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SEATTLE ADVANCES HIGH SCHOOL HOOPS Seahawks beat Panthers, 31-17
SPORTS, B1
COMING MONDAY
Nampa Christian defeats Marsing, 49-19 SPORTS, B1
The number of golf courses in the U.S. has been on the decline, with municipal golf courses being hit particularly hard as cities face rising costs and increased infrastructure needs. See how Nampa’s city-owned courses have defied those odds — and why the city may cut them loose — in Monday’s Idaho Press-Tribune.
January 11, 2015
$1.50
Local officials react to free community college idea
2015 LEGISLATIVE PREVIEW
GAS TAXES P R I C E
P E R
G A L LO N
P R I C E
P E R
G A L LO N
P R I C E
P E R
G A L LO N
$0.25 $0.31 $0.3 IDAHO P R I C E
P E R
OREGON
G A L LO N
2
P R I C E
P E R
G A L LO N
$0.53 $0.2 UTAH
CALIFORNIA P R I C E
P E R
G A L LO N
P R I C E
P E R
4 5
G A L LO N
$0.33 $0.24 4 NEVADA
WYOMING
Obama proposes publicly funded community college for all
7 8
By NEDRA PICKLER The Associated Press
WASHINGTON — Many officials at local community colleges in the Treasure Valley said President Barack Obama’s proposal to make community college available to all Americans would be a boon for local students who want to further their education. Treasure Valley Community College President Dana Young said the proposal highlights the important role community colleges play in education. She said she is “thrilled the conversation is happening on a national level.” “Additional investments in the first two years of higher education will increase access and open doors for more students — especially for those students and parents who make too much to qualify for Pell grants but not enough money to afford tuition,” Young said.
WASHINGTON P R I C E
P E R
G A L LO N
$0.1
8 9
FEDERAL P R I C E
P E R
G A L LO N
7
$0.28 MONTANA
Source: the American Petroleum Institute
‘The time has come’
Please see College, A4
Local residents create Legislative wish list for 2015
Raising gas tax, registration fees, more ideas tossed around to address transportation funding
Local constituents discuss what they want to see from the 2015 session By KELCIE MOSELEY kmoseley@idahopress.com
© 2015 Idaho Press-Tribune
NAMPA — When it comes to what the public and local officials would like to see the Idaho Legislature accomplish this session, there are few surprises. Vallivue Superintendent Pat Charlton said he would be most happy to see lawmakers restore education to 2009 funding levels. Up until recently, he wasn’t hopeful that would happen. “Earlier (in 2014) we heard that it might take five years to get back to those levels, but now with the economy continuing to improve we could get close,” Charlton said. Charlton served on the transition team for newly elected Superintendent of Public Instruction Sherri Ybarra, and he said superintendents on that committee recommended getting back to 2009 levels. They also asked that the Idaho State Department of Education become more interested in helping school districts rather than serving as more of a compliance agency.
By KELCIE MOSELEY
“In the great state of Idaho, there is about 36,000 miles of road,” Davis said. “... (On the lo© 2015 Idaho Press-Tribune cal side), anywhere from 20 to 25 percent of the BOISE — A 5-cent increase in the state’s gas condition of the pavement is poor. And when tax — from 25 cents per gallon to 30 cents — that happens, you cannot rehab it. It has to be would generate an additional $45 million in replaced. And these local entities have done revenue that could go toward transportation a great job of keeping the good and excellent infrastructure. pavement up with meager resources, but With the state staring down a $262 million they’ve had to let the poor stuff go.” shortfall in transportation funding just to keep The 2015 legislative session begins roads useable, legislators and others are disMonday, and transportation funding has cussing the possibility of raising the gas tax — how much is anyone’s guess at this point — in been a hot topic among legislators since the addition to raising registration fees and other primary election in May. Leading up to the possibilities to make up that shortfall and ad- 2014 session, many elected officials said they did not expect transportation would be dress the problems of crumbling roads. The condition of roads in some rural areas addressed because it was an election year. This session, it seems the political will is of Idaho has become so poor that highway much higher. districts and counties are actually moving Rep. Rick Youngblood, R-Nampa, serves backward — by grinding up asphalt and goon the House Transportation and defense ing back to gravel roads. Committee and is working closely with the “We just can’t keep up with the deIdaho Transportation Coalition. mands,” said Stuart Davis, executive director of the Idaho Association of Please see Gas tax, A4 Highway Districts. kmoseley@idahopress.com
Please see Wish list, A4
LEGISLATIVE PREVIEW SERIES
COMING TUESDAY
This is the last of five stories written by the Idaho Press-Tribune leading up to the beginning of the 2015 legislative session on Monday.
Look for the Idaho Press-Tribune’s coverage of the State of the State address given by Gov. Butch Otter at the Idaho State Capitol. Otter is expected to discuss his budget goals for the coming year, including his recommendation for the state’s public education budget.
Deaths George Koyama
Odell Madsen Katie O’Brien-McPhie
Mathew Townley Adell Vauthier
Obituaries, A7
Classifieds �������� D1-4 Legals ����������������� B4 Lottery ��������������� A2
RON CRANE CORRECTION Along with other top statewide positions, State Treasurer Ron Crane was sworn into office Friday for a fifth term. Incomplete information was included in Saturday’s Idaho Press-Tribune. Movies ��������������� A2 Opinion........ A14-15
Puzzles ��������������� C4 Weather ������������� A2 C M Y K