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Guest Columnist Idaho Senator Brian Lenney: Idaho Built an Ag Empire on Modern Day Slavery

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January 30, 2026

Idaho Built an Ag Empire on Modern Day Slavery
Tens of thousands trapped by fear, debt, and deportation threats

By: Idaho Senator Brian Lenney

Last week, some dairy industry and construction folks got offended when I compared their labor practices to “slavery.” Called it disrespectful and gaslit all of us who are opposed to illegal immigration.

Take a look:

You know what?

Good. Be offended. Because what’s actually disrespectful is what’s happening on farms and job sites across Idaho right now. And if the comparison bothers you, maybe that says something about the conditions you’re defending.

So this blog is my response.

Imagine you’re here illegally, working on an Idaho farm.

Could be dairy. Could be potato fields. Sugar beets. Onions. Maybe you’re on a construction crew building houses in Boise’s suburbs. Your boss knows. Of course he knows. The industry evenly openly claims there are 30,000 illegal workers in Idaho (I think it’s way more).

You complain about conditions? Mention the wages? Say something about the converted barn they’re making you sleep in with nine other guys? The farmer doesn’t have to do anything. Doesn’t have to call ICE. Doesn’t even threaten directly. The threat just exists in the air between you. It’s always there.

He needs you, actually. Can’t run his operation without you. But you don’t know that for sure, do you? And even if you did, the fear sits in your chest anyway because the risk isn’t worth testing.

This is human exploitation happening right now in every agricultural county in Idaho.

A couple months ago an ICE agent based in Boise told me something that keeps rattling around in my head. He busted some farmworkers during a raid last year and expected resistance, anger, fear, chaos, the usual. Instead they thanked him. Because they said they’d been working every single day since Christmas with no break. Not one day. Months straight of 12, 14, 16 hour days.

For them, getting arrested and deported was relief.

Think about what has to be true for deportation to feel like freedom.

Idaho agriculture runs a multibillion dollar operation annually. We got dairy, potatoes, wheat, sugar beets, barley, hay. The Magic Valley feeds a chunk of America. And it runs on people who can’t say no. Dairy operations needs milkers every day. No weekends off ever. Construction sites building the new subdivisions outside Meridian and Nampa? Same workers, different setting, identical fear.

You’re up before dawn, work until dark, sometimes seven days a week. Maybe you’re making $16 an hour on a farm or high teens to low twenties on a construction site. State minimum wage is $7.25 but rent keeps climbing anyway. Your back hurts from lifting sacks of potatoes or sheets of drywall. Fifty, eighty, hundred pounds. Over and over. The guy you work with lost three fingers last month in the machinery and kept working after they patched him up because… what else is he gonna do?

But the housing is where the farmer or contractor really becomes the slaveholder. You’re living in trailers or converted outbuildings, packed in tight with maybe ten or fifteen people sharing space meant for maybe four. Southern and southeast Idaho winters can get cold. Summer in the valley hits 100 and maybe there’s no AC. You’re paying rent for this, by the way. $100 – $300 monthly gets deducted right from your check for a room with mold creeping up the walls and mice in the corners.

These are human beings created in God’s image being exploited for profit.

Or, maybe you paid a coyote (i.e. smuggler) to get here.

$3,000, $5,000+. So now you’re working just to pay that off before you even start sending money “home” like you promised. Months of labor where you’re essentially getting nothing. It’s bondage with a paycheck.

And the boss knows this. He knows you can’t leave, can’t complain, can’t organize. He’s built his whole operation around your fear. The economics demand it, whether he’s evil or just practical. Cheap slave labor keeps him competitive. If he pays fair wages with real protections and benefits though, he’s out of business.

So he exploits you instead and pays poverty wages and houses you in conditions he wouldn’t let his dog live in. He takes your labor and your dignity and calls it a job opportunity.

Many of Idaho’s agricultural regions are remote. Twin Falls, Jerome, Gooding, up into the Magic Valley. Even the construction sites on Boise’s edges keep you isolated. Your employer often provides housing and transportation. Which means he controls everything about your life. Your sleeping arrangements. Your ability to get anywhere. Access to other people. Total control.

This is modern day plantation logic.

Different century, same structure.

Agricultural employers and construction outfits say there are 30,000 illegal aliens working in Idaho total. I don’t buy it.

But Idaho’s got hundreds of dairy operations. Add potato farms, onion operations, sugar beet harvest, hay production, cattle ranching, food processing plants in Twin Falls and Nampa. Then construction booming all across the Treasure Valley. All those new houses, the commercial buildings, road crews.

The math doesn’t work. I think the industry lowballs the number because acknowledging the real scale means acknowledging how completely dependent they are. It means admitting the whole state economy is built on exploiting people who have no legal standing to push back.

I’d bet it’s 50,000 easy. Probably more. Scattered across farms and job sites, invisible until ICE shows up, then suddenly they matter for a day before everyone goes back to pretending the system’s fine.

That’s fifty thousand human beings being systematically exploited.

