IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) – The state of Idaho’s economy and budget loomed large at a Leadership Session featuring Governor Brad Little, Lt. Governor Scott Bedke and U.S. Rep. Mike Simpson on Friday.
Three of Idaho’s top leaders addressed “5 I’s” – Idaho’s economy, Idaho Launch, Immigration, Irrigation and Iran at a forum hosted by the Greater Idaho Falls Chamber at the Downtown Event Center.
Idaho Economy
Gov. Little struck an optimistic tone for the state of Idaho’s economy.
“One thing that I’m proudest of is Idaho – from top to bottom – has the fastest growing personal incomes of any state in the union,” Little said. “… We’re going to get by. We’re going to have a balanced budget guaranteed.”
Bedke warned that legislators overshot in appropriating $600 million in tax and revenue cuts for 2027, triggering this year’s budget cuts.
“The people you sent to the Legislature chose to create a list of things that had short-term political bang to it – mostly tax cuts,” he said. “…C’mon Idaho, you’re acting more like the federal government than Idaho. You don’t have the luxury to go over the top here.”
On the federal level, Congressman Simpson said that 72 percent of the federal budget is spent on entitlement programs and 28 percent on discretionary programs.
“We have to have courage to tackle the entitlement programs. That doesn’t mean take away Social Security or anything else, but you better change it,” Simpson said. “… That’s the only way you’re going to address this deficit and get the economy going.”
Idaho Launch
Idaho’s executive branch highlighted the success of Idaho Launch preparing students for well-paying careers.
“There’s an Idaho job waiting for every child commensurate to their education,” Bedke added. “I think that puts Idaho in a pretty good spot frankly.”
In this year of budget cuts, the Governor acknowledged he’s battling for funding for the program.
“What I thought was probably one of the most important investments we can make was increasing post-high school opportunities, [but funding] was limited,” Little said. “In fact, I’m still trying to just hang on to the appropriations that I proposed so far.”
Immigration
Simpson also addressed immigration, highlighting his support for the HALO bill to protect ICE officers from violence and harassment.
“There’s a legal way to come into this country, and unfortunately what’s happening right now, what you’re seeing with ICE and all this other stuff, and I don’t mean to sound partisan, but it is,” he said. “We’re trying to correct four years of an open border where 20 million people illegally came across the border.”
Irrigation
Lt. Gov. Bedke highlighted a tough year ahead for agriculture with an impending water shortage.
“We have planned before the crisis,” he said. “Now we’re going to stress test our plan, and I think we’re as well positioned as we possibly could be. We don’t have any problems a couple of wet snow storms won’t solve.”
Iran
On foreign policy, Rep. Simpson expressed his support for the current military action in Iran.
“Every president for 50 years has made the commitment to the American people that Iran can never had a nuclear weapon,” he said. “They would not commit to not enriching uranium. Even though we took out their major enrichment facilities, they still have others that they worked in. This is the first president that’s been willing to say, you know what, we’ve got to end this now.”
Making a difference
Back at home, Gov. Little told youth in the Chamber’s Emerging Leadership program to stay involved and participate in their communities and government.
“All our decisions are based on how do we create the runway, the enduring runway, for these kids to prosper here in Idaho?” he said.
