Merry Christmas

I hope all of you have a Merry Christmas as we all gather with our friends and family.  A special wish to our service men and women who are far from home - know that we appreciate your sacrifice and pray for your safe return from duty.  May all who travel do so safely and have a great New Year!

I Ask for Your Vote November 4th!

I appreciate all of you that have supported me in the past and ask for your 

continued support. 

You can learn more about my positions through my blog at the following links:

Education

Economic Growth

Medicaid Expansion

Gay and Lesbian Rights

Federal Lands and State Management

Water and Transportation

Those who need more information please

visit my Issues and Interviews pages at  

www.KenAndrus.com.  The Issues page also 

has helpful information on voting and other 

sources of information on my voting record. 

Thank you for your consideration and I humbly ask for your vote.

Ken Andrus 

 

VOTE November 4th!

I appreciate all of you that have supported me in the past

and ask for your continued support. 

Those who need more information please visit my Issues 

and Interviews pages at www.KenAndrus.com.  The Issues 

page also has helpful information on voting and other 

sources of information on my voting record. 

Thank you for your consideration and I humbly ask for your vote.

Ken Andrus 

View on Medicaid Expansion

With the implementation of the Affordable care Act (Obama care), states have been given the option of expanding Medicaid coverage and the Federal Government will pay the bill.

There are problems under Medicaid – the states pay for the care and submit the bill to the Feds, who in some cases now are refusing to pay, saying the states didn’t follow proper guidelines. Some of those states do not have the money to pay the bill. The guidelines are like a moving target, complicated, constantly changing, and very difficult to comply with.

At the beginning of 2014, Gov. Otter stated that Medicaid expansion was a viable option for Idaho, but this was not the year. I expect he will leave it to the desgression of the legislature this next session.

Implementing Medicaid expansion would relieve the state of financial obligation for the catastrophic fund and the counties for indigent care funds, but keep in mind that it is all paid for with tax dollars, whether federal, state, or county. A big reason to be cautious is the federal govt. could decide to not fund Medicaid at anytime and leave the state in a financial pit.

Expansion of Medicaid may be a good thing for Idaho. Most people in the health care field certainly think so. If we as a state decide to move forward, we should do so very cautiously. The legislature is very divided on this issue and it is uncertain whether it would pass or not. Legislative leadership is reluctant to take on another divisive issue after the controversial State Insurance Exchange.

Arkansas has been the suggested model for Medicaid Expansion for Idaho. Arkansas is now rethinking and rewriting their plan. Instability and uncertainty should cause caution. Further Tort Reform is needed to reduce health care costs. I also feel costs would go down if every receiver of medical care paid something, even for emergency room visits.

More Thoughts on Issues

Gay and Lesbian Rights

Gay and Lesbian rights continue to be a very contentious social issue. Several Idaho cities have passed ordinances to prevent discrimination. A voter attempt to overturn Pocatello’s ordinance failed by a narrow margin. If the rural community, which tends to be more conservative, had been included in the vote, the ordinance would surely have been overturned.

Each year there is an attempt to have gay and lesbian rights included in the Idaho Human Rights Act by the Legislature. In the last 5 years, society, including myself, have come a long way in accepting that attraction to the same sex is in many instances a genetic characteristic and not just a deviation from traditional.

Regardless of our genetic make up, all citizens are responsible to act publicly in ways that promotes moral decency and values. In enacting laws to guarantee more services to the gay and lesbian community, how far should we go in forcing private property owners and private businesses to provide service against their will. They have constitutionally guaranteed rights as well.

Compassion, tolerance and consideration are important in reducing controversy. I have friends who are gay and lesbian. We accept and understand each other.

Federal Lands and State Management

On October 14th I spoke with Mark Richardson on the effect of having State Management of Federal Lands, here are more thoughts on the subject.

Federal Lands in Idaho

In 2013 the Utah Legislature and Governor passed a law requiring the federal government turn title to all BLM and Forest Lands to the state, with a December 31, 2014 deadline. Idaho is considering the issue. Idaho owns the thousands of acres of forest lands; the proceeds going to schools. The state does a very good job of managing our forestland and we make a profit. The federal government on the other hand operates on a deficit budget and spends many millions of dollars in managing with no profit.

