Business leaders call on the Legislature to fund higher education

Nearly 100 Idaho Business for Education members today signed an open letter to the Idaho House of Representatives urging them to stop using education as a “political football” in the culture wars and approve Governor Brad Little’s higher education budget.

“A strong higher education system is critical to building the workforce that Idaho’s businesses need to grow and thrive,” the letter states. “When you weaken our colleges and universities you are also putting Idaho’s economic future at risk.”

The letter makes the connection between higher education and the workforce needed to fill jobs in Idaho. “As businesses that employ thousands of your constituents and rely on a strong higher education system, we urge you to stop turning our critical higher education infrastructure into a political football in the culture wars.”

The letter went on to say: “Chipping away at this critical economic engine of our state for political reasons is counterproductive for building an economically vibrant Idaho.”

The letter concludes by asking the legislators to instead strengthen their support for the colleges and universities so “they can be the economic engines that our state needs for a bright and prosperous future for all Idahoans.

Last week on a 13-57 vote the Idaho House defeated Governor Little’s higher education budget which had already passed the Senate overwhelmingly.

“It is time for the Idaho Legislature and the Idaho House in particular to stop playing games with the future of our students, educators and economy,” said Rod Gramer, IBE president and CEO. “It’s time to stop the dubious culture war claims that are used to weaponize the campaign against education. This campaign, in the end, will do nothing but weaken the very institutions our great state depends on to build a brighter future for all Idahoans. That is why IBE published this open letter to our legislators.”

The letter in its entirety can be read at: https://idahobe.org/an-open-letter-to-idahos-legislature-about-higher-education.

You can reach out to Leslie at lbarbour@idahobe.org for more information.

IBE’s mission is to strengthen Idaho’s education system to create the highly educated workforce our employers need and to set our students up for success in school, work, and life. IBE has nearly 250 members across the state of Idaho.