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‘Both cannot pass:’ 12 JFAC members rebel against Idaho’s bare-bones maintenance budgets – Idaho Capital Sun

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‘Both cannot pass:’ 12 JFAC members rebel against Idaho’s bare-bones maintenance budgets – Idaho Capital Sun


Twelve of the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee’s 20 members rebelled against the legislative committee’s co-chairs on Friday, going around committee leaders to pass new, standalone budgets that are in direct competition with the bare-bones maintenance budgets JFAC passed Jan. 16.

In the short term, Friday’s budget votes suggest a majority of JFAC members rejected the way JFAC’s co-chair broke the budgets into different pieces this year, separating maintenance of operations budgets from the new spending requests. 

Friday’s budget showdown also raises significant questions about the prospects for the fiscal year 2025 budget and the next moves for legislative leaders and JFAC members. 

For example, Friday’s action creates a situation where the full Idaho House of Representatives and Idaho Senate may soon have to make a choice between competing budgets for some of the same state agencies. 

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“Both cannot pass,” Rep. Britt Raybould, R-Rexburg, told the Idaho Capital Sun after Friday’s meeting. 

Idaho’s budget-setting process is undergoing multiple changes this year

Friday’s budget showdown is the latest development amid a string of significant changes to JFAC’s budget procedures

One of the changes calls for splitting the budgets up into new ways for the first time.

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On Jan. 16, JFAC passed 10 bare-bones budgets that included nearly all state agencies lumped together. JFAC’s co-chairs, Sen. Scott Grow, R-Eagle, and Rep. Wendy Horman, R-Idaho Falls, said those budgets are a version of last year’s budgets with the one-time money removed that are designed to simply keep the lights on for agencies. 

Grow and Horman said the plan was to consider the new funding requests and line items separately, which is what was supposed to happen Friday. 

But instead of taking on line items one by one to supplement the earlier bare-bones budgets, the 12 rank-and-file JFAC members crafted and then passed their own full budgets, which include the base budget, the maintenance budgets and any new line items all together in one budget – not two separate budgets.

Raybould told the Sun she really likes some of JFAC’s changes, including the chance to join smaller budget working groups, and moving the schedule up to begin budget setting earlier in the year.

But Raybould said she disagrees with separating the budgets out and voting on different elements of budgets at different times. Raybould also said she disagreed with labeling the bare-bones Jan. 16 budgets as maintenance of current operations budgets.

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Rep. Britt Raybould, R-Rexburg, speaks from the House floor at the State Capitol building on Jan. 23, 2024. (Otto Kitsinger for Idaho Capital Sun)

“The budget that was outlined at the beginning of the year did not actually reflect all of the maintenance line items that are covered in the budget development manual that was developed between (the Legislative Services Office) and (the Division of Financial Management),” Raybould told the Sun. “In most instances it left out nondiscretionary, it left out replacement items and other what you think of as sort of regular and expected fund adjustments. Also because we had not made the (change in state employee compensation) decision at the time it did not include the CEC. So I would argue that the budgets that were passed at the beginning of January did not reflect a maintenance budget. The budgets that were passed today reflect a complete maintenance budget that included all of the items included in that maintenance definition.”

Eleven JFAC members, plus Mary Ruckh, the substitute serving for Rep. Brooke Green, D-Boise, worked together throughout Friday’s meeting to pass 14 new budgets for agencies ranging from the Idaho Department of Agriculture, the Commission for Libraries, the Idaho State Historical Society and the Idaho State Tax Commission. 

The group of 12 included Raybould, Ruckh and Reps. James Petzke, R-Meridian; Matthew Bundy, R-Mountain Home; Rod Furniss, R-Rigby; Clay Handy, R-Burley; and Sens. Kevin Cook, R-Idaho Falls; Dave Lent, R-Idaho Falls; Van Burtenshaw, R-Terreton; Julie VanOrden, R-Pingree; Janie Ward-Engelking, D-Boise; and Rick Just, D-Boise.

