Glee at the debate over Election Day liquor sales pervaded the Capitol Press Corps Monday. It’s a wonder elections even get covered with this prohibition in place that looks like it’s coming to an end.
The House is going to look at a few more tax exemptions this last week or two of the session, in part because they’ve approved so many more this session. Like a tax break to a company that may never even have offices here that passed the Senate yesterday.
State agencies getting just a bitty bit more cash, Story Corps coming to town and a local option retrospective in today’s Newrack.
Senate bends over for uranium rush. It’s unseemly. 23-11 vote caps property taxes for a proposed uranium enrichment plant that may not even locate in Idaho. 27-7 to exempt nuclear fuel equipment from sales tax. For Areva, a French company that’s looking for a place to enrich. Miller, AP in the Times-News. Davidson in the Post Register [subscrip].
State agency budgets up a mere $7 million. Smallest increase in funding state agencies in memory. Otter got a few of his priorities through: new H&W staffers, a flu vaccine, a garden, Read to Me. Hopkins in the Times-News.
Senate Mormons kill Election Day liquor sales. Then Senate reconsiders. Stennett and Schroeder show up and pass the bill. Then Senate overwhelmingly allows Sun Valley to get a liquor license for the Warm Springs Lodge. Weird. Miller, AP in the Times-News. Idaho voters soon could have a new reason to cheer. Russell in the Spokesman.
Lake brings more tax break repeal bills. Corporate HQ exemption was for Albertsons. Didn’t work. Of course, legislators are still taking care of the big boys. Research credit, broadband break and television production exemption also on chopping block. Davidson in the Post Register. [subscrip]
House Resources back bill to fine developers who harm fisheries. Reax to Lake Pend Oreille fish kill. Shifrin, AP in the Times-News.
Otter signs transition home bill. Lawsuit threatened. Rodine in the Statesman.
House Rev & Tax kills modified LIDs. Would have allowed cities/counties to exclude people from a Local Improvement District. Carlson in the IBR.
What happened last week to local option tax players? PaleoMedia finds a new cache of stories buried on the IBR Web. Interesting review of last week’s back and forth on transit funding. Kovsky in the IBR.
heddek plainy. Rite compleete sentenc. That’s the Statesman subhead on the state pay story? State workers get 3 percent raise, jack in health costs. Druzin in the Statesman.
ELECCIONES
Revolving door slaps that… Julie Ellsworth went from Legislature to Lobby and hopes to go back to Legislature. Boise Republican taking on Brandon Durst. Realtor Gail Hartnett taking on Ellsworth in the primary. Miller, AP in the Times-News.
OTRAS
Hoover leaving College of Idaho (Albertson). Former U of I Pres resigns after five years in Caldwell. LMT [subscrip].
NPR Story Corps, lifestyle programming coming to Boise. Splendid Table, Waddya Know, etc. will tape in Boise in next few months. Don Gonyea in July on covering Obama. Story Corps booth at Boise City Hall May 15-June 7. Kreller in the Statesman.
