Boise Airport May Get the F -16 and Flight Path Discussed 6/29/23
This is the link to a detailed article regarding the F-16 being acquired by the Idaho Air Guard. We don’t know the effects yet, but the FAA program for the purchase of affected homes may have to be activated as has happened in Burlington Vermont. I said “We need to be very careful in implementing this”, especially because of the affordable housing crises.
https://www.idahostatesman.com/news/local/community/boise/article276865433.html
Senator Proposes Change in Boise Airport Flight Paths 9/14/23
A Senator added a change in Boise Airport Flight Paths and then withdrew it, but the possibility is an interesting one. This particular idea didn’t go very far.
https://www.idahostatesman.com/news/politics-government/state-politics/article278144407.html
House Bill 550 Allows Boise City to Rebate 1.2 million in property taxes to low income seniors and disabled homeowners which will benefit 1200 homeowners
The City of Boise is taking advantage of House Bill 550 which became law this year and has set aside $1,2 million in city property tax rebates to low income seniors and disabled people. Representative Gannon wrote the bill with a Republican legislative leader Mike Moyle, presented the bill in committee and on the floor, and was the co-sponsor. Every possible tool should be used to keep Boiseans who are being hammered with inflation and higher property taxes in the homes they have treasured for decades. Representative Gannon encourages all cities to consider this program. Boise City estimates that 1200 homeowners are eligible for help.
Gannon fights illegal Trans Gender Treatment Bills
I am uncomfortable with a Legislature controlling medical advice so I opposed bills in 2022 and 2023 that radically restrict medical treatments for gender affirming medical care. Legislators are not medical doctors, and patients have unique and individual problems. I don’t want to regulate what doctors tell their patients regarding very serious and difficult conditions. House Bill 71 passed and I predicted then, and now, that it will be thrown out by the courts.
The NPR report said: “Rep. John Gannon, D-Boise, offered an unsuccessful motion to hold the bill in committee because he had concerns about the contradictory messages from doctors and strong assertions made in the text of the bill. Those statements include “some health care providers now routinely administer puberty blockers to prepubescent and pubescent children notwithstanding scientific evidence that children who remain on puberty blockers may never recover lost development and despite known sterility and additional concerns about reduced IQ and future osteoporosis.” https://blog.idahoreports.idahoptv.org/2023/02/07/bill-to-ban-medical-care-for-transgender-children-moves-forward/
In 2022 I said regarding a similar House Bill 675: Rep. John Gannon, D-Boise, voted against the bill, saying the Idaho Medical Association, the American Medical Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Pediatric Endocrine Society all opposed the legislation. “I don’t think the government has the right to hurt people, but I don’t think it has the right to deprive people of medical treatment,” Gannon said.
Its Wrong for Renter Security Deposits To Disappear
https://www.idahostatesman.com/news/local/article214098034.html
Times are tough enough for renters. Losing a security deposit to a property manager bankruptcy or just leaving the state before they are even allocated is plain wrong. Placing tenant security deposits into operating funds has resulted in the loss of hundreds of thousands of dollars to insolvent property managers. This money belongs to the renter if there is no damage, and to the owner if there is damage. The Idaho Attorney General reports that 5 property managers have done this in the last few years. This major Meridian bankruptcy illustrates the problem. To solve the problem most states require that security deposits be placed in separate accounts, subject to general audit by a public agency. Property managers already keep an accounting. Legislation I have drafted simply requires a separate bank account be opened and the money placed there. I worked with two Republicans to co-sponsor House Bill 152 in 2021 which requires security deposits to be separate from a property managers operating funds. It passed and became law.
Brown Drinking Water On the Boise Bench
In February 2019, John organized a brown water forum, inviting Suez Water to a meeting at Whitney Elementary School in order to get to bottom of the problem that has been plaguing residents in the Vista/Roosevelt area.
Suez has said at our December meeting that they will be spending 2.5 million to install filtration equipment at the Taggert Well (near Vista and Nez Perce). They are starting projects to replace the aged iron pipes which contribute. There is a lot of work to do and it will be expensive.
Gannon Challenges Democratic Party Presidential Nominating Process
In June of 2016, John challenged the presidential caucus procedure in the Democratic Party. This process actually prevented voters from participating in the selection of the Presidential nominee. He wrote a guest editorial in the Statesman and explained the issue on Boise State Radio:
http://www.idahostatesman.com/opinion/readers-opinion/article81481592.html
This video from Judy explains why caucuses deny the right to vote:
http://johngannon.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Judyfeltdisenfranchised.wmv
Gannon Calls for Greater Education Funding
This year, I voted against the K-12 education budget because school spending is still $40 million below spending in the 2008-2009 academic year. Since 2008, Idaho school districts have experienced a 5% increase in student enrollment, a 25% increase in school district health insurance premium costs, a Persi contribution increase, and some inflation. I made these points on the House Floor during debate and in discussions with the media. For more information, check out the link below.
Lawmaker: K-12 budget a ‘dismal failure’
Gannon Calls for Ending Colorado CCA Contract
Representative John Gannon and a colleague have proposed a Legislative Resolution to require the State to end its last remaining CCA contract which provides for the housing of Idaho inmates at the private CCA Kit Carson facility in Colorado. Currently there are 250 Idaho inmates there. The private prison experiment has failed in Idaho and the way in which the contract has been breached is a good reason to end all CCA contracts.
Lawmakers want out-of-state prisoners brought home
Boise Weekly Interviews Rep. John Gannon
On February 26, 2014 the Boise Weekly published an interview in which I discus my views on my time and experiences at the Capitol this year. For more information, check out the link below.
Rep. John Gannon: “You’ve got to be involved to have a responsive government.”
CHILD PROTECTION LEGISLATION
I have proposed legislation to modernize a rarely used exception to our child protection injury law so that every parent must seek medical attention to treat a child who is at risk of death or permanent disability. Presently the law allows faith healing parents to refuse treatment. But, a child has a right to become an adult, and society in general believes a child should be treated for an illness such as strep throat, pneumonia, infection or diabetes. The proposal is supported by the Interfaith Alliance, and people who are familiar with the exclusive use of faith healing as a remedy for serious illness. The idea behind the legislation is to require parents to seek medical treatment in addition to faith healing and nothing more. Decisions regarding the nature and extent of medical treatment remain the same as they are today.
The proposal has been widely discussed and you can read more here:
Boise lawmaker targets faith healing in children’s deaths
Interfaith Alliance of Idaho backs bill aimed at tackling faith healing
Idaho Private Prison: A failed experiment
John Gannon’s idea to require state boards and agencies to consider proposals from state departments, particularly with regard to the private prison management of one of Idaho’s prisons, resulted in several favorable comments and was widely discussed.
Lawmaker wants Idaho to bid on private prison
Only a law will protect Idaho’s taxpayers
Idaho is Looking For A New Prison Operator
Same Sex Tax Law
Laws and rules need to be constitutional when they are implemented. Discrimination shouldn’t be a part of public policy. John Gannon pointed out that different tax commission rules for same sex couples may violate the equal protection clause of the Constitution.
Lawmaker Questions Idaho Tax Rule Changes re Same-Sex Couples
Idaho Lawmaker Questions Legality of Same-Sex Tax Rules
Idaho Governor’s Mansion
The Governors Mansion program has not worked. Different Governors will have different family needs and spouses may want a less public home. At least 8 Governors nationwide are not living in their states governors mansions – for good personal reasons. John Gannon testified against keeping the Mansion. He supported a housing allowance just as prior Idaho Governors received when they served.
Idaho’s Empty Governor’s Mansion a Thorn in Residents’ Sides