The Problem
Idaho faces constant pressure to cut budgets, and when reductions happen, they often hit frontline services first: rural health clinics lose staff, fire stations run short on equipment, schools delay repairs, and public safety suffers. Essential programs that directly help Idahoans get squeezed while waste or low-priority spending continues elsewhere. There is no dedicated mechanism to shield these critical services from blanket cuts or to ensure savings from efficiency reforms go straight to them. This leaves communities vulnerable and taxpayers frustrated that their money does not reach the people who need it most.
What I'll Do Day One as Governor
Sign an executive order to create and protect a Frontline Service Protection Fund using existing resources. Right away:
Direct the Division of Financial Management to identify and ring-fence savings from Budget Allocation, State Procurement and Contracts, Agency Performance Audits, and other waste-cutting reforms into a protected fund for frontline services.
Define eligible uses narrowly: direct staffing (nurses, firefighters, teachers, corrections officers), essential equipment, and rural service delivery (no administrative overhead or non-essential programs).
Require agencies to submit proposals for fund use with clear performance metrics (for example, reduced wait times, more patients served, faster response rates), posted on Transparent Idaho for public review.
Launch pilots in three to five high-need agencies (such as Health and Welfare, Corrections, and rural school districts) to test fund allocation and track results, with initial reports posted in ninety days.
Partner with the Citizens Task Force to review proposals and ensure funds go to real frontline needs.
This uses powers I already have under executive oversight of state agencies and existing budget management authority. No new laws needed first.
How This Is Different From Now
Right now, savings from efficiency or budget adjustments often get reabsorbed into general funds or low-priority areas instead of going directly to frontline services. There is no dedicated protection for critical programs during cuts, so rural clinics, fire stations, and schools bear the brunt. This way creates a specific, ring-fenced fund with clear rules and public oversight. It enforces existing budget discipline more effectively, prioritizes the services Idahoans rely on, and makes sure savings from waste reduction actually reach the ground level.
What I'll Push the Legislature For
Easy laws to make it permanent:
Establish the Frontline Service Protection Fund in statute with strict rules on eligible uses and a requirement for supermajority legislative approval to access or redirect funds.
Mandate annual public reporting of fund inflows, outflows, and performance outcomes on Transparent Idaho.
Require agencies to justify any proposed cuts to frontline services with alternative savings plans before reductions can occur.
Authorize automatic deposit of a portion of identified savings from audits, procurement, and other efficiency measures into the fund.
No big new spending. The fund is built entirely from existing savings and reallocations.
How We'll Check It Works
We will keep it honest with:
Public postings on Transparent Idaho showing fund inflows, allocations, and performance metrics for each agency.
Regular audits of fund use and compliance by the State Controller.
Citizens Task Force to review proposals, take public input on frontline needs, and recommend adjustments.
Yearly report showing dollars protected, services improved (for example, reduced wait times, more staff on duty), and impact on rural communities.
Everything open for anyone to look at and ask about.
Answers to Common Questions
Won't this create a slush fund or allow misuse?
No. The fund has strict, narrow rules on eligible uses (frontline staffing and equipment only), public reporting, audits, and supermajority legislative approval to access or redirect funds. Citizens Task Force review adds extra oversight.
How do we make sure rural services get priority?
Rural agencies and communities will have dedicated representation on the Citizens Task Force. Proposals from rural areas get priority review when savings are allocated.
Does this cost taxpayers extra money?
No. The fund is built from savings already identified in other reforms. No new taxes or spending are required.
What if savings are less than expected?
The fund starts small and grows as savings are proven through pilots and audits. Agencies can still use existing budgets for frontline needs while the fund builds.
How does this connect to the budget reform?
This fund is the direct result of budget reform reallocations. It protects frontline services from future blind cuts by ring-fencing savings.
How does this connect to agency performance audits?
Audits identify waste that feeds the fund. The fund then protects the most essential services that audits confirm are high-return.
How does this connect to procurement and contracts reform?
Savings from reduced outsourcing, markups, and vendor waste flow directly into the fund to support frontline staffing and equipment.
What about agencies that still face cuts?
The fund prioritizes critical frontline roles. Agencies must justify any proposed reductions to these areas with alternative savings plans.
How will we know if it is working?
Public reports on Transparent Idaho will track fund size, allocations, and improvements in frontline services such as staffing levels, response times, and rural access.
What if the Legislature tries to raid the fund?
Supermajority approval is required to access or redirect funds, making it difficult to misuse. Public transparency and citizen oversight add pressure to keep it protected.