It’s a human rights crisis happening in our backyard.

You can’t leave. Technically you can, sure. Nobody’s got you in chains. But leaving means possibly getting sent back to whatever you fled. Your kids grow up without you and the money you were sending to your mother in Mexico City stops.

So you stay. And the boss knows you’ll stay (he’s counting on it).

The threat of ICE doesn’t even have to be spoken. It’s just there. Hanging over every interaction. You see a sheriff’s car on the highway and your stomach drops. Hear sirens and wonder if today’s the day. That constant fear is the whip. It’s just modern and more efficient and wrapped in immigration law.

Those workers who thanked the Boise ICE agent weren’t confused or broken. They were exhausted past the point where deportation seemed worse than the daily grind. When going home to potential danger feels better than another day of farm work or construction, something’s fundamentally wrong with the equation.

Talk to anyone who actually knows Idaho agriculture or construction and they’ll tell you the same thing: 70-80%+ of the labor is illegal. The whole thing would collapse without it.

So there’s this weird unspoken agreement. Employers need workers. Workers need jobs that don’t ask for papers, and ICE does occasional raids to show they’re doing something but not so many that the economy crashes.

Everyone pretends the system works even though it’s built on people who have zero power and no recourse.

And the conditions stay brutal because they can. Why improve housing when workers can’t complain? Why pay more when the alternative for workers is deportation? Why add safety equipment when injuries don’t get reported?

The mechanism is different but the power structure is identical to slavery. One person owns your labor because the alternative is destruction.We built prosperity on the backs of people we exploit because we can. And we call ourselves a Christian state? Idaho, where everyone claims to love Jesus and follow His teachings? Where are those teachings when tens of thousands of people are being exploited in our fields and on our construction sites?

Jesus said whatever you did to the least of these, you did to Him. So what are we doing to Him right now in the Magic Valley? In Jerome County? In Canyon? On every farm and jobsite paying slave wages for 16 hour days?

Obviously farmers and contractors mostly won’t call ICE on their own workers. But they don’t have to because the possibility does the work for them. You police yourself because the consequences of stepping out of line are too catastrophic to risk.

You’re living in uncertainty.

Is today the day? Will this complaint be the one that triggers something?

The psychological weight of that is crushing and it’s deliberate. Your fear turns into someone else’s profit. Your silence keeps the whole machine running. Your inability to leave or demand better props up Idaho’s economy.

Those workers thanking the ICE agent would rather face deportation than one more shift. When that’s your reality, when the cage is that suffocating, what else do you call it? The person controlling you might think of themselves as a job provider, someone giving opportunities to people who need them. Maybe he even goes to church on Sunday and prays for the poor and the oppressed.

This is shameful…There’s no other word for it. We’re exploiting human beings, tens of thousands of them, and we’ve built a whole economic system that depends on their powerlessness. We make money from their fear while prices stay low because they can’t speak up.

And we do it in Jesus’s name?

In a state that prides itself on Christian values and family and hard work and integrity? Where’s the integrity in paying someone slave wages for 16 hour days, seven days a week? Where’s the family values in housing people in converted barns with no heat?

Where’s the Christian love in building your business model on the certainty that your workers are too terrified to demand basic human dignity?

This is the thing that seldmo gets talked about in the debate on illegal immigartion: that fact that these are people. They have names, families, hopes, pain. They are human beings created in God’s image deserving of basic rights and dignity and fair treatment.

The people profiting from this system should look in the mirror and ask themselves what they’re really doing. And they should reckon with the fact that their prosperity is built on other people’s suffering (because it is).

This has to change. Basic human decency demands it. You can’t claim to value life and dignity and justice while building your agricultural or construction empire on the backs of people who can’t say no.

Guest Columnist ID Senator Glenneda Zuiderveld: The Price of Dependence

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February 15, 2026

The Price of Dependence
Idaho’s Budget, are we just managing the decline?

By: Idaho Dist. 24 State Senator Glenneda Zuiderveld

ID Senator Glenneda Zuiderveld (Photo Credit: Glenneda Zuiderveld)

Last Friday, Idaho’s Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee (JFAC) voted on the ten maintenance budgets. With the Governor’s 3 percent holdback and an additional 2 percent rescission from the Legislature, there was a 5 percent reduction in General Fund spending for maintenance. The difference between the FY2027 agency requests and JFAC’s maintenance decisions totals $308,596,300.

We will be voting on enhancement requests next week, which will increase the JFAC base figure of $13,332,534,100. Because of that, I do not expect we will see as large a gap between the FY2026 budget and the final FY2027 budget as the maintenance numbers alone might suggest.

There has been a great deal of emotion in JFAC. At times, the discussion has felt personal. But the reality is straightforward: revenues did not meet projections, and we must now appropriate within those limits. Over the past six years, Idaho’s budget has grown by approximately 60 percent. Much of that growth was fueled by COVID-era and ARPA federal funds. We knew those dollars would eventually run out, yet many projects initiated with one-time money carry ongoing maintenance and operational costs that now fall to Idaho taxpayers.

