(Gang of 8 Press Release, August 16, 2025)
On Friday, Governor Little signed Executive Order 2025-05, directing state agencies (excluding K-12) to look for efficiencies by consolidating services, reverting vacant positions, cutting travel costs, and reducing General Fund spending by 3%. The Governor calls this a way to streamline government, balance the budget, and implement federal tax cuts while maintaining public school funding.
We share the goal of an efficient, accountable government that respects taxpayers, but Idaho’s recent budget history tells a different story. State spending has grown an out-of-control 60% in just six years. And while the executive order claims to address budget concerns, a temporary 3% holdback does little to undo years of overspending and does nothing to stop the steady growth of government.
Some call this growth “investments,” but that’s government-speak for permanent spending increases that Idahoans have to keep funding year after year. Real fiscal responsibility means knowing when to say “enough.” You don’t fix overspending by rebranding it as savings. That’s why, during the 2025 session, the Gang of 8 pledged to keep FY26 budget growth at 1.2% and stop adding new government jobs.
If the Legislature had adopted that spending plan, we’d already be nearly halfway to eliminating property taxes in Idaho. Instead, lawmakers continue to expand government programs like LAUNCH, which costs taxpayers $75 million every year. That program forces Idaho families to cover the cost of training workers for politically connected corporations — the very cronies who should be paying for their own training programs.
The problem doesn’t stop there. Lawmakers pat themselves on the back for “saving” $292 million, but the truth is they simply ignored hundreds of millions in continuous, off-the-books spending. When that’s counted, Idaho’s FY26 budget is closer to $14.6 billion — a 4.8% increase from last year — not the $14.1 billion they advertise. Moving ongoing expenses off the books doesn’t make them disappear, it just hides the real growth from taxpayers. These kinds of budget games highlight exactly why accountability is needed in state government.
Idahoans can spot the difference between talking points and the truth. Real accountability means reining in government growth, cutting waste, and refusing to hand out favors to cronies. Government won’t shrink itself, it will take leaders willing to make tough calls and citizens willing to hold them to it. That’s the standard we’re committed to, and it’s the standard every elected official should be measured against.
In Liberty,
Senator Christy Zito, District 8
Zito4Idaho@protonmail.com
Senator Glenneda Zuiderveld, District 24
GZuiderveld@senate.idaho.gov
Substack: @glenneda
Senator Josh Kohl, District 25
JKohl@senate.idaho.gov
Substack: @joshkohl4idaho
Representative Faye Thompson, District 8
FayeforLD8@gmail.com
Representative Lucas Cayler, District 11
LCayler@house.idaho.gov
Substack: @lucascayler
Representative Kent Marmon, District 11
KMarmon@house.idaho.gov
Substack: @kentmarmon
Representative Clint Hostetler, District 24
CHostetler@house.idaho.gov
Substack: @theidahoresolve
Representative David Leavitt, District 25
DLeavitt@house.idaho.gov
Substack: @Leavitt4Idaho
