Brad Little, the governor of Idaho, called for increased tax breaks, bonuses for wildland firefighters, and more funding for public schools as he kicked off the state’s 2025 legislative session Monday.
Keeping promises was a recurring topic in Little’s annual State of the State address, which he gave Monday at the Idaho State Capitol in Boise.
Little added, “Without raising taxes, we also promised and delivered unprecedented investments in schools, the American worker, water, roads, fire, outdoor recreation, and other infrastructure.” In addition to the 80 percent increase in state financing for education that we have pushed since I took office, my honoring promises plan expands on those investments by providing additional support for schools.
READ THE TEXT: The 2025 State of the State Address by Idaho Governor Brad Little
The majority of the recommendations Little made in his yearly address were improvements to initiatives he has supported since his initial election in 2018.
The address focused largely on boosting state savings accounts, lowering taxes, lowering regulations, giving teachers salaries, and increasing financing for public schools.
Little will need to collaborate with lawmakers to implement any budget initiatives because the Idaho Legislature actually determines the state budget every year.
The governor proposes spending $50 million to increase Idaho families’ access to educational opportunities.
However, Little made it possible for government funds to be used for tuition at private or religious schools for the first time.
Little called for setting aside $50 million to further increase educational opportunities for Idaho families, even if the majority of the funds he suggested for education would go to public schools.
Little didn’t say how the funds were to be used. However, for years, prominent Republican lawmakers, such as House Speaker Mike Moyle, R-Star; Rep. Wendy Horman, R-Idaho Falls; and Sen. Lori Den Hartog, R-Meridian, have advocated for the establishment of an education savings account or refundable tax credit that would enable taxpayer funds to be used to cover tuition or other costs for families attending private or religious schools.
Idaho has not yet used public funds to pay for private or religious school tuition.
“We will make sure that school choice is supervised, just like we do with every taxpayer dollar that is spent in government,” Little stated at Monday’s State of the State address. Why? Because taxpayers demand and deserve government accountability, which is an Idaho value. Any school choice proposal I would consider must be implemented the Idaho way, which entails being accountable, transparent, responsible, and fair, just as we demand of our public schools. It must give priority to the families that are most in need and refrain from depriving public schools of funding.
GET THE HEADLINES FOR THE MORNING.
A 4.6% rise and record rainy-day funds are included in the Little State budget proposal.
On Monday, Little unveiled a proposed fiscal year 2026 budget along with his State of the State address. General fund expenditures in the proposed budget are $5.2 billion, a 4.6% increase over the current budget.
Little’s budget proposal saves a record $1.4 billion in state rainy day funds and leaves a $200 million ending balance at the end of the fiscal year.
Among the budget recommendations presented on Monday are:
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$150 million in new funding for public school, including $50 million for rural school renovating rural school facilities, mental health services and school safety.
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$100 million to cut taxes. Little didn t issue a specific proposal for how to cut taxes, or which taxes to target, but he will work with the Idaho Legislature to come up with the details.
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$100 million to fight wildfires. Little called for $1 million in bonuses to retain firefighters and provide funding for the state s fire suppression account.
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$83 million in additional funding for teacher pay increases
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$30 million in additional funding for water infrastructure projects.
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5% change in employee compensation pay increases for state employees.
“Our keeping promises plan also deploys additional bonuses to hire and retain wildland firefighters following a devastating fire season,” Little added. To safeguard people, property, and our natural resources, our firemen confront hazardous situations. We have some tough Idahoans here today; please take a moment to recognize them. In order to let these firemen know that we have their backs, I am also requesting that the Legislature adequately fund the fire suppression account.
“I criticized the federal government last summer for not putting out wildfires more forcefully,” Little said. Where the federal government has failed, the state of Idaho takes the lead in forest and fire control. People in Idaho are sick of choking on smoke for weeks at a time. I’m excited to collaborate with the Trump administration to radically change the way we manage wildfire and our Western lands.
Throughout the address, Little made ten references to President-elect Donald Trump and expressed his desire to collaborate with him and the incoming administration.
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