This Week
    Broadcast Schedule

April 7, 2008: "Gov. Otter's Press Conference" Gov. C.L. "Butch" Otter looks back over the just-completed legislative session, and gives mixed reviews all around.

April 4, 2008: "Missed opportunities" It's over. Many lament what didn't get done during the legislative session, especially on road maintenance needs. But the worsening economy and declining revenues made already conservative lawmakers even more cautious about taxes and spending.

"After the Show" Week 13: "Communication is a two way street": Despite all being members of the same party, good communication (sometimes any at all) among House, Senate, and the Governor seemed in short supply this session.

March 28, 2008: "Staredown" The governor accused legislators of "a shortage of vision and political will" for proposing only $68.5 million in transportation funding, rather than the $200 million he had sought. Lawmakers don't want to raise taxes or fees. In the end, roads and drivers may be the losers in this fight.

"After the Show" Week 12: Gubernatorial temper tantrums and "governing by nasty-gram;" a bill on how names appear on the ballot; and what's ahead in the May primary elections.

March 21, 2008: "The Transportation Puzzle" The House authorized another year of GARVEE funding for new road construction (with much grumbling about future debt), but where money for the backlog of road maintenance will come from or whether local communities should be able to raise their own via local option taxes remains uncertain.

"After the Show" Week 11: Lawmakers passionately debate a bill that would require citizen ballot initiatives to outline their fiscal impact, and a bill to allow liquor sales on election days.

March 14, 2008: "Maintenance of current operations" JFAC co-Chairs Rep. Maxine Bell and Sen. Dean Cameron explain the fine art of forecasting the future required when crafting the budget. Sens. Kate Kelly and David Langhorst then join the panelists to provide a Democratic perspective on the session and on issues from local option taxes to the environment.

"After the Show" Week 10: Sens. Kelly and Langhorst stay after. Most of the talk is about the budget and taxes and who is — or isn't — more deserving of tax relief. But listen also to their take on just how civil and cooperative this year has been in the legislature.

March 7, 2008: "March is the time for action" The Governor expressed frustration with legislative inaction on transportation, withdrew his proposal for a $150 vehicle registration fee to fund road and transit improvements, and challenged lawmakers to come up with a specific proposal of their own. Also, the disappearing budget surplus; a debate on global warming; and an agreement on field burning.

"After the Show" Week 9: Is a March 21 adjournment possible? Money is tight, JFAC is done setting budgets, there aren't a lot of issues that have to be settled this year, and challengers for legislative seats can start filing on March 10th. Consensus: once transportation is solved, the session will end.

February 29, 2008: "A "going home" bill?" There was finally movement on transportation. On Tuesday, the Governor unveiled his $150 dollar flat fee vehicle registration plan to fund transportation improvements. The next day, House leaders introduced a different package of bills. Also, a mandatory chain-up law for trucks; tighter eligibility for driver licenses; a new grocery tax proposal; and the iSTARS teacher merit pay plan is killed.

"After the Show" Week 8: Rep. Lenore Barrett says opposing scholarships for drug-free students is akin to jumping into a live volcano. Panelists Richardson and Kulczyk say they'll jump with her. Also, Speaker Denney settles into his job; and State Board of Ed members get grilled en masse by the Senate Education committee.

February 22, 2008: "The Wind has Left the Sails" Knives were out in force, as the joint budget committee began dissecting agency budgets, starting with the State Police and continuing down the line. But among lawmakers, there is still a Basket of Hopes. In that basket are things like a viable Transportation budget, local option taxation, health care and substance abuse programs. And the Teacher pay plan is not dead. But the name has changed, to "iSTARS Lite."

"After the Show" Week 7: Styles of leadership can affect the length and effectiveness of a session. Our commentators discuss the lack of contentious issues this session. And the State Board of Education, the Milk Bill, and Larry Craig all come in for some analysis.

February 15, 2008: "A Chilling Effect" The joint committee responsible for setting state employee compensation met and chilled the governor's 5% pay raise proposal, lowering it to 3%. And there's more talk about what other budget items might be pared back, frozen, or cut altogether.

"After the Show" Week 6: Lawmakers have been talking grocery tax relief for over a decade, but might some recent events finally compel action? Also, free market vs. fair chase advocates square off over shooting game farm elk, and Larry Craig gets a letter of reprimand from the U.S. Senate Ethics committee.

February 8, 2008: "Winter gloom" The revenue numbers for January are in, and the $36 million shortage confirms many lawmakers' fears about a worsening economy. Now a lot of wish-list budget items — iSTARS teacher pay plan, grocery tax relief, business personal property tax relief, and even state employee pay raises — may be on hold.

"After the Show" Week 5: Barack Obama's visit to Boise and his landslide win in the Democratic caucuses, fueled by record turnout, suggest Idaho's minority party may be rising from the dead. But will February enthusiasm translate into November votes for down-ballot Democrats?

February 1, 2008: "iSTARS Bombshell" An attorney general's opinion on Supt. Luna's teacher pay proposal shows iSTARS to be "unworkable" if not "constitutionally flawed," according to Rep. Tom Trail (R-Moscow). This may give legislators one more reason to do more thinking and negotiating this session and consider a revised plan next year.

"After the Show" Week 4: Age equals wisdom? What does it mean to have the oldest legislature in the country? Also, the threat from quagga mussels and a deluge of snow.

January 25, 2008: "Clouds on the Horizon" Lawmakers consider ambitious proposals to increase teacher pay, fund new prisons and substance-abuse programs, and repeal the sales tax on groceries. But worries about the economy cause many to wonder if those ambitions need to be reigned in.

"After the Show" Week 3: Wolves, donuts, and a heated discussion about anti-discrimination and hate crimes laws.

January 18, 2008: "Lowering expectations" Superintendent Tom Luna goes before JFAC to make a case for his education budget, and for his scaled-down but still controversial teacher pay plan.

"After the Show" Week 2: wolves, closed primaries, election day liquor sales, and more.

January 11, 2008: "First Week in the Books" We look back at the Governor's State of the State speech.

"After the Show" Week 1: dog fighting, winners and losers of the week, prisons and more.

January 10, 2008: "Rep. Sali Talks To House" Noting that Congress could learn something from the way the Idaho legislature conducts its business, Congressman Bill Sali (R-1st District) talked about how federal rules and policies on transportation and health care could affect Idaho's initiatives on these issues.

January 7, 2008: "State of the State" Invoking President Ronald Reagan's vision of a "Creative Society," Gov. Butch Otter's blueprint for state government emphasized a variety of education, prevention, and rehabilitation initiatives designed to help individuals make the most of their creative potential and their lives.

January 7, 2008: "State of the Judiciary" Chief Justice Daniel T. Eismann delivers his overview of the Idaho state judicial system.