JFAC’s leaders joined Idaho Freedom Caucus to vote against every budget that passed Friday

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After Friday’s meeting, Grow confirmed to reporters that the new budgets JFAC passed Friday do not align with the Jan. 16 bare-bones budgets. 

“The ones that passed today were not in alignment with the maintenance budgets (from Jan. 16),” Grow said. “So if the (earlier) maintenance budgets were to pass, then we would have to come back and redo these bills (from today) to put them in conformity with the maintenance budgets.”

Friday’s budget showdown included an awkward dynamic where Grow and JFAC’s vice chairs, Sen. Carl Bjerke, R-Coeur d’Alene, and Rep. Steven Miller, R-Fairfield, joined with members of the Idaho Freedom Caucus and Sen. Ben Adams, R-Nampa, to vote against all 14 budgets that passed on Friday. 

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More often, JFAC co-chairs are usually advocating for the passage of budgets. 

Grow told reporters Friday he voted against the budgets Friday because of concerns with the process. 

“The reason I voted no on those today that were passed is because the original plan was to do maintenance budgets, and I’m still with the original plan,” Grow told reporters. “So to be consistent, I have to vote with what was already proposed and voted on by this group back on Jan. 16.”

“Here’s the issue, we hear that there are differences of opinion in the two (legislative) houses, differences of opinion of what you just heard today in JFAC,” Grow added. 

Grow told reporters he didn’t know a majority of JFAC members were bringing forward different budgets until shortly before Friday morning’s meeting started.

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“This morning at 7:30,” Grow said, when asked when he learned JFAC members would be bringing forward different budgets. 

Grow said that although every Republican on JFAC voted for the bare-bones Jan. 16 budgets, some appeared to have changed their minds as JFAC got bogged down in rules and voting debates. 

“Because of that, things have slowed down and that possibly has given people time to think about their earlier vote, and people are always free to change their vote,” Grow told reporters. 

Grow said the bare-bones maintenance budgets have already been sent to the floors of the Idaho House and Idaho Senate. These new budgets approved Friday will soon be sent to the floors as well, perhaps forcing legislators to make a choice. 

“Then it will be up to how they are handled on the floor by those who maintain the floor,” Grow said. “In terms of which budgets will go first, which ones will go later, I don’t know the answer to that question.”

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Meanwhile, Raybould told the Sun that some JFAC members have been having discussions for weeks about what constitutes a maintenance budget and the proper way to set budgets. 

“Conversations have been ongoing since the original budgets were passed back in January about what a true maintenance budget looked like and what options were available moving forward to address the concerns,” Raybould said. 

Horman did not attend Friday’s meeting; on Thursday Grow had announced Horman was not feeling well and was excused.

Most of the 14 budgets JFAC passed Friday appeared to adhere closely to Gov. Brad Little’s fiscal year 2025 budget recommendations. In an attempt to verify exact funding levels, the Idaho Capital Sun asked Legislative Service Office budget and policy division manager Keith Bybee for JFAC’s motion sheets and related budget documents two different times Friday. 

As of this article’s publication late Friday afternoon, Bybee had not provided the budget documents even though they were circulated to legislators during Friday’s public meeting and were directly used to craft the new budgets. 

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Grow and Horman have said publicly numerous times that increasing transparency around the state budget is one of their main priorities for the year.

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Delicious New Menu Item Expected To Hit Idaho Costcos Soon

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Delicious New Menu Item Expected To Hit Idaho Costcos Soon


There’s something special and timeless about the Costco food court.

Having a Costco Card doesn’t just mean you unlock your grocery shopping there but you now get to go to the best food court known to man: The Costco Foodcourt.

Everyone loves their great prices and great options. Whether you’ve wanted to get a pizza to share with your family or one of their beloved giant hot dogs everyone’s got a good reason to go to the Costco Foodcourt.

