter apparently unwilling to address these issues? Because those groups are his biggest campaign donors.
If this is "the people's money," then let's spend it on the people! For instance, his suggestion to eliminate Parks and Recreation. Holdbacks may already cause the closing of some Idaho state parks, and this is a terrible outcome. Some legislators, and apparently, Governor Otter, believe parks should charge higher fees. Yet I know that many Idahoans raising families use the parks because a camping vacation is pretty much the only family vacation they can afford. I know that was definitely my situation when my sons were little boys. Think of all "the people" that this will affect.
Idaho working people have very little recourse when they are fired from a job in this "Right to Work" state, but at least they have the Human Rights Commission as a resource when they are fired for blatantly discriminatory reasons. "The people" won't have that resource if Governor Otter gets his way.
And phasing out funding for IPTV? That's just crazy talk! IPTV has just expanded its coverage of the legislature to include live coverage of JFAC. In fact, I watched the Governor's speech by the internet streaming service provided by IPTV. It's important for "the people" to be able to keep an eye on their legislators. Not to mention all the great programming IPTV provides. In fact, I watched a program just this week about the history of the Idaho Capitol building.
In fact, every commission and agency Governor Otter is considering phasing out is important to "the people", and the savings he cites for closing these commissions and agencies could be made up for if the legislature will close the tax loopholes for wealthy Idahoans.
One last thing bears pointing out concerning the Governor's philosophy of Government. Governor Otter and many of the Idaho legislators seem to think that the way to bring business to Idaho is by giving corporations tons of tax breaks and incentives. But that myopic view of the way to entice businesses to Idaho will not serve us well in the end. Businesses locate to states that have a well-trained and well-educated workforce (how will we get that with cuts to education and universities and community colleges?), and a great quality of life (how will we achieve that with fewer parks?). Governor Otter, please wake up and smell the coffee. Your philosophy of Government is out-dated and no longer serves our state well.
