We Took the Pledge. We’re Keeping It.

A Message From the Gang of Eight

The Budget Pledge: Holding the Line

We’re heading into the final week of the session, and budget votes are coming fast. We’ve seen more 'NO' votes than ever before, thanks to a more conservative legislature that’s finally willing to push back. With a projected end date of March 28, there’s growing pressure to pass these budgets quickly, but speed shouldn’t override stewardship.

All but two of the essential maintenance budgets have passed. These are the budgets that keep the lights on and the doors open. They include state-approved pay raises and ensure essential services stay in place. We committed to supporting them, and we’ve kept that commitment.

But the rest? That’s the wish list.

When we signed the Budget Pledge, we committed to a few simple principles:

• Fully fund maintenance budgets

• Hire no new employees

• Cap budget growth at 1.2%

• Stop taking federal money with strings attached

Those aren’t just talking points. They are a roadmap for real fiscal discipline in a state where the budget has grown 55% in just five years.

We don’t have to pass every budget just because it made it out of committee. If we’re serious about DOGE, it starts with saying NO to runaway spending and YES to sustainable, accountable government.

The Idaho Way shouldn’t look like Washington, D.C.

---

A Word About Maintenance Budgets

We committed to voting YES on all maintenance budgets, and we’ve honored that. These budgets keep Idaho’s government running: lights on, doors open, and paychecks issued.

But there was one exception.

The Health and Human Services budget, S1108, was a staggering $5.3 billion—41% of the entire $12.8 billion maintenance package. That’s simply too large to ignore.

While we remain committed to fully funding essential services, this budget was excessive in size and scope, especially given the lack of meaningful reform or accountability in Health and Welfare spending.

We all voted NO, but the bill still passed 30-4-1 in the Senate and 63-7-0 in the House.

---

Budgets We Voted No On, And Why

H418 – Division of Career and Technical Education

We support Career and Technical Education, but this budget wasn’t just about maintaining programs. H418 included an enhancement of $12.3 million on top of an already large base, bringing the total appropriation to nearly $110 million for FY26. That’s a 12.6% increase over the maintenance budget, and the base itself has grown 36.8% in just three years.

That kind of growth is unsustainable.

This proposal added another $10 million to CTE programs at the governor’s request, with no real evaluation of what previous spending has achieved. We’ve seen year-over-year increases in workforce development dollars with little accountability. Before pouring more money into these programs, we must know they deliver results for students and employers.

We don’t oppose CTE; we oppose unchecked spending. This budget failed the fiscal responsibility test, so we voted no. It has not yet been heard in the Senate.

---

S1138 – Department of Finance

This budget was a clear example of government expansion we can’t afford. S1138 included an enhancement of $765,800 and added 5 new full-time positions, bringing the total appropriation to nearly $12 million and staffing to 77 full-time positions.

That’s a 6.8% increase over the maintenance budget, and the base budget has already grown 31.8% in just three years.

We’re not opposed to regulatory functions, but we are opposed to growing government without a clear, demonstrated need. We took the Budget Pledge to stop unnecessary expansion and hold the line on spending. This budget didn’t meet that standard, and we voted no.

It passed the Senate 22-13-0 but failed in the House 29-37-4. This was a major win for fiscal conservatives.

---

S1154 – Commission on the Arts

This bill raises deeper questions about the proper role of government.

The base budget grew 11.8% in the last three years, and 54% of this agency’s funding comes from federal dollars. That raises red flags, but even more concerning is the agency’s stated purpose to: “encourage artistic expression and public interest in the arts.”

That is not the job of government.

Art is a protected form of speech under the First Amendment, and it thrives best in the private sphere, where individuals, communities, and the free market decide what is worth supporting, not the state.

Government should not be in the business of picking winners and losers in the arts. We pledged to oppose this kind of agency, and we did.

It narrowly passed the Senate 18-16-1 and has not been heard yet in the House.

---

S1160 – Health and Welfare: Other Programs

At $78 million, this was no small budget. S1160 included an enhancement of $2.6 million for FY2026, a 6.7% increase over the maintenance budget despite no new full-time positions.

More concerning, the Licensing and Certification Division has grown 16.7% in just three years. That kind of rapid growth demands correction, not further funding.

