What a week for Democrats!! The Obama rally Saturday was inspiring and then being able to drive back to Gooding for the Democrat Caucus last Tuesday was frosting on the cake. It was great visiting with everyone and listening to politics served up grassroots-style. Gooding County about doubled their last caucus numbers. Also heard great reports from the rest of the District 25 caucuses.
Bad news appeared on the economic scene. Tax receipts are down $35 million for January. If this trend continues, it will not bode well for agency budgets and establishment or continuation of programs. Bare bones budgets are hard on all concerned.
This is the last week for Routing Slips (RS) to be introduced in our afternoon committees (for me Agriculture and Natural Resources). Not only am I listening to 5-8 new concepts being introduced each committee, but was also tying up loose ends and generating support for an RS with Rep. Eskridge dealing with the operation and use of state outdoor sport shooting ranges. It establishes a uniform noise standard for these ranges and offers them grandfather protections from nuisance actions resulting from new housing moving in around them. There is great support state wide from sportsmen and it will be heard Monday.
No concrete information on a teacher pay plan. There is the possibility that the category 4 contract (the one requiring teachers to give up continuing contract) will be dropped as part of the pay plan. Still some movement to better train administrators to evaluate teachers and to supervise improvement plans designed to help a teacher become more proficient. There is a still a lot of support for concurrent enrollment in our high schools. This would allow students to take classes which qualify for both high school credit and college credit at the same time. This would enable students in some cases to graduate from high school with enough credits for an AA degree. College of Southern Idaho is working hard to develop classes available in the Magic Valley. A longitudinal data system which would enable instant access to individual records by authorized individuals looks to be a go. If a student were to move to Gooding from Sandpoint, this system would enable a teacher to instantly access records and put that student in classes at his or her proper level. There will be many other educational uses for this type of statewide data system.
Are you aware of the Department of Corrections has the Victim Information and Notification Everyday (VINE) program? This is a free, automated hotline that provides crime victims with vital information and notification 24-hours a day, 365 days a year. This service will allow you to obtain offender information and to register for notification of a change in offender status, such as offender release. This program offers peace of mind to victims of crime and does protect the public. Visit the Idaho VINE hotline at 1-866-9VINE-ID or visit http://www.vinelink.com/.
The Lincoln, Camas, Blaine and Gooding County elected officials were in Boise this week. It was great to talk with all of you. Thanks for the work you do and for the great ideas you come up with for making Idaho such a great place to live.
If you are in town, drop in and personally give me your opinions. Otherwise phone me at 1-208-332-1271, e-mail at dpence@house.idaho.gov, or write P.O. Box 83720, Boise, Idaho 83720-0038
Showing posts with label Donna Pence. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Donna Pence. Show all posts
Friday, February 08, 2008
Rep. Pence: Legislative Report Week 4
The week began with the news of Senator Stennett’s impending surgery. I am thankful that he was up and moving around quickly and was released Thursday. He will be in all our prayers as he continues his treatments in pursuit of recovery.
The Senate Education committee was scheduled to take up the iStars and We Teach Bills last Wednesday, but action was postponed. It appears neither of these concepts have enough approval to make it through committee. There is an effort to salvage the concept of rewarding effective teachers with additional pay. This may take the form of fewer steps or reduced amounts for each step. With tax income falling below expectations, legislators are wary of ongoing commitments of this magnitude. Any bill which ties relinquishing a continuing contract to eligibility to receive a step up the career ladder, will not get my vote.
One of the results of this summer’s Interim Water Resources Committee is H404. It asks for $20 million over ten years to develop aquifer planning and management throughout Idaho. These funds will be used to provide technical studies, facilitation services, hydrologic monitoring, and for the development of measurement and comprehensive plans for these aquifers. Water is becoming a valuable commodity and the need for comprehensive plans aimed at achieving aquifer sustainability is a necessary long-term goal. These plans will also provide data which will help to protect Idaho’s water as we confer with Washington officials over cross boarder water issues near Coeur d’ Alene.
Speaking of water, what about the snow this week? I trust it extended to the east as well. If so, it would go a long way in easing the anxiety over those pending shut down orders on irrigation wells all along the Snake River Aquifer.
The State Board of Education recently released a 113-page report concerning Medical Education in Idaho. This preliminary study was contracted to MGT of America. This report documented that a significant need for more physicians exists in Idaho. In addition the following results were noted:
· Access to physicians by the general population is extremely limited.
· Many of Idaho’s physicians are 55 or older and nearing retirement.
· Idaho’s population base is sufficient to support the clinical part of medical education.
· There are a number of highly qualified Idaho students seeking medical education.
· Idaho is dead last among states in the number of seats available in medical education.
· Less populated states have supported medical schools for years.
· Healthcare is an important component in the national economy, but much less so in Idaho.