Most Idaho citizens are reluctant to embrace state control fearing access would be reduced for recreation and the lands would be sold off to private enterprise. I oppose that happening and it doesn’t need to be. Acquirement should be contingent on the land remaining under state control with no possibility of selling it to private landowners. State control would certainly alleviate school funding problems; lease revenue and profits would go to the state endowment for public schools.

Federal monuments, parks, etc, would be exempt from state control – as they should be.

Water - EPA Regulations Preditory; Transportation Funding

 Water

Water continues to be a much-valued asset for Idahoans. The proposed changes in water rules by the EPA are alarming. The EPA and the Core of Engineers have managed so called “navigable” waters of the U.S. for several years. That means they regulate all water, even on private land, that reaches any stream or creek that eventually flows to a river and then to an ocean. Under the proposed changes to the clean water act the EPA and Core of Engineers would mange “all” water even though said water does not leave your private property. Their claim is that it could leave. This means run off water from your house during a storm is subject to regulation. Only Congress can over turn this proposed rule. It must be overturned or every property and homeowner in the U.S. is subject to regulation as to what you build and how you manage your property.

Transportation Funding

Road and bridge wear and deterioration is out pacing the states ability to keep up. The Idaho Transportation department has been much more efficient the last two or three years under our new Director – Brian Ness. Under his leadership more of the funding has gone to roads and bridges and less to administration. He and his staff should be commended. A reliable survey reveals that 64% of Idahoans would support a tax increase to keep our roads and bridges up to par. If further efficiency were not adequate, I would support a modest tax increase to correct the lag. If a tax increase is needed, it should be assessed across the board by the percentage required and not put the whole burden on any one segment not taxed.

Idaho Needs Quality Jobs

Jobs and the economy are an ongoing issue. Creating jobs from public money (taxpayer paid) are not a good solution. Building the economy and providing jobs should come from the private sector. Stimulating growth in the private sector comes from reducing burdensome regulations and taxes. When Ronald Regan defeated Jimmy Carter and became President, he reduced taxes, which stimulated the economy. We benefited from that strong, growing economy, until the unscrupulous housing market lending in 2008, which plunged the country into a recession. When taxes are cut, spending also has to be curtailed to balance budgets – it can and should be done at the federal and all levels of government. Today some people are receiving more money from unemployment and disability than if they were working. There is no incentive to get a job. Idaho’s constitution requires the legislature to not adjourn any session with an unbalanced budget. All states and the Federal Government should do the same.

Some Thoughts on Education

Public School Funding

This is always an issue of every legislative session and a concern to Idaho citizens. When state revenues are short, school funding is the first to be cut because that budget can be robbed. An example is the criminal budget – if we send people to jail, we have to feed and house them. That budget cannot be cut. Because the economy is improving, school funding has been restored almost to pre-recession levels. Funding in the 2015 legislative session will likely reach that level. As a former school board member, I have always supported school funding. I feel school teachers should be paid substantionaly more than at present.

Common Core Standards

I am in favor of higher standards of achievement for our students so they are prepared and competitive in the job market. Proponents of common core claim that uniform standards do not prevent any school district from teaching the curriculum they choose. The problem occurs when students take the standardized S-BAC test. If they have been taught differently than the standardized curriculum, they will test lower on the standardized test. Other concerns are student data being sent out of the district and the length of time for testing. Also cost of implementing S-BAC has not been determined. It is reasonable to assume that common core standards will decrease teacher uniqueness and gifted style to teach. Some states that previously were in favor of common core are withdrawing support. There is now less public support as well.

October Appearances

Ken will be at the following events this month:  
UPDATED:

 
Oct. 13 - East Idaho News Interview - 4:05 - 4:30 pm AM 690 with Mark Richardson

Oct. 16, 7:00 pm American Falls Chamber Forum
American Falls District Library

Oct. 20, 7:00 pm League of Women Voters Forum  - 

                City of Pocatello - City Hall 

Oct. 21, 5:15 - 6:15pm Portneuf Rotary - 
                 Portneuf Valley Brewery 
 

Also watch for his interview with Pocatello Public Television on Channel 11.