In addition, when agencies receive large appropriations with limited oversight, problems can follow. Recent audits have identified concerns that underscore why fiscal restraint and accountability are not optional, they are essential.

I have received many emails, phone calls, and text messages from constituents concerned about Medicaid funding. Let me begin by offering some clarity: Medicaid was not affected by the recent rescissions. Neither were K–12 education, the Department of Correction, or law enforcement.

Regarding Medicaid, the federal government currently covers between 70 and 90 percent of the program’s costs, depending on the eligibility category. That leaves the State of Idaho responsible for roughly 10 to 30 percent. Any decision to reduce or eliminate those federal dollars would happen at the federal level, not in the Idaho Legislature. And here is the difficult truth: Idaho’s state revenues could not come close to absorbing the full cost of Medicaid if federal funding were withdrawn.

To understand the scale, consider the numbers. In 2026, Idaho’s total Medicaid budget is approximately $5.25 billion, funded jointly by federal dollars and Idaho taxpayers. The largest and fastest-growing portion is Medicaid Expansion, costing about $1.3 billion this year alone. While the federal government covers roughly 90 percent of that expansion cost (about $1.17 billion), Idaho taxpayers still contribute around $130 million. The remaining categories, Coordinated (primarily seniors and dual-eligible individuals), Enhanced (people with disabilities and special health needs), and Basic (pregnant women, children, and families), account for the rest of the spending.

What is clear is this: Medicaid is now one of the largest components of Idaho’s entire state budget. Even when Washington pays the bigger share, Idaho families are still responsible for hundreds of millions of dollars each year, and ultimately, that obligation rests here at home.

I do not believe panic is helpful. But preparation is prudent. With the federal deficit nearing $39 trillion, it would be unwise to assume that current funding structures will remain untouched forever. I respect you too much to withhold that reality. It is always better to plan thoughtfully than to be caught off guard.

I was disappointed when the Governor’s office released a list of programs that might be eliminated. As we reviewed that list, it became clear that many of the items referenced are tied directly to Medicaid and federal requirements and therefore cannot simply be “cut” at the state level. Releasing such a list without that clarification created unnecessary fear and confusion among Idahoans who rely on these services. Clear communication matters, especially when people’s health and livelihoods are involved.

We do have the option to repeal Medicaid Expansion. However, I do not believe there is currently the political will within leadership to pursue that course. And even if such a repeal were to pass the Legislature, it is highly likely the Governor would veto it.

Below are the different Medicaid programs. The reality is straightforward: the more funding directed toward able-bodied adults, less money remains to support the elderly, severely disabled adults, and medically fragile children who rely on these services the most. In a system with finite resources, priorities matter.

COORDINATED MEDICAID PLAN: Beneficiaries covered in this plan primarily consist of those who are age 65 and older. All individuals dually eligible for Medicaid and Medicare, regardless of age, may elect to receive coverage under this plan.

ENHANCED MEDICAID PLAN: Medicaid-eligible group primarily made up of children and adults (non-elderly) with disabilities, or other individuals with special health needs, such as foster children. Individuals included in this plan may elect to remain in this plan after they turn 65 years old.

BASIC MEDICAID PLAN: Medicaid-eligible group primarily consisting of Pregnant Women and Children (PWC), Family Medicaid and Idaho’s Children Health Insurance Program (CHIP). These populations are assumed to be in average health, with average levels of disease.

EXPANSION MEDICAID PLAN: Beneficiaries covered in this plan have an income level of 138% of the federal poverty limit (FPL) or less. These populations are assumed to be in average health, with average levels of disease. Coverage for this population group started on January 1, 2020.

The chart below reflects the FY2026 appropriations by fund source and function. I encourage you to pay close attention to the proportion of federal funds, as well as the total amount allocated to Health and Welfare.

The warning signs are there. I am simply doing my best to point them out clearly and honestly.

If you would like to review the 851 page Idaho Budget Book, click HERE.

 

One more point worth noting: education is not suffering to the extent some would have you believe. The FY2027 request totals $4,450,152,300, representing a 4.1 percent increase over the prior year. We will see where the final appropriation ultimately lands.

In addition, there is approximately $716 million in fund balances available. Those reserves could be utilized if districts claim they are unable to operate on $4.45 billion. The full financial picture deserves to be part of the conversation.

Read more about the school fund balances HERE.

Quote of the Week:

“Government’s view of the economy could be summed up in a few short phrases: If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it.” ~Ronal Reagan

Bible Verse of the Week:

“The wicked borrows but does not pay back, but the righteous is generous and gives.”
— Psalm 37:21 (ESV)

Registration Now Open for Presidential 1776 Award Online Civics Test

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Observer Staff
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February 17, 2026

Registration is now open for the online test portion of the Presidential 1776 Award.  The testing and award website explains:

The Presidential 1776 Award is part of a national civics competition that challenges high school students who have interest in history around the founding of America and the ideas that shaped this country. The competition focuses on the Founders, the Declaration of Independence, the Constitutional Convention, and the key battles and soldiers of the American Revolutionary War.

