Seek out and engage your government

I would like to begin by saying that it is an honor to represent District 1 in the Idaho Legislature. There are a few members of the House and Senate that are familiar with our area and our particular issues, but the vast majority is unaware of our needs and perspective.

Most of my experience thus far has involved sitting in the three committees I was assigned to and hearing proposed rule changes. Much of what affects our day-to-day lives occurs in the addition, subtraction, or amending of rules. Most people are not aware of this process and are caught off guard by new regulations to their industry, the education system, and many different facets of life in general. I would encourage everyone with interest, to seek out and engage your government. Attend public meetings and make your thoughts known. This may not always produce the desired result, but you will be better informed about what is being proposed and will become a necessary part of the process.

Part of the Governor’s State of the State address on Jan. 12 involved increasing education funding levels and implementing the Governor’s Task Force on Improving Education recommendations. Because I sit on the Education Committee, I will be interacting with the task force recommendations first-hand.

This past week, among hearings on new education rules, we have been hearing testimony from those involved with the Governor’s Task Force. I have heard detailed explanations of many good ideas that, if implemented correctly, should produce quality results. The pieces that I think will be particularly useful are a mastery-based system (which requires students to demonstrate knowledge of the subject before advancing), advanced opportunities (which provide means for dual credit enrollment) and the encouraging of local control, and the autonomy of local districts. On the surface these all sound very positive, but again, will need proper implementation to be profitable.

On Jan. 14, former Reagan Secretary of Education, William Bennett, gave a presentation on his tenure and his perspective on education in the past and where he sees it needing to go in the future. It was a great opportunity to learn from someone who has a wealth of experience with the integration of government and education. The specifics of education funding are dealt with in the Joint Finance Appropriations Committee and I will not have opportunity to address them until a budget comes before the entire House of Representatives.

Another major piece of the Governor’s State of the State speech involved funding for transportation. This has been a much discussed topic over the past few years and especially in our district with the expansion and resurfacing of Highway 95. I also serve on the Transportation Committee and have heard presentations from ITD. I am impressed with the way ITD has streamlined its operations and how they conduct themselves as a business, rather than a government agency. Their approach gives me confidence that what they are presenting is accurate and necessary. However, the debate over how to fund these needs will be a wide-ranging one as there are many different opinions as to the best course to follow.

We live in a unique and particularly beautiful part of Idaho and I am grateful for the opportunity to represent our interests.

Please contact me with any thoughts or concerns and I will reply as soon as possible. Sdixon@house.idaho.gov (208) 610.4800.