· Idaho’s limited investment in medical education makes us ill-prepared to compete for a share of the rapidly expanding biomedical industry.
As a result of this report, the following four alternatives for medical education were identified.
· Create a new university–operated medical school on the distributive model. Sixty - one hundred students could be enrolled per class. Students take introductory courses on the university campus for two years and complete two years clinical training at several sites across the state (lead to a M.D. or equivalent degree)
· Expand the package of contract programs with medical schools in other states. (University of Washington and University of Utah, Others?)
· Develop a new joint medical school from current medical education resources. This approach would draw from the medical education resources of the three state universities.
· Expand graduate medical education (residency) programs in the state.
The Board spokesman, Mark Browning, emphasized that a cost benefit analysis of the data will be forth coming and will be important in any decision. A Medical Education Study Committee has been formed and will be meeting from March through May. Included in their proposed activities are public meetings at five sites around the state in April. Twin Falls is one of the sites and would be a good place to voice your opinions.
Recommendations from the committee are scheduled at the June Board Meeting. If you want to look more closely at the report, it is available through the Office of the State Board of Education [click here].
If you are in town, drop in and personally give me your opinions.
Otherwise, phone me at 1-208-332-1271, e-mail at dpence@house.idaho.gov, or write P.O. Box 83720, Boise, Idaho 83720-0038
The Senate Education committee was scheduled to take up the iStars and We Teach Bills last Wednesday, but action was postponed. It appears neither of these concepts have enough approval to make it through committee. There is an effort to salvage the concept of rewarding effective teachers with additional pay. This may take the form of fewer steps or reduced amounts for each step. With tax income falling below expectations, legislators are wary of ongoing commitments of this magnitude. Any bill which ties relinquishing a continuing contract to eligibility to receive a step up the career ladder, will not get my vote.
One of the results of this summer’s Interim Water Resources Committee is H404. It asks for $20 million over ten years to develop aquifer planning and management throughout Idaho. These funds will be used to provide technical studies, facilitation services, hydrologic monitoring, and for the development of measurement and comprehensive plans for these aquifers. Water is becoming a valuable commodity and the need for comprehensive plans aimed at achieving aquifer sustainability is a necessary long-term goal. These plans will also provide data which will help to protect Idaho’s water as we confer with Washington officials over cross boarder water issues near Coeur d’ Alene.
Speaking of water, what about the snow this week? I trust it extended to the east as well. If so, it would go a long way in easing the anxiety over those pending shut down orders on irrigation wells all along the Snake River Aquifer.
The State Board of Education recently released a 113-page report concerning Medical Education in Idaho. This preliminary study was contracted to MGT of America. This report documented that a significant need for more physicians exists in Idaho. In addition the following results were noted:
· Access to physicians by the general population is extremely limited.
· Many of Idaho’s physicians are 55 or older and nearing retirement.
· Idaho’s population base is sufficient to support the clinical part of medical education.
· There are a number of highly qualified Idaho students seeking medical education.
· Idaho is dead last among states in the number of seats available in medical education.
· Less populated states have supported medical schools for years.
· Healthcare is an important component in the national economy, but much less so in Idaho.
· Idaho’s limited investment in medical education makes us ill-prepared to compete for a share of the rapidly expanding biomedical industry.
As a result of this report, the following four alternatives for medical education were identified.
· Create a new university–operated medical school on the distributive model. Sixty - one hundred students could be enrolled per class. Students take introductory courses on the university campus for two years and complete two years clinical training at several sites across the state (lead to a M.D. or equivalent degree)
· Expand the package of contract programs with medical schools in other states. (University of Washington and University of Utah, Others?)
· Develop a new joint medical school from current medical education resources. This approach would draw from the medical education resources of the three state universities.
· Expand graduate medical education (residency) programs in the state.
The Board spokesman, Mark Browning, emphasized that a cost benefit analysis of the data will be forth coming and will be important in any decision. A Medical Education Study Committee has been formed and will be meeting from March through May. Included in their proposed activities are public meetings at five sites around the state in April. Twin Falls is one of the sites and would be a good place to voice your opinions.
Recommendations from the committee are scheduled at the June Board Meeting. If you want to look more closely at the report, it is available through the Office of the State Board of Education [click here].
If you are in town, drop in and personally give me your opinions.
Otherwise, phone me at 1-208-332-1271, e-mail at dpence@house.idaho.gov, or write P.O. Box 83720, Boise, Idaho 83720-0038
Saturday, February 02, 2008
Names you will recognize...
UPDATED 2/2/08 8:40PM:
After the original posting, Gov. Cecil Andrus has added his support for Senator Obama. He introduced Obama at today's event... watch it here!
Larry Grant has also provided his endorsement for Senator Obama.
After I made my decision to support Barack Obama, I put forth even more effort to learn more about him. AFTER I decided to campaign for Obama, I found out who else in Idaho is publicly endorsing him.