Students in grades 9-12 will compete in three stages:

  • An online multiple-choice test
  • An in-person regional semi-finals
  • A national finals event in Washington D.C.

Student travel and lodging will not be sponsored for regional contestants but will be covered for national finalists.

To register your high school student for the competition, click here.  Study materials are also available on the site.  The online test may be taken any time between Sunday, February 22, and Sunday, March 1.

Second Lady Usha Vance Announces Bookmark Design Challenge to Celebrate America’s 250th Anniversary

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(Office of the Second Lady Press Release, February 17, 2026)

On Tuesday, February 17, 2026, Second Lady Usha Vance, in partnership with The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), announced a new Bookmark Design Challenge: Celebrating America’s 250th, an opportunity for students in grades K–8 to design an original bookmark celebrating the nation’s 250th anniversary.

The Bookmark Design Challenge encourages young artists to create an original, hand-drawn bookmark depicting what America means to them. Designs may explore themes such as American history and traditions, symbols of unity and democracy, creativity and innovation, ideas of community, or hopes for the nation’s future. Students are invited to interpret the theme freely and creatively using artistic materials of their choosing.

“The Bookmark Design Challenge invites students to reflect on our shared history and begin imagining our future as we celebrate America’s 250th anniversary,” said Second Lady Usha Vance. “I hope the winning bookmarks will inspire kids to pick up a book and learn something new about our country as part of my Summer Reading Challenge!”

“As we approach America’s 250th anniversary, the National Endowment for the Arts is proud to invite young people to reflect on what our country means to them through creativity,” said Mary Anne Carter, chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts. “It is an honor to work with the Office of the Second Lady to celebrate the imagination and curiosity of our nation’s students while highlighting the vital role the arts play in helping us understand our history, our communities, and our shared future.”

This challenge is open to students across the nation’s 50 states, the District of Columbia, and five territories. Second Lady Usha Vance will select three national winners—one from each of the following categories:

  • K–2
  • Grades 3–5
  • Grades 6–8

Winning designs will be featured during commemorative activities celebrating America’s 250th anniversary in 2026, such as the Great American State Fair, the Second Lady’s 2026 Summer Reading Challenge, and other Office of the Second Lady and NEA events. Each winning student, accompanied by a parent or guardian, will also be invited to Washington, DC, in summer 2026 to participate in a series of celebratory events.

Applications must be submitted through the NEA’s website arts.gov/bookmarks before Tuesday, March 31, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. ET. Please visit the NEA’s website for additional details, including full guidelines and FAQs. Questions about the Bookmark Design Challenge may be directed to bookmarks@arts.gov.

INL, NVIDIA AI Partner to Accelerate Nuclear Energy Deployment through Genesis Mission

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(Idaho National Laboratory Press Release, February 17, 2026)

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho — The Idaho National Laboratory and NVIDIA have partnered to advance nuclear energy deployment through artificial intelligence. The collaboration aims to accelerate advanced nuclear reactor deployment and reduce costs.

INL and NVIDIA’s collaboration is part of the Genesis Mission, a national initiative to build the world’s most powerful scientific platform to accelerate discovery science, strengthen national security, and drive energy innovation. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) recently announced 26 pressing national science and technology challenges for this Mission under President Trump’s Executive Order 14363. This partnership will drive the challenge: Delivering Nuclear Energy that is Faster, Safer, and Cheaper, codenamed Prometheus.

As part of the Genesis Mission platform, Prometheus will accelerate nuclear energy deployment by using AI to design, license, manufacture, construct, and operate reactors with human-in-the-loop workflows, enabling at least 2x schedule acceleration and greater than 50% operational cost reductions. Prometheus will address two critical national priorities: harnessing artificial intelligence to drive a new industrial and scientific revolution; and meeting surging electricity demand to power the economy of the next century. This collaboration is designed to create a virtuous cycle where AI enables rapid nuclear deployment, and nuclear energy provides the baseload power required for next-generation AI infrastructure.

“This partnership represents a transformative approach to one of our nation’s greatest challenges for deploying abundant, reliable nuclear energy at the speed and scale required for our AI-driven future,” said John Wagner, INL director. “By leveraging AI to design, license and operate reactors, we can fundamentally change the timeline for bringing advanced nuclear energy online.”

“NVIDIA is honored to collaborate with the U.S. government to apply AI and accelerated computing to advance nuclear energy, while reducing energy costs for Americans,” said John Josephakis, global vice president of Sales and Business Development for HPC/Supercomputing at NVIDIA. “Combining INL’s decades of nuclear expertise with NVIDIA AI infrastructure will put AI to work to design, license and operate reactors faster, safer and at lower cost — delivering the abundant energy needed to power scientific discovery.”

