The Idaho Joint Democratic Caucus held a virtual news conference Wednesday highlighting the need to “put people over power plays,” emphasizing the urgency to move away from bills that grab more power for the legislature and instead use the limited remaining time in the 2021 Legislative Session to address education, property taxes and infrastructure.
Rep. Ilana Rubel
House Minority Leader Ilana Rubel and Senate Minority Caucus Chair Janie Ward-Engelking expressed dismay that the majority party’s legislation has centered on largely unconstitutional efforts to siphon power from the governor, the attorney-general, local governments and most concerningly, from Idaho voters themselves. On the latter point, they cited multiple pending voter-suppression bills (House Bills 219 and 223) and Senate Bill 1110, which would erect virtually insurmountable obstacles to the exercise of citizen ballot initiative rights.
The pair said as a result, almost no attention has been given to the very real needs of Idaho’s working families, such as underfunded schools, skyrocketing property taxes and deteriorating infrastructure. Instead, the Legislature is creating new problems for Idahoans by passing unconstitutional bills likely to lead to costly litigation and diminishing voting rights.
“This session so far has largely been one big power play,” Rubel said. “Time is running out, and it is past time for the legislature to put people over power plays and address the real needs of the people of Idaho. Those needs do not include creation of an all-powerful legislature.”
Sen. Janie Ward-Engelking
Rubel and Ward-Engelking said Democrats have a slate of bills specifically targeted at addressing real problems; however they are being denied hearings in committees. These pieces of legislation include bills to lower property taxes, make growth pay for growth, finally offer full-day kindergarten, and allocate resources to provide learning remediation for the children in Idaho who have fallen behind during the pandemic.
“We have to switch focus and finally start helping our citizens — enough is enough,” Ward-Engelking said. “The legislature has printed more early bills this session than ever before, and yet, after nearly seven weeks, we’ve only passed eight laws; five in the Senate and three in the House. We can’t afford to waste any more time in this building.”