What you need to know as legislators prepare for the 2026 legislative session in January
Governor Little announced in September a 3% ‘budget holdback’ for state agencies, framing it as ‘fiscal responsibility.’ The truth is, ‘conservative’ Idaho doesn’t have a revenue problem, it has a spending problem. The Gang of 8 (pictured below) warned about this all during the last session in 2025. Did legislators listen? Nope. Now the chickens are coming home to roost.
When the session began last January, it was these Magic Valley legislators, four of the Gang of Eight, who declared a budget pledge to not vote for any budget that added full-time positions, accepted more federal dollars, or grew by more than 1.2 percent.
Instead of following their example, as Sen. Christy Zito reports in her substack, both ‘conservative’ lawmakers and the Governor bloated their budgets…with your tax dollars:
- Runaway growth. In three years, many agency budgets jumped by double digits: Commission on the Arts (11.8%), Department of Finance (31.8%), Office of Species Conservation (37.2%), Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses (17.6%), Commission on Aging (23.2%), Community Colleges (34.1%), Parks & Recreation (30.8%), and Department of Insurance (20.6%). And that’s only part of the list.
- New positions with no accountability. Dozens of agencies added new full-time positions, but the budgets for unfilled jobs never went down.
- Inflated “maintenance” budgets. While some agencies grew 3–7%, others ballooned: Health & Welfare Public Health Services (22.4%), Commission for Libraries (18.4%), DHW Independent Councils (19.8%), PERSI (33%), and the State Controller’s Office, a staggering 60%.
- Federal dependency. Energy and Mineral Resources runs almost entirely on federal dollars. Species Conservation relies on Washington for 90.6% of its budget. Health & Welfare Public Health Services saw a 33.2% boost in federal funds. The Commission for Libraries gets nearly 39% of its budget from the federal government.
- Medicaid’s runaway tab. Medicaid’s appropriation is $5.25 billion, with a 17.6% increase in federal funds and a 14.7% jump over maintenance.
Let’s not forget that legislators this year also voted to increase their salaries by 29% while rejecting to repeal the 6% grocery sales tax. If that disturbs you, it should.
Governor Little’s token holdback won’t fix years of overspending, and he and all his grow-government legislators know it. Idaho needs real discipline, and the Gang of 8 budget pledge will keep pressing for it. The choices legislators make in 2026 will decide whether Idaho remains fiscally responsible or slides toward Washington, DC–style government.
Idaho taxes are already out of control. As Ron Nate of Idaho Freedom Foundation points out, high taxes are a symptom of out-of-control government spending. Period. And while Idahoans enjoy one of the most conservative legislatures in the country, far too many ‘conservative’ lawmakers quietly rubber stamp bloated government budgets with your money.
Idaho’s state government debt is also out of control, to the tune of $4.83 billion, according to Reason Foundation. If that weren’t worrisome enough, Idaho News reported data collected by the Federal Reserve showing that Idaho residents have the highest debt-to-income (DTI) ratio in the country at 2.06 per household. That means that households carry about $2 in debt for every $1 in annual income.
Turn Your Angst into Action
- The best defense against more runaway government spending is more informed and fed-up taxpayers, like you, willing to take action. Start today by seeing for yourself which Magic Valley legislators love to grow government with your tax dollars, and which ones are fighting to keep your tax dollars where they belong — your pocket.
2. True conservatives who stay home on election day help fake conservative legislators get elected. Ultimately, we get the government we deserve, whether by action or inaction. Mark your calendar now to vote on May 16, 2026. It’s actually more important than voting in the general election in November because in the May Primary YOU pick who is on the Republican ballot in November.
3. Visit our Magic Valley Candidate Endorsement Page. Support. Volunteer. Vote May 16, 2026.
Visit Idaho Freedom Foundation Index Legislator 2025 Scorecard.
Visit MVLA PAC 2026 GOP May Primary Election Page for updates.