“This is the moment to decisively advance AI-accelerated nuclear energy deployment, increasing America’s energy affordability while also catalyzing the development of Artificial Intelligence in the United States,” said Rian Bahran, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Energy for Nuclear Reactors. “This public-private partnership presents a targeted approach to AI-acceleration that goes beyond incremental ‘uplift’ improvements. It has the potential to transform the paradigm for how we deploy nuclear energy in addition to how we advance R&D and discovery.”

The collaboration will focus on several strategic initiatives:

  • AI-powered nuclear design, licensing, manufacturing, construction, and operation: Developing generative AI, digital twins, and agentic workflows to accelerate nuclear energy deployment.
  • Industry advancement: Supporting broader nuclear industry adoption of accelerated computing and AI tools while providing guidance to regulatory entities on state-of-the-art autonomous and digital nuclear capabilities.
  • Supercomputing infrastructure: Leveraging Department of Energy leadership-class supercomputers for large-scale model training and simulation while evaluating on-premises NVIDIA AI systems for real-time operations.
  • Data validation: Using INL’s legacy nuclear data, laboratory data, and on-site reactors — including the Neutron Radiography Reactor, or NRAD, and the Microreactor Applications Research Validation and Evaluation, or MARVEL (not yet operational)— to provide real-world data for digital twin validation.
  • Code acceleration: Accelerating critical nuclear simulation codes including MOOSE, BISON, Griffin, and Pronghorn on NVIDIA GPU architectures to unlock unprecedented simulation capabilities.

The collaboration may expand to include additional stakeholders including nuclear reactor developers, utilities, investors, and other national laboratories to establish a comprehensive ecosystem for AI-driven nuclear deployment.

Under the Genesis Mission, Idaho National Laboratory, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and Argonne National Laboratory are collaborating with industry and academia to provide Americans with more affordable energy while reducing human error, strengthening national security, and directly supporting U.S. energy dominance with multi-billion-dollar cost savings per gigawatt of generating capacity.

About Idaho National Laboratory
Battelle Energy Alliance manages INL for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Nuclear Energy. INL is the nation’s center for nuclear energy research and development, and also performs research in each of DOE’s strategic goal areas: energy, national security, science and the environment. For more information, visit www.inl.gov. Follow us on social media: Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and X.

Matt Edwards to Discuss ‘Doors Win Wars’ at This Week’s Capitol Clarity

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February 17, 2026

Boise–This week’s Capitol Clarity, The Idaho Freedom Foundation’s weekly legislative update, will focus on grassroots election strategy.  IFF President Ronald Nate shared the details in an email:

This Thursday at noon, we are hosting Matt Edwards of Citizens Alliance of Idaho who will outline how to turn grassroots energy into tangible victory!

Matt will be diving deep into the strategy that actually moves the needle. He’ll explain why “knocking on doors wins wars” and show you how a dedicated group of neighbors can out-hustle the biggest spenders.

Whether you are a seasoned campaigner or you’ve never picked up a clipboard in your life, you’ll walk away with a clear understanding of how we protect our values this year.

We can’t afford to sit this one out. We hope to see you there!

Nate also noted that a livestream video will be available later this week.

Pocatello Police Advisory: Community Assistance Requested in S Arthur Overnight Stabbing

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Observer Staff
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(Pocatello Police Department, February 16, 2026; Cover Image credit: PPD FB)

On February 15, 2026 at approximately 10:06 pm., officers with the Pocatello Police Department responded to the area of 700 block of South Arthur for a report of two women who were stabbed by an unknown male assailant. The male was described as being approximately 5 feet 10 inches tall, short hair, wearing a hat and a dark jacket. We are working on gathering further suspect information. The male ran south on Arthur away from the area. Both women were transported to Portneuf Medical Center for their injuries.

The Pocatello Police Department is requesting the public’s assistance. Anyone with information, surveillance footage in the area of 700 South Arthur is encouraged to contact the Pocatello Police Department at 208-234-6100. The preliminary investigation leads the police to believe this is an isolated incident. If the police obtain information that changes this incident, new information will be released as soon as possible.

The police are currently reviewing the victims cell phone for further information. The police are currently reviewing all evidence, cell phones, surveillance footage, and canvasing the area. We are following up on all leads as the investigation progresses.

The male is considered armed and dangerous. Please do not approach the male and call the police. This incident remains under investigation.

Guest Columnist Brian Almon: Will Budget Cuts Break Idaho?

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Observer Staff
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(Image Credit: Gem State Chronicle)

February 12, 2026 (Cover Image Credit: Gem State Chronicle)

Will Budget Cuts Break Idaho?
When it comes to funding government, how much is really enough?

By: Brian Almon

Brian Almon

On Friday morning, the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee (JFAC) voted to send ten maintenance budget bills to the House and Senate floors. These budgets incorporated not only Gov. Brad Little’s 3% holdbacks from last year, but also an additional 2% in cuts approved by JFAC the previous week.