This budget also leans heavily on federal money:

• Indirect Support Services: 51.8% federally funded

• Independent Councils: 76.2% federally funded

• Licensing and Certification: 61.8% federally funded

When more than half your funding comes from Washington, you’re no longer making Idaho decisions. You’re executing federal priorities.

We voted no because this budget continues Idaho’s federal dependency and unsustainable growth.

It passed the Senate 24-11-0 but failed in the House 30-40-0, another win for fiscal conservatives.

---

S1165 – Department of Health and Welfare: Behavioral Health

S1165 requested a $261,400 enhancement, bringing the total budget to over $146 million for FY2026 and funding 757 full-time positions.

After the agency overspent federal grant money, the budget included a troubling fund shift in the Substance Abuse Treatment and Prevention division. SAMHSA placed it on a remediation plan, and rather than right-sizing operations, the agency simply shuffled funds to hide the overreach.

The reliance on federal money here is extreme:

• Mental Health Services: 24% federally funded

• Psychiatric Hospitalization: 12.1% federally funded

• Substance Abuse Treatment and Prevention: 88.5% federally funded

On top of this, the agency requested a $6.7 million supplemental for FY2025 and more funding for FY2026.

If even the federal government is raising concerns about how an Idaho agency spends its money, we should take that seriously.

We voted no.

The bill passed the Senate 22-12-1 but failed in the House 20-50-0, another victory for fiscal conservatives.

---

We’re Just Getting Started

Several more budget bills need to be voted on, and we’ve upheld our pledge every step of the way.

We’ll continue to stand for limited, responsible government. That means funding what’s necessary, rejecting what’s wasteful, and never losing sight of who we work for: the people of Idaho.

More votes are coming. Expect us to keep holding the line.

More From the Gang of Eight

While holding the line on budgets, we’ve also been fighting on other critical fronts to defend liberty and push back against government overreach. Here’s what some of the Gang of Eight have been up to:

Senator Glenneda Zuiderveld breaks down two troubling bills—S1183 and H303—backed by Idaho Power and Bayer. She explains how both proposals would shield these corporations from accountability while putting Idahoans at risk. Read why she’s voting no and standing up for the people, not the powerful.

Senator Josh Kohl is raising serious concerns about H78aa, the bill to create digital driver’s licenses in Idaho. He explains how this “convenience” could lay the groundwork for digital surveillance and government overreach. Read why he voted no and how the bill died in committee thanks to strong opposition.

Representative Lucas Cayler recently joined the Nate Shelman Show to expose this session’s wave of police state expansion bills. He breaks down the growing threats to individual liberty, from surveillance to unchecked authority. Listen to his interview here.

For more updates on what’s happening at the Capitol, follow the rest of the Gang of Eight on Facebook. They’re sharing what the media won’t and keeping you informed in real time.

---

We came to the Capitol with a promise to serve the people, not the system. That means fighting bloated budgets, resisting corporate influence, defending individual liberty, and telling the truth, no matter the pressure.

We’re not backing down. Not now. Not ever.

If you support what we’re doing, share this update, talk to your neighbors, and stay engaged. Your voice gives us the strength to keep fighting—for Idaho and for future generations.

In Liberty,

Senator Christy Zito, District 8
CZito@senate.idaho.gov

Senator Glenneda Zuiderveld, District 24
GZuiderveld@senate.idaho.gov
Substack: @glenneda

Senator Josh Kohl, District 25
JKohl@senate.idaho.gov
Substack: @joshkohl4idaho

Representative Faye Thompson, District 8
FThompson@house.idaho.gov

Representative Lucas Cayler, District 11
LCayler@house.idaho.gov
Substack: @lucascayler

Representative Kent Marmon, District 11
KMarmon@house.idaho.gov
Substack: @kentmarmon

Representative Clint Hostetler, District 24
CHostetler@house.idaho.gov
Substack: @theidahoresolve

Representative David Leavitt, District 25
DLeavitt@house.idaho.gov
Substack: @leavitt4idaho

Paid subscribers to this Substack will be recorded on Zito For Idaho’s sunshine report as a contribution to a political candidate. Subscribers don't have special access or content. I appreciate your support.