The article below originally appeared on The Idaho Capital Sun on August 16, 2025. Several members from NPC Dems attended the Capital for a Day event. This is the first written recap we’ve seen.
The featured image aboveshows Idaho Gov. Brad Little giving a press conference after delivering his annual State of the State address on Jan. 6, 2025, in the Lincoln Auditorium in the Idaho Capitol. (Pat Sutphin for the Idaho Capital Sun).
Additional photographs courtesy of Pete Gertonson (these were not part of the Idaho Capital Sun article).
Idaho governor gives priority to big business, revenue over solving his constituents’ problems
At ‘Capital for a Day’ event, Gov. Little gave the audience inadequate answers on school funding, women’s health care and other issues, writes guest columnist Mark Tuttle.
By Mark Tuttle
On July 24 at Gov. Brad Little’s “Capital for a Day” event in Orofino, Idaho, about 25-30 participants including myself, mostly from Clearwater County, held a peaceful demonstration at the park in Orofino with signs showing our support for public schools, public lands, affordable health care, rural hospitals and our concerns about several other Idaho issues.
Image courtesy of Pete Gertonson
The governor began the event, held at the Best Western Lodge, by stating that he and his staff had come specifically to talk with Orofino residents, and asked those from other counties to refrain from asking questions. The attendees at the conference honored his request, and residents of Orofino, including myself, took the opportunity to express our concerns and questions.
I, and many other participants at the event, are extremely concerned about public education funding. We specifically oppose tax credits for private and religious school tuition and believe this issue is non-partisan in our rural communities where our public schools are so important.
When I was given the opportunity to ask the governor about this topic, about 20 audience members stood up with me, holding up signs saying “Not a Dollar More” while others clapped. I reminded the governor that he had asked Idahoans to call and tell him whether to sign or veto bill House Bill 93, the tax credit bill, to use $50 million to fund private schools. The vast majority, 86% of the 32,366 callers, asked him to veto it, yet he signed the bill anyway.
I also stated that “although the amount is capped at $50 million for 2026, in 2027 and beyond the annual cost could increase to nearly $339 million based on legislative action. These funds will go to private schools that can discriminate against students they do not have to accept, can ignore State Board of Education curriculum guidelines and state requirements for educator and administrator qualifications, and have no accountability to the public.”
My question for the governor was, “If the Idaho Legislature passes a bill to increase the amount of this tax credit, will you sign it?”
He started answering by saying, “I stated that I would sign the bill,” and began alluding to various factors that could affect his decision in the future.
signed into law by Gov. Little earlier this year
Image courtesy of Pete Gertonson
Due to the commotion in the room, it was difficult to hear the governor’s response. I asked him again, “If the Legislature votes to increase the tax credit program next year, will you sign the bill?” The governor never did give me a definitive yes or no answer.
During the rest of the session, other participants brought up additional topics of concern in our state such as: lack of women’s health care and mental health professionals; problems with corporations buying privately owned trailer rental developments and doubling rental rates; new caregiver regulations that make it harder for parents and families with special needs loved ones to find caregivers; the poor condition of forest roads; questioning wildfire tactics and strategies; why local firefighters wouldn’t know about federal funding until October and more.
Gov. Little, at times, came off as lacking compassion and sincerity in his responses to the questioners. He told one woman that the reason that it was hard to find good health care in Idaho, i.e. gynecologists and obstetricians, was because it wasn’t profitable for them to operate their businesses here. He did not appear to acknowledge the true reasons doctors are fleeing the state and new doctors are not coming here, making it more difficult for all women to get quality health care in Idaho.
A study published Thursday, by JAMA Network One, a division of the Journal of American Medical Association, reported that Idaho lost 35% of its doctors that practiced obstetrics. In total Idaho lost 94 of those doctors, out of 268, between August 2022 and December 2024, the study found.
“These results provide a stark picture of a rapidly declining maternal health workforce in our state,” the study’s lead author, Dr. Edward Mceachern, stated.
The abortion ban in Idaho went into effect in 2022. Some OB-GYNs, including maternal-fetal medicine specialists, said publicly that they were leaving due to the ban.
This study’s results, and the previous statements by medical experts, soundly contradict the governor’s response regarding women’s health care in Idaho.
Several other county residents stood and complained about the poor road conditions and near-impossible access into northern Clearwater County. The governor replied that the people that lived there knew that they were moving onto a dusty road, which to my ears, and many others, sounded like the timber industries’ operations and desires take priority over the citizens’ needs.
Giving priority to the wants and desires of big businesses, and other significant contributors to the state’s income revenue, appears to be more important to the governor than solving his constituents’ problems.
I am quite sure that Idahoans in Clearwater County share many of the same concerns as Idahoans throughout the state. Remember that all Idaho residents can contact Gov. Little (call 208-334-2100 or go to https://gov.idaho.gov/contact-us/) before the next legislative session begins. Like those of us in Orofino on July 24, all Idahoans can make their voices heard, explain their concerns and ask the governor how he plans to address them.
Mark Tuttle is a 72 year-old retired biologist, who loves to fly fish, especially for steelhead. He’s resided in Orofino for five years.
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