Four senators expressed serious concern, not only about the cuts themselves but also about the way they were being implemented. Democrats Melissa Wintrow and Janie Ward-Engelking were joined by Republicans Kevin Cook and Jim Woodward in opposing many of the bills, but they were consistently outvoted. Cook began the day by debating against the entire maintenance budget process, urging the committee to scrap the agenda, restore last week’s cuts, and adjourn. Woodward then attempted to introduce a substitute motion that restored the additional 2% cuts to the first maintenance budget bill, but was ruled out of order by Co-chair Rep. Josh Tanner. Legislative Services Office (LSO) analyst Keith Bybee explained that JFAC had already voted to incorporate those cuts and could not undo that decision after the fact.

Sens. Cook, Wintrow, and Ward-Engelking each warned that this year’s cuts would “break” Idaho, citing examples of degradation, destruction, and even death that they claimed would occur if the cuts stood.

I was in the room for all three hours of the hearing, and joined Matt Edwards afterward to break it down:

Friday’s proceedings were a far cry from what happened in JFAC two years ago. On Groundhog Day 2024, nine Republicans (including Cook) and three Democrats used then-co-chair Wendy Horman’s absence as an opportunity to overturn the new maintenance budget process. In hindsight, this appeared to be part of a larger power struggle that led to the ouster of then-House Majority Leader Megan Blanksma and resulted in a victory for the new budget process.

This year, six members on the House side and six on the Senate side held the line throughout the hearing, ensuring that all ten maintenance budgets passed to the chamber floors.

This was an interesting reversal of the recent past, when conservative legislators were often derided for using procedural motions and lengthy debate to forestall votes they knew would not go their way. In the past two years, it has been moderates and Democrats resorting to futile attempts to delay the inevitable. While we’re not yet at a total conservative victory—just look at the way Rep. Heather Scott has had to struggle to get bills in House State Affairs even printed—we’ve come a long way in just a few years.

What strikes me most about rhetoric claiming that a 5% budget cut would be catastrophic is how it ignores the growth in spending over the past few years. According to the Legislature’s dashboard, base budgets—not counting enhancements, supplementals, and off-book spending—increased more than 36% over the past five years and more than 80% over the past decade.

The policy team at Idaho Freedom Foundation—especially Fred Birnbaum and new budget analyst Brett Farruggia—produced a series of infographics examining where the budget stands today, where it might be had the Legislature limited growth to inflation and population increases, and what options lawmakers have going forward. I spoke with Birnbaum and Farruggia about their work late last year:

There is no question that state government has steadily expanded, especially over the past five years. This graph shows how real per capita spending—a calculation accounting for both inflation and population growth—has increased dramatically in the first half of the 2020s:

When legislators like Melissa Wintrow or Kevin Cook claim that budget cuts will be catastrophic, it is reasonable to ask whether we were in the midst of catastrophe when the base budget was $7.6 billion in Fiscal Year 2019 rather than $12.6 billion in FY2026. The next question is, “How much more do you think we should be spending?” If a 5% haircut would result in degradation, destruction, and even death, would a 5% increase improve the state further? How about 10%? 50%? Why not 100%? If the answer to every problem is a government program, why not confiscate everyone’s money and let supposedly wise central planners distribute it?

There is a fundamental divide in our body politic: between those who believe your money belongs to the government and those who believe it belongs to the people—from those who see society ordered top-down, and those who see it ordered bottom-up. I often remind my libertarian friends that we live in a society, but it’s just as easy for Republicans to forget that we are also meant to be a free people.

Our local media has certainly taken a side in this debate. Here is a screenshot from my RSS reader showing a selection of what the Idaho Capital Sun reported over the past 48 hours:

Image

Democrats recently hosted a forum in the Capitol, inviting recipients of government welfare to share concerns about potentially losing some of that aid. Later, Idaho Reports, a program of taxpayer-funded Idaho Public Television, hosted four Medicaid recipients to voice their concerns.

Kristyn Herbert, Julie McConnel, Idaho Reports host Melissa Davlin, Ned Fowkes, and Dana Gover at the Idaho Public Television studio

I have yet to see similar forums asking taxpayers—those who pay for all these programs—their thoughts on the proper level of government spending. Instead, the narrative comes entirely from those dependent on tax dollars. Watching yet another emotionally charged testimony, I was struck by how little gratitude was shown. Instead of recognizing that they benefit from a very generous society, the witnesses displayed endless entitlement, full of pride and devoid of humility.

Numerous political thinkers have noted the instability of a republic in which voters can use the ballot box to extract resources from fellow citizens. I wrote about this doom spiral last fall:

Yet any government welfare program inevitably changes incentives—especially once Americans lost their sense of shame in using them. Social Security led to Medicare and Medicaid, which led to Obamacare and Medicaid Expansion, with food stamps, Section 8 housing vouchers, and other taxpayer-funded programs along the way. Today we have an entire ecosystem of government welfare, along with a service industry dedicated to helping people extract as many benefits as possible.

Once you assume that government can solve all society’s problems, there is no limit to its growth. That’s why our Founders wisely imposed hard limits on the scope of government, and why we would be wise to maintain them.

