Officials: Legislative session a tough one

The 2010 Legislature session has ended, and the 78 days in Boise will be remembered by the lack of money because of sinking tax revenues, difficult decisions about where to cut to balance the budget, and that nobody liked making the cuts.

Coeur d'Alene and Post Falls area state senators and representatives said Tuesday the cuts were made with the utmost care, will make for leaner government agencies, and trimmed government to a size Idahoans can now pay for.

Legislators also approved bills and memorials demanding that the federal government respect Idaho's rights and stop overreaching.

"It was a very tough session, with lots of difficult decisions," said Sen. Jim Hammond, R-Post Falls.

Rep. Marge Chadderdon, R-Coeur d'Alene, said legislators worked well together under difficult circumstance in a weak economy, with tax revenues continuing to drop.

"We accomplished what was necessary, and I don't feel like we wasted any time," Chadderdon said. The session was 78 days, compared with 117 days a year earlier.

Sen. Mike Jorgenson, R-Hayden Lake, said, "It wasn't easy, and wasn't fun. We did the best we could with the money we had, and got a balanced budget. This was perhaps one of the most collegial years I've served."

Hammond said, "We did what we needed to do to fund Idaho government without raising taxes. We cut government to the size of revenue the people of Idaho could afford."

He said legislators gave public school districts and the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare much-needed flexibility in spending as they work to absorb budget cuts.

He said a major highlight of the session was the multiple strong messages the Legislature delivered to the federal government to demand it stop overreaching, and infringing on state's rights. It sent messages on health care and gun freedoms.

As for the economy, Hammond said the Legislature has put the state in a better position to recover faster from the recession.

"We need to avoid being an impediment by taking money out of people's pockets," Hammond said. He said businesses have again and again demanded that taxes not go any higher.

Chadderdon recognized the work of all the players in fashioning a public education budget during the session.

"I don't think we could have asked the public for a tax increase when people are already hurting," Chadderdon said. "And any time you're talking about budget cuts, it's difficult."

Rep. George Sayler, the Coeur d'Alene Democrat who will not be seeking re-election after eight years in office, said, "It was kind of a bittersweet time. It's quite an honor to be there. I will miss parts of it."

Sayler, speaking by cell phone during a meal stop in Grangeville as he made his way home from Boise on Tuesday, said the state House is quite a bit more conservative than it was eight years ago.

"I'd like to see more balance, either within the Republican Party, or with the addition of more Democrats," Sayler said. Of 70 seats in the House, there are 18 Democrats, he said.

"Policy can now be set without much of any challenge," Sayler said. Putting together a majority on legislation with moderate Republicans and Democrats coming together to act is "pretty much impossible to do right now."

He was disappointed that no jobs bills were passed during the session, despite the high number of unemployed.

"I don't think we really did much to improve the economy other than to tighten the belt," Sayler said.

He also was disappointed that more wasn't done to generate revenues.

"There was some money that was available that was not a tax increase," he said.

Plus, he said legislative statements to the federal government do nothing more than create lawsuits, and therefore jobs for lawyers.

"It amounts to a lot of political theater, and (Republicans) are trying to capitalize on the mood of a segment of the public," he said.

Jorgenson said in some ways the hard economic times have been good for Idaho government, forcing it to run lean and adapt to doing more with less. Meanwhile, he said, not a single park was closed during the session.

Like Hammond, Jorgenson said the Legislature gave state agency heads flexibility that's critical.

"Let agency heads manage, instead of having government tell them every step they need to take," Jorgenson said.

He also agreed with Hammond on the importance of messages sent to the federal government on health care freedom and gun rights.

"It sends a significant message to the federal government," Jorgenson said.

He was disappointed his illegal immigration bill didn't pass.

"Illegal immigration is costing Idaho alone $200 million per year," Jorgenson said. "I put a lot of hard work into that bill."

He said special interests beat it down, particularly from the dairy industry and some agricultural interests.