Costco has been adding a lot of new menu items recently including fun ice cream flavors. Now they have yet again added something new to their menu.

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Idaho Costcos

Where to find Costcos in Idaho.

Gallery Credit: Shannon Buccola

Costco has added a new menu item that everyone is already going crazy for. In a new viral Instagram reel an influencer revealed that Costco food courts around the country would be adding chicken strips to their menu! This feels like the perfect addition to the already extremely popular Costco food court and we can already see everyone going crazy over this new menu item.

Credit: Instagram/costcohotfinds

Credit: Instagram/costcohotfinds

As of right now it appears the chicken tenders are going to be 6.99 and include 5 chicken strips. They also seemingly have a new sauce that is going to be paired with these chicken strips and it looks delicious!

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Credit: Instagram/costcohotfinds

Credit: Instagram/costcohotfinds

You’ll have to check out all of the local Idaho Costcos for when these hit stores because they just look delicious!

Look at those chicken tenders:

 

 

 

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Costco Foodcourt’s New Item

It’s a Caramel Brownie Sundae!!!

Gallery Credit: Shannon Buccola

Change Complete at Costco’s Food Courts

Who would have thought that an age old debate would bring out such a reaction in Costco shoppers!?

Gallery Credit: Mateo, 103.5 KISS FM

 

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This is How to Identify an Idaho Christian Nationalist

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This is How to Identify an Idaho Christian Nationalist


You’ve heard that our federal Constitution was made for a moral people.  The line is attributed to the founding father and second President, John Adams.  Notice he said “moral,” not “Christian.”  One of my friends was a graduate of Liberty University, a prestigious Christian school.  His mission in life was to evangelize, but he always cautioned his listeners that our founders spoke of a Creator, and not Jesus.  Some of our early leaders were devout Christians.  Many of them were also womanizers, drinkers, and gave religion no more than lip service.  They were people who wanted to be left alone, and if they practiced faith, it was personal, and they didn’t believe it was the government’s role to dictate morality.

They Mock Good People of Other Faiths

I’m reminded of a story about the 2024 Republican National Convention.  Harmeet Dhillon, a rising star in the party, spoke.  She referenced her Sikh faith, and someone in the crowd felt compelled to shout “Jesus is Lord!”  Now, maybe a majority believes that, but are you sure He wants you to taunt good and moral people?  Or would God prefer a gentler approach?  For instance, you could pray for conversions.

Where does the Great Commission instruct you to be rude to people of good moral character?

Idaho’s Glenneda Zuiderveld was an alternate delegate, and when a seatmate said the man was rude, the state senator dismissed the argument.  “We’re all going to be judged,” she said.  What’s a Senator’s purpose in politics?

The Pot Calling the Kettle Black

A few days ago, a local church had a men-only event for candidates.  A group of liberal women demonstrated outside.  I don’t know why they can’t organize their own event instead, but apparently, they would rather be confrontational.  They’ve accomplished nothing more than preening and making a claim that they’re more virtuous, but the church is within its rights to hold a men-only event.  If you want a women’s only event, I’m not bothered.  Let me add a caveat.  Some of the men involved believe that it’s okay to berate members of the LDS Church as they enter the temple.  I wouldn’t say screaming at someone that they’re going to hell is a sign of moral people.  Again, if you think they’re wrong, then pray for them.

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Some people wonder why they’re called Christian nationalists.  Do we need to draw them some pictures?

Brad Little Through The Years

Gallery Credit: Kevin Miller





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Local non-profit fills Mother’s Day baskets for NICU moms across Idaho

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Local non-profit fills Mother’s Day baskets for NICU moms across Idaho


KUNA — A sister-duo is filling baskets with blankets, snacks and handwritten notes to spread some extra love to moms spending Mother’s Day in the hospital with their newborns.

The effort is led by “Helping Hands for NICU Moms,” a nonprofit co-founded by sisters Tiffany and Alyssa Higbee. The organization was born from Alyssa’s own experience spending months in the NICU with her firstborn.

