The Courier
News
News from the Heart of Idaho Camas • Lincoln • Gooding
February 12, 2020
Vol 44 Num 7
Gooding Public Library District Receives “Be Outside, Idaho” Grant Fiscal Conservatism is Always Appropriate
Be Outside Idaho has awarded 11 lucky recipients funding to develop programs to inspire kids and their families to spend time outdoors and bring activities back into their lives. The Gooding Public Library is excited to announce being one of the grant recipients, and as a result, will soon be offering some new outdoor programs. They plan to offer several destinations throughout the coming months, with a focus on introducing families to the natural wonders that are within 40 minutes of Gooding. For more information about these exciting adventures, contact the library at 208-934-4089 or stop by 306 5th Ave West, in Gooding. Be Outside Idaho (BOI) is a coalition of over 100 diverse organizations that collaborate and share resources to help address “nature deficit disorder” and connect Idaho’s youth to the outdoors. For more information about BOI go to their website: beoutsideidaho.gov
Traffic Shift on US-93
As early as February 15th, traffic will shift on US-93 between 200 S Road and 300 S Road in Jerome County. This is part of the US-93 widening project, which will see the highway transition from two lanes to four to increase mobility and traffic flow in the area. “We determined it would be best to build two temporary roadway diversions for this project,” said ITD South-central Idaho Project Manager Sam Purser. “This will allow traffic to continue moving through the area while construction is underway.” Both northbound and southbound traffic will utilize these temporary roadways. Construction signage, candlesticks, and barrels will be in place to safely direct those traveling through the area. Drivers can expect reduced speeds of 25 mph in the work zone. Motorists are advised to use caution and watch for workers and heavy equipment entering and exiting the highway. “This project will improve safety at the US-93/200 South intersection for both passenger and commercial vehicles,” explained Purser. “The end result will be a divided highway similar to what drivers encounter two miles south of this area.” Idaho Materials and Construction is the prime contractor for this project.
DAM FOOLS ICE FISHING DERBY Saturday, February 22nd ~ 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Hosted by West Magic Lake Recreation Club Registration will start at 7:00 a.m. at the Clubhouse
from Idaho Lieutenant Governor Janice McGeachin What is the proper role of government? Some people believe that government must continue to grow and to increase its funding of healthcare, education, housing, food, cell phones, and nearly every other thing people might use or consume over the course of their lives. For some, government subsidies are just never large enough. James Madison, the Father of the Constitution, had a different view, saying, “I cannot undertake to lay my finger on that article of the Constitution which granted a right to Congress of expending, on objects of benevolence, the money of their constituents.” Can you imagine a President or congressman taking such a position today? Under Governor Little’s budget proposal for the 2020 legislative session, Idaho’s state budget will increase by 3.75% for fiscal year 2021. While that increase is indeed lower than in many previous years, it is still a larger increase than the growth of wages or the economy as a whole. Mercer’s US Compensation Planning Survey finds that the average salary increase budgets are projected to be 3.0% for 2020. Kiplinger’s Personal Finance expects overall economic growth in the U.S. of 1.8% in 2020, compared with an expected 2.3% in 2019 and 2.9% in 2018. The Federal Open Market Committee believes that U.S. GDP growth will slow to 2.0% in 2020 from 2.2% in 2019. It will be 1.9% in 2021 and 1.8% in 2022. Whatever statistics you use, the fact remains that government spending — even in conservative Idaho — is growing faster than the economy and thus the share of the economy represented by government spending is also increasing. Critics of the Governor’s budget proposal have claimed that he is manufacturing a fiscal crisis and under-funding public services and programs. They say that a smaller budget will have a dangerous impact on the lives of Idahoans and that it will shut down important public services and endanger public health and safety. They have even claimed that small agencies will be crushed if their budgets are reduced by just one or two percent. Could anything be more absurd? The truth is that the Governor has recommended a nearly $100 million increase in our state’s budget. continued on page 7...