Idaho State Capitol – In the committees’ most recent meeting, CFAC allocated $69,052.43 of CARES act funding to the Boise Police Department (BPD). The funding will pay for the officers’ service during the special session of the Idaho legislature in late August. This is on top of the amount of $76 thousand dollars that was allocated last week for the Idaho State Police to provide security services as well.
CFAC also voted to allocate nearly $100 million of CARES act funding to supplement the $99 million education cuts that were made by the Governor earlier this year. The funding will equate to about $315 per student in Idaho public schools. Representative Melissa Wintrow/(D-Boise) was relieved that education funding was restored to prior levels.
“Public education funding in Idaho is among the lowest in the nation, and the cuts that were made would have put Idaho students even further behind.” Rep. Wintrow explained. “The CARES funding will be necessary to foster a quality educational experience while keeping teachers and students safe. Idaho families can use this funding to overcome many of the new challenges they are facing while juggling trying to get their children educated, keeping their families healthy, and putting food on the table during the coronavirus pandemic. Idaho Democrats were concerned about the long-term viability of our economy on such a thin education budget, and we applaud the Governor for backfilling his cuts to put our students on the right path.”
Rep. Wintrow was also in favor of allocating CARES act funding to BPD, but was disappointed that officers’ service was required in the first place.
“The legislature just flushed thousands of taxpayer dollars down the drain by holding an expensive special session that did nothing to help Idahoans during one the most stressful periods our state has ever been through.” Rep. Wintrow said. “GOP legislators pressured the Governor to hold a special session, and Republican legislative leadership didn’t bother to do any planning to encourage civility and keep Idaho communities safe. Republican legislators doused taxpayer dollars in gasoline and their legislative leadership lit the match. CFAC allocated nearly $70 thousand to BPD and $76 thousand to ISP in CARES money. They absolutely deserve that money and I am very thankful they were there when our safety was in jeopardy. However, the officers and the legislators should not have been put in that position. Republicans forced a special session and created a safety hazard that required police presence. The legislature should be footing the bill for the unproductive, dangerous special session. CARES funding could be used for infinitely more important things than political posturing and power plays in the legislature. The money that was wasted on police response alone could have been used to help 10 small businesses or buy PPE for schools or help connect a community to broadband.”