Due to Senator Branden Durst’s resignation and my appointment to his seat, I was sworn into office at 8:00 AM Monday morning by Brent Hill, Senate Pro Tem. The move to the Senate is both exciting and challenging, and I look forward to a productive session. I will be serving on the following committees: Education, Agriculture, and Commerce and Human Resource.
The governor gave his “State of the State” address on Monday. I was delighted to hear education is the governor’s top priority, and he will be promoting the task force’s recommendation. However, I believe his investment in education funding is too low. Education and Idaho’s economy are intertwined. Businesses need a highly skilled workforce and well-funded research and development programs. We want to ensure our children and grandchildren have the opportunity to work and stay in Idaho to raise their families.
As a member of the Commerce and Human Resources Committee, I am part of the Change in Employee Compensation Committee (CEC). We are meeting this week (Tuesday, 1:15-4:45 pm; Wednesday, 1:15-5:00 pm; and Friday, 1:30-5:00 pm) in the Lincoln Auditorium to discuss State employees’ compensation. It has been six years since this committee has met. Hopefully some positive recommendations to improve the compensation of our employees will emerge.
Tonight, January 10, 2014, 6:00-9:00 pm at The Carnegie Library – 815 W Washington St, Boise ID 83702
Join Ada County Legislators for a fun evening of music, drinks, and light hors d’oeuvres. We will be discussing issues before the legislature and how you can get involved.
I will be updating my website and changing my political banner this month. I apologize for using my representative format but will take care of this as soon as possible. You can contact me at 208-332-1425 or via email at jwardengelking@senate.idaho.gov. Please let me know if I can assist you in any way. I look forward to hearing from you.
Best wishes,
