Josh Tanner's Newsletter 4/12/24
The session is over. Now what?
Dear friends,
The 2024 legislative session is done. It was my honor to represent the citizens of Eagle, Emmett, and all of Gem County in the 67th Idaho Legislature.
Budget Cuts
I am incredibly proud of the work we did in the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee (JFAC) to bring more accountability and responsibility to our state budget.
Coming into this year, our budget was out of control. Appropriations were massively increasing, year after year, going up by 67% from 2019-2024. Much of this was driven by federal Covid spending.
I’m happy to report that we managed to cut that increase to only 1.7% for fiscal year 2025. It’s a huge step toward true fiscal responsibility in Idaho. With federal Covid funds beginning to expire, it’s important for us to scale back agency budgets rather than replace those funds with Idaho tax dollars.
Reducing our dependence on federal money is I think the most important task facing the Legislature in the years to come. Federal bureaucrats shower Idaho with cash, but every dollar has strings attached. The 10th amendment to the Constitution reserves powers to the states, but the federal government gets around that by making federal money contingent on regulations.
This year in JFAC I argued against the budget for the Division of Welfare. The Dept. of Health and Welfare had included a new program from the Biden Administration that would distribute EBT cards in summer to families who qualified for free or reduced lunch. This is socialism, pure and simple. Fortunately, the Senate defeated this bill, so JFAC got back together and stripped that program out.
Next year I hope we can reduce federal spending even more.
Silver and Gold
One of the biggest reasons we need to stop taking federal money is because our country is more than $34 trillion in debt and nobody in Washington DC seems to care. They just keep printing money, kicking the can to the next generation. It can’t go on forever. The more they print, the less our money is worth. Anyone who has gone grocery shopping recently knows how much more expensive everything has become.
That is why I debated in favor of a bill to allow the State Treasurer to invest a small portion of our holdings in precious metals. Gold and silver tend to maintain their value even as the dollar becomes more worthless every day, so it makes sense for Idaho to take advantage of this kind of investment.
Other nations, even opponents like China and Russia, have seen the writing on the wall and are stocking up on precious metals. We need to prepare for an uncertain future.
Unfortunately, Gov. Little vetoed the bill after it passed both the House and Senate, and we were unable to override it. I hope to see this back next year. The longer we wait, the more worthless our cash will be.
Upcoming Events
Last summer I taught a series of classes on the legislative process and how state budgets are made. I’m looking forward to doing this again this year, educating citizens on how government works and how you can get involved in the process. Abraham Lincoln said our government was of the people, by the people, and for the people, but it’s up to you to hold your elected officials accountable, and I will help you do just that.
I plan to have at least one event in Eagle and one in Emmett, so keep your eyes open for more information in the near future.
Remember to visit my website, follow me on Twitter, and like my page on Facebook to keep up with the latest news. Share this post with your friends and ask them to subscribe too. Thank you for your support! It remains my privilege to represent the voters of Eagle and Gem County, and I look forward to doing it again next year.