Every legislative session, Idaho lawmakers make decisions that shape the quality of your neighborhood school, whether rural hospitals can keep their doors open, and the cost of putting a roof over your family’s head.

Idaho Democrats are entering this session guided by a simple principle: Idahoans who put in the work should have the financial stability to cover necessities like rent or a mortgage, food, utilities, and child care. Our leaders should be working to make life more manageable today and more secure for the coming generation.

If legislators are serious about serving Idaho families, here’s where they should begin.

First, clean up the budget mess the supermajority created.

Since 2020, Idaho has lost about $4 billion in revenue due to legislative income tax changes, including about $450 million in reckless revenue cuts last year alone. This includes $50 million in vouchers that subsidize private and religious school tuition with little to no accountability. Now, we face whopping deficits and damaging cuts have already been made to mental health services, law enforcement, and higher education.

Idaho cannot afford this voucher scheme, and lawmakers must reverse some of the income tax cuts favoring the wegalthy to keep our budget balanced.

Second, defend Medicaid expansion.

Idaho voters enacted Medicaid expansion through a ballot initiative with 61% support. It helps working Idahoans get care before they hit a crisis and stabilizes rural hospitals, while injecting billions into the state economy and generating 9,362 jobs.

GOP leaders plan to attack Medicaid expansion again this year. We must beat them back.

Third, take home affordability seriously.

Housing costs are the fastest growing burden on Idaho families. Too many Idahoans are working full time and still cannot afford a place to live. Teachers, nurses, firefighters, and service workers are being priced out of the towns they keep running.

Idaho Democrats have pushed for real investments in workforce housing. This session, lawmakers should invest resources, support communities building starter homes and rental units at affordable price points, and stop pretending this problem will magically solve itself.

Fourth, protect education.

The GOP has already cut postsecondary education and wants to kill our LAUNCH scholarships. Now the far right is calling for cuts to our cash-strapped K-12 schools. This will hurt our future workforce and the next generation.

Finally, keep the focus where it belongs and reject culture war distractions.

We don’t need lists of people to hate and policies to make their lives harder. This helps no one. This session should be about economic opportunity so that every working family can succeed.

The legislative session is the people’s work. Idaho Democrats will keep fighting to make sure the people and their priorities are the focus.

Onward,

Lauren Necochea
Idaho Democratic Party Chair