For the week of January 14 - 20, 2004

Money-saving tip

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The budget-conscious Republican majority could save Idahoans thousands of dollars a day if they shortened this year’s legislative session.

Leaders could shorten the session easily by convincing their colleagues to leave purely ideological matters at home for a session.

For example, this year’s diversionary debates will center around a measure to install a Ten Commandments monument at the statehouse and a constitutional amendment to ban gay marriages—even though a law that does so is already on the books.

Leaders could point out the folly of buying the state expensive lawsuits that are already being fought elsewhere, as in the case of the Ten Commandments. They could show lawmakers that one law on the books is as good as two.

Instead, the Idaho Legislature seems hellbent on presenting its annual rerun featuring of lots of hand wringing and grandstanding.

When it comes to lawmaking, Idaho has never been cutting-edge. With money tight and the economy uncertain, this is not the time to change and to undertake expensive and futile ideological crusades.

 

The Idaho Mountain Express is distributed free to residents and guests throughout the Sun Valley, Idaho resort area community. Subscribers to the Idaho Mountain Express will read these stories and others in this week's issue.