The Idaho legislature and our Governor have noted the influx of disenfranchised Californians moving into our state. They have heard the boom of the economic growth. And they have asked, as Dorothy did, “Is this Kansas?” And they have said “Yes Dorothy, we are in Kansas.”
The Idaho legislature and our Governor have cut taxes so much we now face a budget deficit while our population grows. I know Governor Little thought this was unwise, but he signed it. Our Republican legislature voted for this whole hog. We will pay. Our population increases and our state funding declines.
Kansas did this. In 2012, the Kansas legislature and Governor Brownback passed huge income tax cuts. The supply side people cheered. Grover Norquist, the pseudo economist who argued he wanted government to be so small he could drown it in a bathtub, was in ecstasy. The Koch Brothers, Texas billionaires who pull Idaho state legislators strings grinned. The Kansas model would prove all their points.
But it didn’t.
Cutting taxes does not make an economy boom. It didn’t for Kansas. They depleted their reserves and struggled to fund schools. Idaho has this on the horizon.
Especially when tax cuts just benefit the wealthy and corporations. Us pogues drive the consumer economy, and we have not gotten these Idaho gifts. We are hurting. But our schools and our roads and our lives will suffer.
So how did the Kansas Experiment work out? Not so great.
Kansas is almost as Republican as Idaho, but Governor Brownback ended up leaving the state to serve as “Ambassador at Large for Religious Freedom”. A Democrat succeeded him in the Governor’s mansion in Topeka.
Idaho would never do that. And we don’t have a Governor’s mansion.
I doubt Brad has international ambassadorial dreams.
He loves Idaho. And he knew these tax cuts were stupid. He said so. But he signed them.
Idaho has seen growth. People love the Treasure Valley. Do they need schools and roads? Maybe they are over 60 and just want a small ranchette. At least they have escaped the liberals in California.
Is this the Idaho Brad Little said he wanted?
No.
He said he wanted this to be a state where the kids born here would find good jobs and want to raise their families. I can’t think of a higher aspiration. Three of my four daughters are Idaho taxpayers. I love this state too. It’s why this Idaho Democrat voted for him.
I realize such an endorsement might not be welcome. That’s his problem.
But then he signed the ruby slippers tax cuts. And he’s holding back money to balance the budget. That’s his job. But he did sign the bills. We will dip into reserves, so the pain isn’t felt this year, but it’s coming. The budget will be balanced. And we will feel it.
Brad knows state finances better than anyone. And he can see the coming crash. But he signed the bills.
The problem is the Idaho legislature, who we elect from these bizarre districts. Our legislators write these laws.
But then Brad signs them.
We, the voters, need to be seeing this issue. Please study Kansas. They did the experiment. Why do we need to redo it here?
Maybe the problem isn’t with Brad or those clowns in the Capitol. It’s with us. We don’t learn.
Maybe we don’t care about Kansas.
Maybe we’ll just have to learn this lesson here in our beloved state.
We deserve the representation we vote for. And they, no we have brought this upon us. When it comes, look in the mirror and think what you/we could have done different.
For the twister comes.
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