Which Way Idaho Legislature?
Do we deserve a 43% Increase?
Which Way Idaho Legislature?
Idaho legislators are on the verge of becoming the highest-paid part-time lawmakers in the country. If the Compensation Committee approves the 43% pay increase and legislators do nothing to stop it, it will be clear that priorities in the Statehouse need realigning—toward the true needs of Idahoans, not higher pay for lawmakers.
Leadership’s proposal(Read Here) attempts to justify this increase by citing “current legislator demands,” changes in statewide employee compensation (CEC), and legislative staff support. However, a recent survey on legislative needs—sent to all current legislators by two members—received few responses. As a result, these “demands” do not represent the views of all legislators, including us. At a time when hard-working Idahoans face rising costs, these demands seem out of touch with what truly matters to the public.
Legislators should not accept this significant pay boost; instead, we must focus on the real priorities of Idahoans. Let’s start with tax cuts, beginning with the grocery tax repeal. We also need to reduce the size of government, which has seen a 55% budget increase over five years, and curb unchecked spending by state bureaucracies. We shouldn’t trade a liberal nanny state for a conservative nanny state. Only after these steps are taken should the legislature consider increasing their pay.
We have crisscrossed our legislative districts, listening to Idahoan's concerns. People are struggling; families are worried about how they will feed, clothe, and educate their children. Our senior citizens, too, are anxious—many fear they’ll be forced to sell the homes they’ve worked their whole lives to own because they can’t afford rising property taxes. These taxes punish homeowners based on unrealized gains in property value, an unfair burden on those who built their lives here.
Our farmers also struggle with rising input costs that drive up grocery store prices. Meanwhile, millions are spent on individuals crossing our borders illegally—funds that Idahoans need for tax relief. Our elections need protection; we should not spend $40 million on Dominion machines supporting ranked-choice voting.
We won’t forget the hard-working men and women in Idaho who pay their taxes only to see their money go to a bloated and wasteful government. Idahoans deserve a government that respects their sacrifices and puts them first. In the upcoming legislative session, let’s work together to put Idaho’s citizens first.
Glenneda Zuiderveld, Senator, District 24
Christy Zito, Senate Candidate, District 8
Is there a portal (online or otherwise) wherein the citizen can make their voice heard regarding this? While i believe the laborer is worth their hire, I'd love a 43% pay raise too (albeit that's not on the backs of the taxpayers). I'd love to be able to buy groceries, literally, that doesn't require a credit card to afford. Where do i make my voice heard?
Thank you,
Joshua Van Dyke
I think using percentages is very unfair. The increase would be about $3,000 on the low end and $9,000 on the high end? The idea of the part time legislature is great on paper, but in reality it isn’t working for Idahoans. People who run for office need to be independently wealthy or sacrifice their career for a three month stint as a representative or senator. Let’s look at all the ways this has failed us:
-budget increases historically high
-passing of terrible bills that gives IDWR & Idaho Power NO liability when experimentally cloud seeding on the population.
-federal programs sending $ into Idaho without transparency.
I could go on, but our part time Idaho legislature is being overwhelmed by all of these outside forces. The big corporations hire lobbyists to work for them full time. It is clear that legislators cannot keep up with the system as it stands. Limit the corporate lobbying. A 43% increase doesn’t sound as terrible when you put real numbers to it. Let’s present the arguments fairly and the reality of our broken system. The part time approach isn’t working well.