Gov. Little visits Idaho Falls to champion ‘Enduring Idaho’ Plan
IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI)– Governor Brad Little outlined his Enduring Idaho plan during a stop in Idaho Falls Monday morning, presenting a budget framework that emphasizes public education funding, workforce development, and investments in rural communities and health care.
Protections for Public Education
Amidst statewide discussions on fiscal tightening, Governor Little reaffirmed his commitment to keeping school funding untouched.
"We asked all the agencies to take a 3% cut, but we exempted K-12 education," Little said. "That remains a top priority. Between charters and traditional public schools, we have 160 different districts. Every one of them has a little bit of a different challenge."
The Governor's remarks follow a directive from the Idaho Joint Finance Appropriations Committee (JFAC) last week, which directed state agencies, including the State Board of Education, to draft plans for additional 1% and 2% cuts for the remainder of fiscal years 2026 and 2027. While other agencies submitted those plans by the January 30th deadline, Superintendent of Public Instruction Debbie Critchfield took a firm stance against the cuts to K-12 education.
In a letter to JFAC co-chairs Sen. C. Scott Grow and Rep. Josh Tanner, Critchfield rejected the proposal for school budget reductions.
"I will not be recommending further cuts to the public schools budget," Critchfield wrote. "The public schools budget is more than numbers on a spreadsheet. It represents every one of our students, classrooms, teachers, and communities."
In his visit, Governor Little noted that he'd met with Critchfield twice in the last week and was aware beforehand of her decision. "She gave us a heads-up on what her correspondence was going to be," stated Little.
Medicaid Woes
The Governor also addressed growing anxieties regarding Medicaid, specifically how the substantial budget cuts have triggered layoffs at facilities like Teton Valley Health Care and eliminated some services for individuals with mental illnesses.
RELATED: Medicaid cuts, declining reimbursements lead to layoffs at Teton Valley Health Care
The loss of those programs was extremely unpopular with some members of Idaho's law enforcement, who pointed to the ‘real-world public-safety consequences’ when Idahoans in crisis are left without support.
To combat this, Little pointed to federal support and legislative efforts led by U.S. Senator Mike Crapo.
"One of the things we talked a lot about, the one Big Beautiful Bill and some of the things that were in Senator Crapo from right here in this community. The Rural Health Care Transformation grants are going to make a huge difference for rural health care now," Gov. Little said.
Supporting the workforce, agriculture, and rural communities
Touting his Enduring Idaho plan, Little highlighted provisions related to health care access, with a focus on rural areas where affordability and availability have been ongoing concerns. A cornerstone of the plan involves expanding Idaho’s medical workforce. Little used the growth of local technical training as a blueprint for statewide success.
"When this was Eastern Idaho Technical School District, we were graduating 25 nurses a year. Now we’re at 250, with a goal of 500," Little said.
The Governor also emphasized that increasing the supply of professionals is the most effective way to lower consumer costs. "You want to lower the cost of health care? You need more nurses, nurse practitioners, and pharmacy techs. We can increase capacity, but you have to have the people and the ability to train them. This is the result of that incredible chemistry between the community college, the community, and the hospitals."
Over the next five years, the state anticipates receiving nearly $1 billion in federal funding intended to support improvements in rural health care access and affordability.
The funding includes more than $150 million aimed at supporting the rural health care workforce pipeline, as well as an additional $1 million in state funding for graduate medical education. These investments are intended to address physician shortages, particularly in underserved areas.
For a full look at Gov. Little's press release, click HERE.
