What is Reclaim Idaho’s position on the Advisory Question?
As Idahoans begin reviewing their ballot for the November election, several people are asking: How should we vote on the “Advisory Question”?
To clarify, the Advisory Question asks Idaho voters to approve or disapprove of the new law passed during the special session.
(In case you missed the events of the special session, here’s a brief re-cap of what went down:
During 2021 and 2022, Reclaim Idaho collected over 100,000 signatures to put the Quality Education Act on the ballot. This initiative would have made large-scale investments in K-12 education, paid for with modest tax increases on corporations and the wealthiest Idahoans. During an emergency special session, the Idaho Legislature enacted a law that blocked our initiative from taking effect while also increasing public school funding by $410 million a year.
Even as the Legislature subverted the Quality Education Act and undermined the initiative’s tax proposal, they nonetheless handed a huge victory to our grassroots movement. Together with over 1,000 volunteers, we essentially forced the Legislature to make the largest investment in public schools in a generation. The Idaho Statesman put it this way:
“Credit for this goes above all to Reclaim Idaho, who got the Quality Education Act on the ballot, producing enough political pressure to break through the logjam that has long failed Idaho’s children.”)
Now, back to the issue of the Advisory Question:
The Special Session law includes an ongoing increase of $410 million for public schools, along with a large one-time tax rebate and a $150 million ongoing income tax cut.
As we’ve made clear, Reclaim Idaho opposes the tax cuts included in the Special Session law. These tax cuts overburden the middle class and give unneeded breaks to large corporations and the wealthiest Idahoans. At the same time, we’ve celebrated the $410 million increase in funding for public schools as a big step forward for Idaho and a major victory for the thousands of volunteers and supporters who put the Quality Education Act on the ballot. We know that the Idaho Legislature would never have considered such a large-scale investment in public schools had it not been for our campaign.
Regarding the Advisory Question, Reclaim Idaho is not taking a position one way or the other. The chief reason we’re remaining neutral is that there is very little at stake. Whether or not the majority of voters approve it, the question is merely advisory and non-binding. The Governor’s proposal was already passed and became law during the special session, and so voters’ input on the Advisory Question will have zero legislative impact.
It’s also important to recognize that the Advisory Question is written in such a way that it’s highly likely to receive a majority of the vote. If Reclaim Idaho were to take a position in favor or against, we would be unlikely to affect the outcome.
Rather than weighing in on the Advisory Question, we’re focusing on the most urgent task before us: Holding the Governor and Legislature accountable for the $410 million they’ve promised for Idaho public schools.
You’ll hear much more from us in the days ahead about our plans to make sure the promised investments are directed towards urgent priorities, including better pay and benefits for teachers and support staff. Stay tuned!
