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Opinions / Op-eds

Conservatives Are Correct to DOGE and Vote Down Enhancement Budgets

This article courtesy of the Idaho Freedom Foundation Conservatives in the Idaho Legislature have a rare opportunity to flex their muscles and cut years of bloat out of government budgets. Many Idahoans love how the Trump administration employs a Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and want to see the overspending stopped and reversed here at […]

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Opinions / Op-eds

Of Course We Can Afford More Tax Cuts

Republished, with permission, from the Idaho Freedom Foundation Three tax-cut bills — four, if you include an education tax credit bill — are before the Idaho Legislature. And yes, they are all affordable. A Little History Over the past five years, ongoing and one-time tax cuts have reduced the tax take by $4.6 billion, of […]

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Opinions / Op-eds

The Pay Raise Fire Hose is Wide Open

Republished, with permission, from the Idaho Freedom Foundation Late last week, after several failed attempts, the Legislature’s Joint Finance Appropriation Committee (JFAC) set the state employee pay raise. Rather than a strict percentage, the pay raise, known as the Change in Employee Compensation (CEC), provides a $1.05 to $1.55 per hour increase range for most […]

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Opinions / Op-eds

How our Tax Dollars are Being Spent

This article is courtesy of the Idaho Freedom Foundation The Idaho Freedom Foundation has written extensively about Idaho’s budget and will continue to do so. Numbers and financial analyses can be difficult for people to understand who don’t focus on it. Let’s discuss some of the basics. Let’s start with a few terms from the […]

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Opinions / Op-eds

Governor Little is Dodging DOGE in Idaho

This article is compliments of the Idaho Freedom Foundation “Idaho was DOGE before DOGE was cool.” That was Gov. Little yesterday in his State of the State address, and subsequent press conference, invoking the now “infamous” DOGE, the Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy led Department of Government Efficiency. Let’s give the governor his due on […]

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Opinions / Op-eds

A Roadmap for Ending Property Taxes

This article is courtesy of the Idaho Freedom Foundation Governor Little recently issued a press release claiming that since assuming office in 2019, his administration cut taxes paid by Idaho residents by $4.6 billion — cumulative through 2025. This figure includes income tax cuts, property tax reductions, one-time rebates, an increase to the grocery credit, […]

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Opinions / Op-eds

Debunking the Baseless Criticisms of the Idaho Freedom Index

Originally published by the Idaho Freedom Foundation Recently, Robert Gillis, a retired California Law Enforcement Officer, wrote a lengthy letter critical of the role that the Idaho Freedom Foundation (IFF) plays in public policy in Idaho, condemnatory of our influence on legislation and legislators, and scathing of our primary legislative bill rater Parrish Miller.  Gillis, […]

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Opinions / Op-eds

Director Jeppesen’s retirement from Health & Welfare should not end scrutiny of scandals

Originally published by the Idaho Freedom Foundation Idaho Health and Welfare Director Dave Jeppesen’s recent retirement announcement followed the previous week’s Joint Finance and Appropriation Committee (JFAC) fall budget review. We can’t be sure that the two are connected, but there were two damaging reports tied to Health and Welfare under his leadership.  IFF has […]

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