Contrary to the histrionics at play in JFAC on Friday, there remains ample opportunity to ensure important programs are funded. As Rep. Steve Miller noted on Friday morning, these 5% base budget cuts are necessary targets, and it will be up to JFAC and the Legislature to tweak individual line items. If the juvenile drug treatment program highlighted by Sen. Wintrow or the parole program raised by Sen. Cook are vitally important, JFAC can authorize enhancement budgets while making up the difference elsewhere.

Former state senator and current candidate Scott Herndon explained it well in a Facebook post that I republished with permission:

Keep in mind though that these modest cuts come after state spending has still grown 60% in the last 6 years, and there is much more work to be done on the budgets for the remaining 2 months of this legislative session. Some of the cuts could be added back, and cuts could become more targeted, rather than across the board.

Having to reduce spending is an opportunity in which the legislature should really look for waste, inefficiencies and unnecessary government programs that are outside of the core mission of what we want our state’s government to accomplish.

Big spenders act as if money is infinite, and only conservative greed prevents government from creating a utopia. Fiscal conservatives recognize that money—like all resources—is finite, which means we must prioritize programs to fund and those to cut. These are the hard decisions we elected our lawmakers to make. JFAC was never meant to rubber-stamp agency spending. Our elected legislators are constitutionally mandated to produce a balanced budget each year, which requires making hard choices and prioritizing needs and wants.

Some programs may need more money. I believe the Attorney General’s office is doing vital work within the proper scope of government, so it should have sufficient resources to do its job. On the other hand, many government programs fall outside that scope and should be trimmed.

The elephant in the room remains Medicaid Expansion. Much of the outrage over provider rate cuts and reductions exists because lawmakers are afraid to touch Expansion. Yes, it was implemented by Idaho voters in 2018, but they went to the polls having been told it would max out at around $400 million. Now it exceeds $1.3 billion with no ceiling in sight.

Why protect a program that subsidizes able-bodied, working-age adults while cutting programs that help the most vulnerable? We can debate the size of welfare programs—or whether they should exist at all—but once you accept their existence and finite resources, we should prioritize those who truly need them. Medicaid Expansion distorts incentives for both employers and individuals, causing people to limit their potential for fear of losing benefits.

Now that 90,000 citizens are enrolled in Medicaid Expansion, repealing it would provoke wrath, and tears. This illustrates why government programs are hard to eliminate: every beneficiary who stands to lose gets amplified by politicians and reporters invested in continuation.

Will next year’s 5% budget cuts break our state? Hardly. Despite emotional outbursts over the past few weeks, these cuts barely return the base budget to FY2025 levels, much less earlier years before Idaho’s government expansion. They also don’t include upcoming enhancements or supplemental requests agencies will make to handle unexpected costs. Total appropriations for FY2027 will likely still exceed FY2026!

Yet it’s never enough for those who believe your money belongs to the government first.

It’s time for Republicans to act as the fiscal conservatives they claim to be, making hard decisions that return government to its proper role while being good stewards of taxpayers’ money. It’s time to remember the forgotten men and women upon whom all of this spending ultimately depends.

Editor’s note:  This article originally appeared in the Gem State Chronicle.  I encourage our readers to visit their website and consider subscribing.  Find this and other informative articles at the Gem State Chronicle here: About – Gem State Chronicle

Guest Columnist Senator Cindy Carlson: Idaho’s 2026 Budget

By
Observer Staff
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0

February 15, 2026

Session Update: Idaho’s 2026 Budget

By: Idaho Senator Cindy Carlson

We are now halfway through the 2026 Legislative Session. In recent weeks, many have expressed concerns regarding the budget reductions being considered by the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee (JFAC). I would like to provide clarity on why these reductions are being discussed and what factors have led us to this point.

When the Legislature adjourned Sine Die last year, the state projected a $430 million carryover in the General Fund. This meant that by the end of Fiscal Year 2026, Idaho should have had about $430 million remaining. That balance would have served as the starting point for Fiscal Year 2027, helping to maintain a structurally balanced budget.

However, several unforeseen developments have significantly changed those projections.

On July 4, 2025, President Trump signed the “Big Beautiful Bill” (BBB) into law, introducing substantial positive changes to federal tax policy for taxpayers. Idaho traditionally conforms to federal tax code changes when the Legislature reconvenes in January. Conformity simplifies tax filing for Idahoans and usually ensures alignment between state and federal tax policy.

This year, however, conformity has created notable fiscal implications. The conformity bill was recently passed by the Idaho House, Senate and has been signed by the Governor. The Idaho State Tax Commission will proceed to implement the necessary adjustments to align most of the BBB benefits into Idaho tax code.

Under conformity:

· Individual taxpayers will be able to apply the BBB benefits retroactively to January 1, 2025.

· Corporations will not receive full bonus depreciation at the state level.

· Research and Experimental (R&E) expenses would be prorated over five years for Idaho tax purposes.