Alyssa’s son was initially in the NICU for about two weeks, then was put back in for about 3.5 months. During that time, several holidays passed, making it especially hard as a first-time mom.

“There was people in companies who would bring us stuff and try and cheer up your day, and it really helped, and so when my son was about 6 months old, we decided that it would be best to try and help moms in the NICU somehow,” Alyssa Higbee said.

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That inspiration led the sisters to create Mother’s Day gift baskets filled with items to bring comfort and encouragement to moms facing the same journey.

WATCH: Learn more about “Helping Hands for NICU Moms”

Local non-profit fills Mother’s Day baskets for NICU moms across Idaho

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The sisters have a 12-year age gap. Tiffany was fresh out of high school when they started the nonprofit in 2023, which meant she had more time to dedicate to the project. Alyssa noted that because of the age gap, they didn’t get to spend a lot of time together growing up, so the project has brought them closer.

“Hopefully, this can bring some hope that you can get out of it … that NICU period, that scary initial phase, it does get easier,” Alyssa Higbee said.

ALSO READ | Fragile beginnings to bright futures: NICU ‘Wall of Hope’ inspires families with stories of strength

Alyssa’s son, who was born in the NICU at St. Luke’s in Twin Falls, is now 3-years-old and healthy. Tiffany said watching her nephew go through the NICU was hard, but seeing him now — jumping, tackling her, and doing everything a little boy does — makes the work even more meaningful.

“It’s cool to see the difference because I know that some kids don’t make it to where he is when they’re in the NICU, and it’s just cool to see that he did,” Tiffany Higbee said.

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This year’s baskets are packed with items donated by nearly 25 local companies — up from just 5 donors in the first year. The baskets include soaps from Wild Highland Soaps, claw clips, bibs, hair bows, chapsticks, socks, lotions, hand sanitizers, coloring books, colored pencils, snacks, minky blankets, and stuffed puppies from Scheels.

Gift cards and coupons are also included from Dutch Bros, Flying M Coffee, a pizza company, Wendy’s (free meal coupons for breakfast and lunch), Albertsons, and a $10 coupon to a baby store.

Tiffany started collecting donations for this year’s baskets as early as November of last year, spending a few hours every week for the past 6 to 8 months to prepare — reaching out to companies, picking up donations, and organizing everything.

The assembly process includes last-minute tasks like ironing vinyl onto bags, opening boxes, and putting together gift card envelopes before the full baskets are assembled and delivered.

“We start putting the bags together, making sure we have everything in there, and then we deliver them on Mother’s Day,” Alyssa Higbee said.

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The baskets are delivered before noon on Mother’s Day to avoid missing moms who may be discharged after doctors do their rounds. Currently, the organization delivers to St. Luke’s Children’s Hospital in downtown Boise.

Tiffany said delivering the baskets is one of the most rewarding parts of the work.

“I love seeing the moms sometimes we get to watch them come out with their baskets, and they’ll be going through it, and they look really excited and happy,” Tiffany Higbee said.

“Seeing how happy they are or knowing how I cheered them up a little bit for their Mother’s Day because it’s a big holiday, it’s their first with that baby at least,” Tiffany Higbee said.

The first year, the project was funded mostly out of their own pockets. Three years later, as an official nonprofit, they said they no longer have to rely heavily on their own funds thanks to their new partnerships.

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The organization accepts both monetary donations via Venmo and their website, as well as in-kind donations of physical items like soaps, claw clips, and other basket items — year-round.

The organization’s future goal is to expand to all the different NICUs in the area, and potentially the PICUs (Pediatric Intensive Care Units) as well, since that was also part of Alyssa’s experience.

To learn how you can donate or get involved with “Helping Hands for NICU Moms,” you can visit their website by clicking here.

Send tips to neighborhood reporter Brady Caskey

Have a story idea from South Boise, West Boise or Kuna? Share it with Brady below —

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