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<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif"><img width="624" height="147" style="width:6.5in;height:1.5312in" id="_x0000_i1025" src="cid:image001.png@01D84507.A4A14670" alt="Graphical user interface, text
Description automatically generated"></span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif">FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif">March 31, 2022<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><u><span style="font-size:20.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif">Gov. Little celebrates historic legislative successes<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif">Boise, Idaho – Governor Brad Little is celebrating historic successes as the Idaho Legislature officially adjourned
<i>sine die</i> today, ending the 2022 legislative session for the year.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left:.5in"><b><i><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif">“In all my years, I have never seen a more successful legislative session that produced so many positive results for the people we serve.
We achieved what I never thought we could – ‘the trifecta’ – which is record tax relief, record education investments, and record transportation investments in one year.<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left:.5in"><b><i><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left:.5in"><b><i><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif">“With our second year of a record budget surplus – achieved through a red-hot economy and years of fiscal conservatism – we were able to
provide Idahoans with historic tax relief and unprecedented investments in schools, roads, water, and other important areas to improve Idahoans’ quality of life and keep up with growth.<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left:.5in"><b><i><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left:.5in"><b><i><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif">“Effective leadership is about giving people confidence by staying focused and getting things done, listening, showing the way through humble
strength, and embracing a spirit of service. I appreciate so many of my legislative partners for demonstrating these qualities this session and for moving forward so quickly in passing my ‘Leading Idaho’ plan. Together we will continue to do great things for
the people of Idaho!”</span></i></b><i><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif">
</span></i><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif">Governor Little said.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif">Achievements from the Governor’s “Leading Idaho” plan this session include:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif">RECORD EDUCATION INVESTMENTS</span></b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif"> – K-12 funding will increase by $300 million, the single largest
increase in state history, with a 12.5-percent increase over FY22. Funding for literacy (the Governor’s top education priority) has increased five-fold since Governor Little took office after the state added an additional $47 million ongoing investment. We’re
empowering parents with new grants that help families take charge of education expenses for their children, and we’ve strengthened our ability to recruit and retain quality teachers by giving them up to 10-percent pay increases plus bonuses along with opportunities
for better and more affordable health insurance. The Governor’s plan also makes key investments in career and workforce training.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif">HISTORIC TAX RELIEF</span></b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif"> – Since Governor Little took office, Idahoans already have benefitted
from $1 billion in tax relief on income taxes, property taxes, and unemployment insurance taxes, and Idahoans will receive an additional $1.5 billion in tax relief over the next five years, shattering the record for tax relief established last year. It includes
one-time, immediate income tax relief to help Idahoans facing soaring inflation as well as ongoing income tax relief. Businesses will save $64 million over the next two years and Idahoans will also benefit from more than $34 million in property tax relief.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif">RECORD TRANSPORTATION INVESTMENTS</span></b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif"> – Last year, Governor Little championed historic investments
in transportation without raising taxes or fees, and this year the Legislature approved his plan to add $200 million for local bridges as well as $200 million ongoing to help eliminate the backlog of transportation maintenance needs – once again without raising
taxes or fees – to self-sustain our transportation system over the long term without relying on the whims of Congress.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif">CONSERVATIVE BUDGETING</span></b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif"> – Through conservative budgeting and economic growth, Idaho achieved
a AAA credit rating for the first time ever in 2021, and the Governor’s plan continues the path of fiscal conservatism by paying off state building debt, clearing out the state building deferred maintenance backlog, boosting rainy day funds to historic levels,
and leaving a larger-than-usual budget surplus.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif">PUBLIC SAFETY</span></b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif"> – The Governor’s plan promotes safe communities by making new investments in
the Idaho State Police and “Operation Esto Perpetua,” the Governor’s new initiative to fight Idaho’s growing drug threat. His plan invests in a new prison as well as proven strategies to reduce crime and decrease the revolving door back into prison. In addition,
we doubled scholarships for members of the National Guard.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif">STRENGTHENING RURAL IDAHO</span></b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif"> – The enacted budget makes the biggest investment ever in water
quality and water quantity to support a thriving agriculture and outdoor sector. The Governor’s plan makes new investments to combat wildfire and enhance outdoor recreation, and continues upgrade broadband infrastructure across the state.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif">HEALTHY IDAHO</span></b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif"> – The Governor’s plan addresses long-standing public health challenges, including
behavioral health and healthcare capacity. His plan makes new investments to promote the health and wellbeing of our veterans and seniors.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif">ELECTION INTEGRITY</span></b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif"> – Added investments in cybersecurity and proactive integrity audits boost
transparency and security and ensure Idahoans have the confidence their vote counts.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif">A complete summary of the FY23 budget highlights from the Governor’s Leading Idaho plan can be found here:
<a href="https://gov.idaho.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/fy23-budget-activity-summary.pdf">
https://gov.idaho.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/fy23-budget-activity-summary.pdf</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif"># # #<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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