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?
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.
I agree with Glenneda Z, Christy Z, and Idaho Freedom Foundation. This pay increase should not be implemented now, and more time is needed to explore better options. Let's wait, weigh the options more carefully (when we're not being distracted by elections), and make any changes correctly.
Here's a Substack Note that summarizes options, includes various opinions on this hot topic, and allows citizens to weigh in if they object (but do so quickly, as the committee meets again on 11/06/24): https://substack.com/profile/68304299-big-e/note/c-74720328
The cost proposed to increase legislative effectiveness is very small compared to the cost of making mistakes. And it’s not just for pay. It can also be used for staff help so legislators can work thru over 1000 bills per session, most of which are driven by other highly paid and well staffed special interest groups. This one of the dumbest, team splitting arguments I’ve ever seen. As a business person , if you asked me to do the legislative job, as setup now, I’d say no. It can’t work. And to say that my legislators efforts are worth no more than the guy working at the burger place? Really? Maybe we need smarter people, not the cheapest we can find. It’s a communist idea that people work for the good of the state and sacrifice themselves for the good of all. Don’t buy this crap. Enable our legislators to represent you instead of the PACs that drive them currently.
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
You can submit comments to
MDrake@lso.idaho.gov
JKish@lso.idaho.gov
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.
I agree with Glenneda Z, Christy Z, and Idaho Freedom Foundation. This pay increase should not be implemented now, and more time is needed to explore better options. Let's wait, weigh the options more carefully (when we're not being distracted by elections), and make any changes correctly.
Here's a Substack Note that summarizes options, includes various opinions on this hot topic, and allows citizens to weigh in if they object (but do so quickly, as the committee meets again on 11/06/24): https://substack.com/profile/68304299-big-e/note/c-74720328
The proposal submitted was only for pay.
The cost proposed to increase legislative effectiveness is very small compared to the cost of making mistakes. And it’s not just for pay. It can also be used for staff help so legislators can work thru over 1000 bills per session, most of which are driven by other highly paid and well staffed special interest groups. This one of the dumbest, team splitting arguments I’ve ever seen. As a business person , if you asked me to do the legislative job, as setup now, I’d say no. It can’t work. And to say that my legislators efforts are worth no more than the guy working at the burger place? Really? Maybe we need smarter people, not the cheapest we can find. It’s a communist idea that people work for the good of the state and sacrifice themselves for the good of all. Don’t buy this crap. Enable our legislators to represent you instead of the PACs that drive them currently.