Don’t Overthink or Overpay Idaho’s Citizen-Legislature. By Ronald M. Nate, Ph.D. (11/09/24)
Ron Nate writes:
You can’t cut government by growing government, and you can’t save taxpayer money by spending more money on government employees. And yet that’s what some politicians want to impose on Idaho. They have taken their eyes off the ball.
What Idaho truly needs now is budget restraint, grocery tax repeal, school choice, immigration reform, and less wokeness in higher education. Let’s do those first.
Key Topics:
Idaho’s Legislature Is Modest and Accessible
Pay them more? (Why we should not)
Priority: Keep Idaho’s Legislature in Touch
What Makes More Sense
Alternatives to keep legislators connected, ease their burdens somewhat, and preserve the incentives to prevent our legislature from becoming a full-time, career politician affair.
Conclusion
Keeping the current pay structure with cost-of-living increases would help keep legislators connected with their constituents and serving from their hearts rather than their pocketbooks.
Limiting interim legislative days and the amount of legislation coming before them could keep their work manageable.
Trying to do too much to make legislators more comfortable or even well-off risks doing to Idaho what we have seen in other states and in the U.S. Congress.
Let’s keep Idaho’s Legislature modest, connected, and, dare I say, humble.
We agree — do not increase pay now. So do Christy Zito and Glenneda Zuidervald, who would be beneficiaries of the citizens’ largesse if the pay increases go into effect:
Related:
Group of Incoming Idaho Lawmakers, Led by Zito and Zuiderveld, Announce Plan to Kill Politician Pay Hike. By Idaho Freedom Staff (11/08/24): substack.com/profile/68…
