Gov. Little makes a stop in eastern Idaho to highlight 2025 priorities
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IDAHO FALLS – Gov. Brad Little paid a visit to Idaho Falls on Wednesday to talk about the plan he unveiled last week.
Little announced his 2025 Keeping Promises Plan during his State of the State address.
The Idaho governor discussed his agenda with local media. During a news conference in the Centennial Room of the Idaho Fish and Game’s Upper Snake Regional Office, he re-emphasized his priorities going forward.
Education remains one of his highest priorities this year. Private school choice is a hot-button issue this legislative session, and the governor’s plan puts $50 million in state funds toward supporting education freedom, he said.
“I emphasized multiple times in the State of the State that we want it to be fair, responsible, transparent and accountable,” Little told local media.
The Idaho State Tax Commission will play a critical role in ensuring those four things happen, he said.
Little also touted HB 422, which he signed into law in 2024. The bill cuts red tape around supporting charter schools in Idaho through best practices, development, and educational and operational assistance. It gives more flexibility for the high-performing charters of Idaho and more support to charters that are struggling and need more guidance.
“That model is what I hope we talk about in this area,” Little said.
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Another part of his 2025 Keeping Promises Plan focuses on critical water infrastructure. This comes on the heels of a longterm water dispute between surface water users in Magic Valley and groundwater users in eastern Idaho.
In November, the parties came together after months of negotiation to form the 2024 Stipulated Mitigation Plan. The governor approved the plan, which resolved a decades-long debate about water rights and the longterm health of the Snake River Aquifer.
In June, Little gave them a deadline to come together and find a solution, saying it would be far superior to any government-mandated fix. He’s pleased with what they’ve accomplished.
RELATED | Governor signs order requiring water users reach permanent solution in conflict
“The satisfaction level compared to the amount of acrimony that existed (between the parties) eight months ago is amazing to me,” Gov. Little said Wednesday. “I’m very pleased with what’s taken place there.”
His 2025 budget plan provides $30 million for critical water infrastructure, which is primarily focused on diversion and recharge projects across the state.
The Enterprize Canal Pipeline, which diverts water from the Snake River to more than 200 farmers in the Ririe area, is a recent project. It feeds into a recharge basin on an 8-acre site northeast of Idaho Falls, which can hold up to 15,000 acre-feet of water.
Little and others visited the site last year to celebrate its completion, which he noted during Wednesday’s news conference.
RELATED | New canal pipeline provides new access to water and helps aquifer recharge
He’s looking forward to seeing the construction of similar projects in 2025 and beyond.
“One of the things we’re learning is that there are certain places where it really works, and certain places where it doesn’t work at all,” Little said. “That learning process … is one of the things the Idaho Water Resources Board (is overseeing). They prioritize that money to get the biggest bang for the buck.”
Other aspects of the “Keeping Promises” plan include funds for fire management, road and transportation projects, children and families, government efficiency and accountability, as well as safety and inflation. The full plan and budget highlights are available here.
The governor continued his tour Wednesday afternoon with a stop at the College of Southern Idaho in Twin Falls.
WATCH THE GOVERNOR’S NEWS CONFERENCE IN THE VIDEO ABOVE.