OPINION: Fiscal responsibility means doing the work
In these times of economic uncertainty and political distrust, it’s easy to fall into the trap of reflexively saying "no" to every dollar spent. After all, the federal government is drowning in debt, and many Idahoans are rightly wary of being tethered to that sinking ship.
But real conservatism isn’t about showing who can shout "no" the loudest — it’s about making sure our communities are ready when our debt-funded system finally buckles.
As a member of the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee (JFAC), I’ve had the opportunity — and responsibility — to examine the details behind the numbers. That work has changed how I think about certain appropriations. It's not glamorous, but it's where the real business of governing happens.
Recently, I carried Senate Bill 1178, which provides targeted enhancements to the Idaho Commission on Aging. This is a modest appropriation — $666,500 total, with just $162,600 from the state’s general fund — to support services that help Idaho seniors live with dignity in their own communities. The rest comes from federal ARPA dollars that will disappear if we don’t act.
Some argue that accepting federal money makes us complicit in Washington’s dysfunction. But here’s the reality: That money is already gone from Idaho wallets. If we don’t use it for our communities, someone else will use it for theirs. It won’t reduce the debt, and it won’t come back to us later. All we’ll have done is let another state fix their roof while ours continues to leak.
These one-time funds won’t create new long-term liabilities. They’ll go toward practical upgrades — replacing aging equipment, repairing senior centers, and helping strained caregivers. And they’ll do it through local, community-based partners who know best where the need is greatest.
Some of us have long followed thinkers like Thomas Sowell, who emphasize discipline and clarity in economic thought. That discipline includes knowing the difference between pork-barrel spending and meaningful investment. For Idaho, using existing federal dollars to shore up our senior infrastructure is a matter of prudence, not excess.
Yes, I came to the legislature a committed conservative. That hasn’t changed. What has changed is my appreciation for the unglamorous parts of government — the work that doesn’t make headlines but makes life better for those like our seniors who built this state before us.
Idaho’s future depends on our ability to act wisely in the present. That means using what resources we can, while there is still time, to build lasting value here at home.
It’s your money. I’d rather see it spent in Idaho than lost to the federal ether.
• • •
Carl Bjerke is an Idaho state senator.