(ID Governor’s Office Press Release, January 6, 2024)
Boise, Idaho – Governor Brad Little delivered his seventh State of the State and Budget Adress in the Idaho Statehouse today, outlining his key priorities for the 2025 legislative session in his KEEPING PROMISES plan.
“The historic presidential election two months ago affirmed one thing – Americans want for our country what Idaho has – safe communities, bustling economic activity, increasing incomes, tax relief, fewer regulations, fiscal responsibility, and common sense values. With President Trump’s return to the White House, we have a renewed opportunity to help him deliver results and show the rest of the country how to do things right. That starts with KEEPING PROMISES,” Governor Little said.
Among many highlights, Governor Little’s KEEPING PROMISES plan proposes:
- CONTINUED INVESTMENTS IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS: State support for education has increased 80 percent since Governor Little took office. His KEEPING PROMISES plan proposes over $150 million in new public school funding. The budget recommendation focuses investments on known gaps including rural school facilities, mental health services and school safety, literacy, and accountability initiatives that guarantee the best outcomes for our public school students.
- EDUCATION FREEDOM: Idaho already leads in education freedom, and Governor Little proposes $50 million for the Legislature to expand school choice. Just as we expect our public schools to be fair, responsible, transparent and accountable, Governor Little will only consider a school choice proposal that meets these same standards while prioritizing the families that need it most.
- TAX RELIEF: Idaho has already delivered $4.6 BILLION in tax cuts to Idahoans in the past six years. His KEEPING PROMISES plan puts another $100 million back in Idahoan’s wallets.
- SUPPORT FOR THE AMERICAN WORKER: Elsewhere in the country, fewer and fewer students are moving on to some form of education or training after high school, but not Idaho! Idaho is bucking the trend. We had the largest cohort EVER of students enrolled in a program after high school thanks to Idaho LAUNCH. The Governor’s plan adds $25 million to increase capacity at community and technical colleges to get more working class Idahoans on the fast track to a career.
- GREATER GOVERNMENT EFFICIENCIES: President Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency is already looking to the least regulated state for the blueprint on how to cut red tape, stimulate economic activity, and streamline government. Governor Little’s KEEPING PROMISES plan puts more structure around our permitting reform efforts for largescale mining and energy projects.
- SAFE COMMUNITIES: Crime in Idaho is down 17 percent since Governor Little took office despite record population growth, and violent crime is at a five-year low. Still, there is more we can do to keep Idahoans safe. Governor Little’s KEEPING PROMISES plan adds a new prosecutor in North Idaho focused solely on putting away drug traffickers. He also proposes cybersecurity investments to beat back bad actors in China and Russia who seek to inflict harm on our people.
- INFRASTRUCTURE TO KEEP UP WITH RAPID GROWTH: Idaho has championed record investments in roads, bridges, water, broadband, outdoor recreation and other infrastructure – without raising taxes or fees. Governor Little’s KEEPING PROMISES plan keeps our foot on the gas with needed transportation projects to keep up with record population growth.
- WATER AND FIRE: Governor Little’s KEEPING PROMISES plan commits $ 30 million to water infrastructure projects that are proven to increase water levels in the aquifer and protect Idaho agriculture. To keep up our state’s defenses against wildfires that threaten our communities and natural resources, Governor Little also proposes over $100 million for fire, including bonuses to retain firefighters as well as proactively and responsibly funding the state’s fire suppression account so our firefighters know we’ve got their back.
- PROTECTING VULNERABLE CHILDREN: Idaho is tackling needed reforms in child welfare. Governor Little’s KEEPING PROMISES plan commits $9.6 million to support prevention and transformation efforts in Idaho’s foster care system.
- HELPING IDAHO FAMILIES ACHIEVE THE AMERICAN DREAM: In 2022, the Legislature put record amounts to workforce housing, creating thousands of new homes for working class families. Governor Little’s KEEPING PROMISES plan adds another $15 million to address housing supply so more Idahoans can achieve the American Dream of owning their own home.
The full transcript of the Governor’s 2025 State of the State and Budget Address can be found here: https://gov.idaho.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/2025-sots.pdf
The FY2026 KEEPING PROMISES Budget Highlights can be found here: https://gov.idaho.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/fy26-budget-highlights.pdf
