Legislators receive warm welcome
<p>Senator Jim Hammond, R-Post Falls, mingles with Rep. Bob Nonin, R-Coeur d'Alene, during the 2010 Legislative Welcome Back event at the Coeur d 'Alene Chamber of Commerce.</p>
COEUR d'ALENE - Sometimes the best part of working hard is when it's over.
Beer, wine, eats and treats greeted North Idaho's representatives Tuesday evening during the Welcome Back social hour hosted by the Post Falls and Coeur d'Alene chambers of commerce, a way for locals to thank legislators for all their hard work in Boise.
The work is sure to pick up again next year, as balancing the budget in tough economic times is always a challenge, but in the meantime it's nice to unwind once in a while.
"That's always more popular than the elected officials' comments," joked John Martin, of North Idaho College, about the spread of ribs and rolls provided by Texas Roadhouse restaurant at the event.
Nevertheless, real issues were sure to come up, as legislators vowed to continue finding revenue for the state next year without raising taxes or sacrificing essential services.
"We all realize what happened to the budget this year and the cuts in education and that was not fun," said Sen. John Goedde, R-Coeur d'Alene. He added they would help fill that financial gap next year to ensure "we can keep our kids as whole as we can."
In fact, Rep. Frank Henderson, R-Post Falls, said several representatives are already working on ways to do that.
By meeting with various business people around the area, Henderson said they're already beginning to craft bills to have ready by next year that would help create jobs by benefiting local businesses so they can expand and hire - something they hope to continue before January.
"What is it with your business that the legislation could do?" he asked. "We don't think it would be smart to wait until October or November to start asking these questions."
The annual event was scheduled later this year because of last year's marathon session, but legislators wrapped up the 2010 session by the end of March. Included in the work was reducing the education budget by $128 million and a new law challenging federal health care reform in Idaho.
Before the act picks up again though, a little R and R was in order.
"Please don't serve health food to old people," Henderson joked. "We need all the preservatives we can get."