Idaho Center for Fiscal Policy

The Idaho Center for Fiscal Policy believes in making the right investments today so our state will thrive tomorrow.

Our future economy depends upon a high-quality education system, transportation and other infrastructure that meets businesses’ needs, healthy and safe communities, and a strong and ever-growing middle class. State policy and budget decisions determine if we will have the resources to make these investments.

And, those decisions should be made out in the open, in a way that is understandable to ordinary people and that enables the public to hold their representatives accountable.

The mission of the Idaho Center for Fiscal Policy is to provide policymakers, journalists, and the public with accurate information and analysis to inform public decisions that will shape Idaho’s future for generations to come. We aim to be an essential source for understanding Idaho’s state budget and tax policies – here’s how we made that happen recently.

Timely, Reliable Fiscal Analyses of Tax Cut Proposals

When a proposal was introduced in 2015 to the Idaho Legislature that would have slashed revenue by $70.5 million dollars, ICFP was there to sound the alarm that our state funds to education were in jeopardy. Although supporters claimed that middle-class Idahoans wouldn’t pay more in taxes, our analysis showed that they would have seen their income taxes increase while wealthy Idahoans would pay less. The Center was the first source reporters called on to evaluate a similar 2016 tax-cut proposal and our analysis framed the debate in the media.

Amplifying the Value of Education Investments

Since our founding, the Idaho Center for Fiscal Policy has illuminated how deep cuts to K-12 schools and higher education have damaged the state’s ability to compete.

Reinforcing to lawmakers and the public the needs of our public schools paid off mightily in 2016. School funding increased and is helping build a stronger Idaho -- for example, new investments will be made to assist struggling young readers. The facts and figures we provided to lawmakers and advocates convincingly showed how far behind we’ve fallen over the past decade.

Breaking Down the Big Picture in Health Policy

Our reporting has helped legislators see that the way Idaho pays for health care for the uninsured is antiquated and ineffective. Our analysis established that drawing down federal funds would mean better fiscal stewardship of local resources, while creating a health insurance option for the 78,000 Idahoans who earn too much for Medicaid and too little for assistance in the health exchange.

This legislative session saw unprecedented support for closing the ‘coverage gap.’ Advocates in this effort relied heavily on fiscal analysis and tools from the Center to build this momentum. While the Legislature adjourned without taking action on this issue, legislative leadership expressed a commitment to finding a solution. We are confident that the foundation we built will be the platform for future action.

With your support through Idaho Gives 2016, ICFP can continue to make sure that Idahoans know the hard facts of state fiscal policy and are held responsible to make good decisions for the state’s future.

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