Rating: –1

Bill Summary:

Senate Bill 1148 amends Idaho Code to raise the annual salaries of three state-level commissioner positions. Specifically, it increases the salary for Public Utilities Commissioners from $126,424 to $129,648, Tax Commissioners from $117,396 to $120,620, and Industrial Commissioners from $123,126 to $126,350. These raises are set to take effect on July 1, 2025. The bill includes an emergency clause to ensure the changes are enacted without delay.

Reason for Rating:
S1148 increases taxpayer-funded salaries for high-level government officials without offering any corresponding performance benchmarks, structural reforms, or cost-saving measures. The Idaho Republican Party Platform calls for reduced government spending, elimination of unnecessary positions, and leaner bureaucracy—not routine salary hikes for regulatory officials. With no justification provided for these increases and no attempt to tie them to improved efficiency or accountability, this bill exemplifies unchecked bureaucratic expansion. It contradicts the platform’s principles of limited government and fiscal responsibility, earning a negative rating.