Category Archives: Policy

Pay the Piper

Posted on January 7, 2017 by ddxdx

The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare (IDHW) will propose a $11M expenditure to the legislature this session. The goal is to provide mental health and drug abuse services to recently released convicts who are back in the community. The … Continue reading →

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Idaho Economic Outlook, from the backseat

Posted on January 6, 2017 by ddxdx

As EORAC (The Economic Outlook and Revenue Assessment Joint legislative Committee) starts it’s meeting for this year, I am reminded of a comment by a fellow member a few years back. EORAC is tasked with recommending a revenue projection to … Continue reading →

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Fighting Prescription Drug Abuse in Idaho

Posted on December 2, 2016 by ddxdx

As the Latah County Coroner for 15 years, and as a practicing family physician, I was well aware of the prescription drug abuse problem long before I came to the Idaho legislature. Over 200 Idahoans die annually from prescription drug … Continue reading →

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Tragedy and Public Policy

Posted on February 8, 2016 by ddxdx

  We had a hearing this last week to consider whether Idaho should change Medicaid eligibility so all folks in Idaho can have insurance coverage. This sometimes gets shortened to “Medicaid Expansion”. The hearing was short and mostly civil. One … Continue reading →

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Choose your Blandishment

Posted on January 22, 2016 by ddxdx

“We look to the States to defend their prerogatives by adopting the simple expedient of not yielding to federal blandishments when they do not want to embrace federal policies as their own.” Justice John Roberts in the Affordable Care Act … Continue reading →

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Highways and Hybrids and the Man Behind the Tree

Posted on August 25, 2015 by ddxdx

    The Idaho legislature made a great leap in highway funding this last legislative session. It was years in the making with many failed attempts and some painful last minute compromises. But the years of discussion built an awareness … Continue reading →

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Ghosts and Governing

Posted on August 11, 2015 by ddxdx

      We finished an extraordinary session last May to address some unfinished business. The legislature had adjourned and left a bill in committee that would have made enforcement of Idaho child support payments impossible. Some thought this was … Continue reading →

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2015 End of Session Letter online version

Posted on April 3, 2015 by ddxdx

Session ends Soon (maybe) I write to share and reflect on the work of the Idaho legislature this past session. This letter was mailed to many constituents, But I post it here with links, pictures, and graphs. ________________________ We start … Continue reading →

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Inadequate and Unfair; Idaho’s Structural School Funding Predicament

Posted on February 9, 2015 by ddxdx

    This is the season for Idaho districts to look at how to balance their budgets. An unprecedented number have turned to supplemental property tax levies. You may face one soon on the ballot in your area. There is … Continue reading →

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What we Should (have) be(en) doing about IEN

Posted on January 12, 2015 by ddxdx

    I hope you are aware of the problem our state faces in the contract for the Idaho Education Network. Idaho signed a contract for a state-wide network that has been found void. This mess will take some sorting … Continue reading →

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