Woodward will deliver transparency, common sense

What’s the difference between a “conservative base budget” and a “bare-bones budget?” It depends on whether the information comes from the Idaho Freedom Foundation and Scott Herndon or from traditional Idaho Republicans.

The Groundhog Day explosion in the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee, the committee that reviews and makes budget recommendations was no surprise. Sensible Republicans saw the looming shadow of a committee held hostage by unworkable rules. They recognized the folly of making funding decisions before revenue targets are set. They knew separating budgets into two categories was too rigid and simplistic.

Yet despite the warning signs, Senator Herndon has extolled the new JFAC rules. He claims that in previous years JFAC rubber-stamps budgets. Minutes from previous years contradict that. 

Senator Herndon also claimed that the new process is more transparent and budgets are set weekly and moved to the floor. I beg to differ as few committee minutes are available and what used to be a three-hour public hearing is now a 90-minute public meeting followed by a 90-minute private working group meeting. So much for increasing transparency.

The new process is like that used by the federal government — a process widely criticized by those who are politically aligned with the very groups supporting Idaho’s new JFAC process.

I value transparency and common sense when it comes to budgets. I don’t want a snake oil salesman for senator. 

I am supporting Jim Woodward. I hope you will join me.

MARY OLLIE

Bonners Ferry