I can't tell you if knowing this before hand would have hastened my own decision, but I can tell you that once I saw these names below... I knew I had made the right one. -drp
ENDORSEMENT
Jerry and Rickie Brady
ENDORSEMENT
Boise City Mayor, Dave Bieter
After the original posting, Gov. Cecil Andrus has added his support for Senator Obama. He introduced Obama at today's event... watch it here!
Larry Grant has also provided his endorsement for Senator Obama.
After I made my decision to support Barack Obama, I put forth even more effort to learn more about him. AFTER I decided to campaign for Obama, I found out who else in Idaho is publicly endorsing him.
I can't tell you if knowing this before hand would have hastened my own decision, but I can tell you that once I saw these names below... I knew I had made the right one. -drp
ENDORSEMENT
Jerry and Rickie Brady
Democrats have a host of qualified candidates who could win in November and be exceptional presidents. However the person best suited to our times is Barack Obama.
Why?
The next president must reverse the catastrophic decline in America's moral leadership in the world, a decline that has made us among the least admired nations in the world. Barack Obama can do that.
The next president must cut through the partisanship and divisiveness that have poisoned our public life for 30 years to achieve the unity craved by most Americans. Barack Obama can do that.
As a legislative assistant to Senator Frank Church in the l960's, I had a front row seat for the cascade of critical legislation that followed the death of John Kennedy. Something on the scale of Lyndon Johnson's accomplishments is needed today. If anyone could do that it would be Barack Obama.
The Bush Administration has placed America in a deep financial hole. Any responsible Democrat must reverse the catastrophic rise in the national debt piled on our children while mobilizing a national consensus for universal health care. Those who dug this hole and oppose health care for all will use the filibuster rule in the Senate to resist. In my judgment, Obama has the best chance to rally the nation to override this resistance and renew our country.
Some say Obama should have waited his turn. I say we cannot afford to wait. On many of our challenges, the hour is late and conditions dire. Obama offers the best hope for a breakthrough. Bush, Clinton, Bush and-once again-Clinton does not.
Rickie and I are packing our bags to work for Obama in Nevada come January. We hope Idaho Democrats will do all you can as well.
ENDORSEMENT
Boise City Mayor, Dave Bieter
Dear Obama for America in Idaho:
First, I want to thank the many Barack Obama supporters who turned out in numbers to help me be successful in my reelection as mayor of Boise. Your work made a big difference in my decision of whom to back for president.
But I admit that I took the time between my campaign and before the Iowa Caucus to decide between the candidates. After weeks of following each of them, and before any vote was cast in Iowa, I concluded that I will do whatever I can to ensure that Barack Obama be the next president of the United States.
This is a contentious and often bitter time in America. He is the only candidate who inspires us to push for a future that fulfills the promise our country has always had but too often has failed to fulfill.
Most of all, he is the only one with the courage to speak with hope in a cynical time. He is the right person at the right time for our country, our state and the City of Boise.
IDAHO STATE LAWMAKER ENDORSEMENTS:
State Senate Minority Leader Clint Stennett: Dist#25, Blaine, Camas, Gooding, Lincoln
State Senate Assistant Minority Leader David Langhorst: Dist 16, Ada
State Senator Diane Bilyeu: Dist.29, Bannock
State Senator Mike Burkett: Dist. #19, Ada,
State Senator Edgar Malepeai: Dist. # 30, Bannock
State Senator Elliot Werk: Dist.#17, Ada
House Minority Leader Wendy Jaquet: Dist.#25, Blaine, Camas, Gooding, Lincoln
House Assistant Minority Leader George Saylor: Dist.#4, Kootenai
House Minority Caucus Chair John Rusche: Dist.#7, Lewiston
State Representative Les Bock: Dist.# 16, Ada
State Representative Liz Chavez: Dist. #7, Nez Perce
State Representative Margaret Henbest: Dist.#16, Ada
State Representative Nicole LaFavour: Dist.#19, Ada
State Representative Anne Pasley-Stuart: Dist.#19, Ada
State Representative Donna Pence: Dist #25, Blaine, Camas, Gooding, Lincoln.
State Representative Shirley Ringo: Dist. #6, Latah
State Representative James Ruchti: Dist. #29, Bannock
State Representative Jerry Shively: Dist. #33, Bonneville
OTHER IDAHO ENDORSEMENTS:
· Paul Woods, Ada County Commissioner
· Jim Hansen, Former State Representative, Executive Director - United Vision for Idaho
· Gail Bray, Idaho's National Committeewoman - Super Delegate, Former State Senator
· Grant Burgoyne, Idaho's National Committeeman - Super Delegate, Private Attorney · Mike Kennedy, City Councilman - Coeur d'Alene
· Steve Scanlin, Former State Representative, Private Attorney
· Brian Cronin, Ada County Democrats Chair, 2004-2007
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