Rep. Jaquet: Legislative Report Week 4

Thank you to so many of you who have touched base to check on Senator Clint Stennett. Clint is recuperating from his surgery at his Boise rental house and is planning to come back to work shortly. He gets to look forward to chemo/radiation, but he’s a tough guy and we know that he’ll be setting records for his recovery!

I’m hoping to see many of you at the Senator Barack Obama Rally on Saturday, February 2. The doors open at 7:00 am and I’m intending to be there between 7 and 7:30. I believe that Obama is our best chance for change. He has ignited young and old people around his candidacy. He represents a transformation regarding business as usual in Washington DC. I’m planning on attending my caucus in Blaine County, Tuesday, February 5. I’m carpooling with Jon Thorson, who is sitting in for Clint, and with Commissioners Schoen and Bowman who will be in Boise for a County conference.

Food tax: The Republicans introduced a complicated expansion of the grocery tax credit this week. I’m hoping that the Chairman of the Rev and Tax committee will allow us to introduce our bill which takes the sales tax off food over a six year period. There is also a Republican bill which has a similar approach. It’s so much easier to do it at the cash register!

School construction bond subsidy access: Several years ago a safe schools bond program was developed which was utilized by seven school districts including Wendell. Wendell had tried to pass a bond for a new middle school. Their old school had been condemned. The second time around with the subsidy it was successful. Now, Wendell would like to present a new request for voter consideration which includes an agriculture/technology and athletic expansion. We discovered that Wendell, because they had taken advantage of the first program, would not be able to access the new program which all districts now had the benefit of. Today I’m presenting legislation which will open this back up to the 7 districts including Wendell. The chair of the Revenue and Taxation Committee has asked to be a co-sponsor.

Energy Efficient State Energy Act: This week in the House Environment Affairs committee this bipartisan bill passed out of committee and it will now go to the House floor for a vote. The bill will require all major state buildings, and building renovations, to be designed, constructed and certified to a standard that achieves energy savings at least 30% greater than the current state approved energy code. I support this bill.

Next Monday is the deadline for draft requests for new legislation. That puts pressure on us to get our bills drafted, reviewed and into the committee chairs. Bills that are not drafted by then don’t have much of a chance to get across to the Senate for approval. I’m scrambling.

Good to hear from so many of you this week. It is always good to have the Representatives from the Association of Idaho Cities.

Let me hear from you: Phone: 1-800-626- 0471 email: wjaquet@house.idaho.gov