Contact Representative Steve Berch:
sberch@house.idaho.gov
Capitol: 208-332-1039 Cell: 208-890-9339
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Rep. Steve Berch Newsletter UPDATE: The phony "spending problem"

Rep. Steve Berch NewsletterUPDATE

The phony "spending problem"

 

My previous newsletter discussed how the claims that Idaho has a "spending problem" are false - that Idaho really has a revenue problem. This phony spending problem claim has been constantly repeated by majority party leaders as an excuse to cut state budgets to the bone - and thus the services they provide. We are in the midst of these budget cuts, which I will discuss in a subsequent newsletter.

Since sending my last newsletter, I received additional information that illustrates that when adjusted for inflation, state spending has in fact been nearly flat for the last 21 years!   

Take a look at the graph below and explanation that follows. This comes from the Legislative Services Organization (LSO), which is the legislature's non-partisan budget analysis organization that provides the Joint Finance and Appropriations Committee (JFAC) the information it uses to make budget decisions.  

This is what legislative and JFAC leaders don't want you to see:
"The graph above shows General Fund original appropriations per capita from FY 2005 to FY 2026 in 2025 dollar values. 

Over that time period, General Fund appropriations per capita, adjusted for inflation, increased by approximately $200 per person, or a total increase of 8.6%. This represents an average year-over-year increase of 0.4%."
 
One of the reasons Idahoans are being stretched to the breaking point is the legislature's failure to acknowledge what every smart, successful business person knows: You have to balance smart and efficient use of funds with smart investments in your future, otherwise you don't have what you need for the future.

Idaho's unprecedented growth - in combination with inflation and an aging infrastructure - has made daily life more difficult and unaffordable for many Idahoans: education, unaffordable housing, healthcare, vital services, or just trying to drive around town. 

I plan to vote against any budget bill that does not adequately fund the vital services you need, deserve, and expect from your state government.