While conformity provides state tax relief for taxpayers, it also reduces projected state revenue. Due to conforming Idaho will be issuing tax credits anywhere $155M-$175M ongoing for individuals and corporations. This revenue decline which includes large corporation tax cuts are a primary driver of the proposed budget reductions for Fiscal Year 2026. Don’t forget, the Legislature reduced the income tax rate again last year so we have received less tax income on that front as well.

In order to right size the budget, JFAC has approved further budget adjustments, 1% reduction for Fiscal Year 2026 and 2% reduction for Fiscal Year 2027. These reductions are in addition to the Governor’s recommended 3% holdback.

Idaho has long prioritized balanced budgets and conservative financial stewardship. While budget reductions are never easy, these actions are intended to ensure long-term fiscal stability and protect essential services for Idahoans.

JFAC passed the Base (aka Maintenance ) Budgets Friday which included the 1% additional Budget reductions for 2026. We will now be working hard to ensure the proposed reductions are being done in the right areas of state government . Thank you for your continued engagement throughout this legislative session. I remain committed to keeping you informed as we move forward. These tax cuts have not been easy calls to make, and the JFAC members who have been working to protect our state’s future have been under heavy fire from the media and public. They need your prayers, support, and encouragement as they continue to fight to balance the budget by the best means possible.

Regards,

This Substack newsletter is a collaborative effort of Senator Cindy Carlson Legislative District 7 and Jill Manley, District 7 Intern/Reporter

Labrador Letter: Recognizing Scams Before They Cost You

By
Observer Staff
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0

February 13, 2026 (Cover Photo Credit: Karyn Simmons)

Dear Friends,

Raul Labrador (Photo Credit: Raul Labrador FB)

Last fall, a senior here in Idaho turned on his laptop and got a pop-up alert claiming his computer was blocked for security reasons. A phone number appeared on his screen, and he called it.

The voice on the other end claimed to be from Microsoft technical support. She told him his computer had been hacked by the Chinese and was now infected with child pornography. The only way to fix it, she said, was to pay $4,000 immediately.

Concerned about the threat at hand, he agreed. Then the scammer told him other people were listening to his landline. She said a “security officer” would call his cell phone to walk him through the payment.

For the next hour and a half, that “officer” stayed on the phone with him. The amount kept climbing. Eventually, they told him to go to his bank and withdraw $20,000 in cash. When he got there, they instructed him not to talk to anyone except to say the money was for a remodel.

But something wasn’t sitting right. The voice on the phone was getting more aggressive. The demands were escalating. And then he remembered something he’d heard on the radio.

When I took office, I saw that these scammers succeed because victims don’t know where to turn for help. They’re scared, they’re confused, and they don’t know who to call. That’s why I directed my office to run public service announcements on radio stations across Idaho, because I wanted the work of our Consumer Protection Division to be lodged in the back of every Idahoan’s mind before they ever needed it.

That’s exactly what happened here. One prior moment of awareness, and this man kept $20,000 in his bank account. He hung up the phone and walked out of that bank without withdrawing a dime. And he called our Consumer Protection Division to tell us what happened.

I’m sharing this story because it wasn’t luck that saved this man from losing $20,000. It was awareness. One split second of recognition that scams like this happen every day and that Idahoans have a place to turn when something feels wrong.

Our Consumer Protection Division exists to stand between Idaho families and the scammers who target them. These scammers are professionals. They know how to sound official, how to create panic, how to isolate their victims from anyone who might step in. They rely on fear and urgency. They count on people not knowing where to turn.

The scams we see are getting more sophisticated every year. Fake IRS agents demanding immediate payment. Romance scams that drain life savings. Tech support frauds like the one this man encountered. Phishing emails designed to look like they came from your bank. The tactics change, but the goal is always the same: steal your money and disappear.

The criminals behind these schemes don’t care that their victims worked their whole lives for that money. They don’t care about the trust someone places in what seems like a legitimate company. They were counting on this man to be too scared or too confused to stop and think.

But he did stop. He did think. And that made all the difference.

If you or someone you know has been contacted by a scammer, report it at reportscamsidaho.com. If you’re not sure whether something is legitimate, call our Consumer Protection Division. We would rather you call if you aren’t sure than hear from a victim who lost everything because they didn’t know where to turn.

Please talk to your parents, your grandparents, your neighbors. Share this story. Remind them that no legitimate company will ever demand immediate payment over the phone, threaten arrest, or tell you to lie to your bank. Remind them that it’s okay to hang up, to ask questions, and to reach out to us.

This time, there was a happy ending, but that is not always the case. My office is being proactive with radio ads, outreach events across the state, and press releases to local media about new scams as we hear about them. But it takes all of us to help our friends and family know what to look for and where to turn when something feels wrong. If you aren’t sure if it’s a scam, visit reportscamsidaho.com or call 208-334-2424.

Best regards,

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ABOUT THE OFFICE

The Attorney General’s Office provides legal representation to the State of Idaho. The Attorney General and his deputies represent state agencies and offices, to better the lives of Idahoans.

For more information about the Office, visit our website here.

 

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