Bob Neugebauer and Ron Nate, president of the Idaho Freedom Foundation, deliver a comprehensive end-of-session breakdown of what’s happening — and not happening — at the Idaho Capitol. Nate opens with a sobering budget update: after the legislature attempted $813 million in spending cuts to bring the 2026 budget into balance, agency enhancement requests have […]
Bob Neugebauer welcomes Ron Nate, president of the Idaho Freedom Foundation, to the Idaho Pulse for a St. Patrick’s Day legislative update covering Idaho’s deepening budget crisis, stalled reform bills, and the fight over Medicaid expansion. Nate reports that while the governor signed the rescission bill enacting 4% cuts for 2026 and 5% for 2027, […]
Bob Neugebauer welcomes Ron Nate, president of the Idaho Freedom Foundation, for a wide-ranging breakdown of the 2026 Idaho legislative session. Nate reveals that 884 bills have been prepared—the highest in five years—yet only nine have passed both the House and Senate, raising sharp questions about what lawmakers are actually accomplishing during a primary election […]
Bob Neugebauer welcomes Ron Nate, president of the Idaho Freedom Foundation, to the Idaho Pulse for a wide-ranging conversation on the state of Idaho’s legislative session. Nate opens with a detailed breakdown of the state’s budget crisis, explaining how six years of spending growth—fueled significantly by federal COVID-era funding—has now pushed Idaho into a budget […]
Bob Neugebauer welcomes Idaho Freedom Foundation President Ron Nate to the Idaho Pulse for a sweeping discussion of the battles shaping the 2026 Idaho legislative session. The conversation opens with the historic and controversial Convention of States vote, which passed the Idaho House 36 to 34 for the first time in state history. Nate details […]
Bob Neugebauer and Ron Nate examine the Article 5 convention resolution that passed House State Affairs Committee 9-4, with chief sponsor John Schertz leading the charge to make Idaho the 29th state calling for a constitutional convention. Nate systematically dismantles three fatal flaws: conventions cannot be restricted to balanced budget amendments despite assurances, Idaho would […]
Bob Neugebauer and IFF President Ron Nate dissect Idaho’s self-inflicted budget crisis stemming from 60% spending increases over six years. Nate reveals the Idaho Freedom Foundation’s $1.9 billion in proposed cuts, including repealing Medicaid expansion and Idaho Launch. The discussion exposes how the governor’s acceptance of federal healthcare funding and workforce training programs benefits corporate […]
How Idaho’s Fiscal Discipline Collapsed Idaho policymakers face an uncomfortable question: how does a state transform a $496 million surplus into deficit projections within a single budget cycle? The answer reveals fundamental weaknesses in fiscal oversight and political incentives that govern public spending. Idaho’s experience offers a case study in how even traditionally conservative states […]
A Conversation with IFF President Ron Nate & Tea Party Bob Podcast Notes by Bob Neugebauer How Idaho’s Fiscal Discipline Collapsed: Idaho policymakers face an uncomfortable question: how does a state transform a $496 million surplus into deficit projections within a single budget cycle? The answer reveals fundamental weaknesses in fiscal oversight and political incentives […]
This article was republished with permission from the Idaho Freedom Foundation Well, isn’t that generous? The Group Insurance Advisory Committee (GIAC), under the Office of Group Insurance (OGI) within the Department of Administration — ever the example of fiscal responsibility — unilaterally decided to extend the GLP-1 weight-loss drugs to the employee health benefits plan […]
A Conversation with IFF President Ron Nate & Tea Party Bob Podcast Notes by Bob Neugebauer Bottom Line: Idaho’s $141 million budget “shortfall” represents excellent news for taxpayers, with collections 4.5% above last year and a $278 million surplus remaining, exposing how government officials view taxpayer money as their property rather than citizens’ earnings. Idaho […]
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 […]