The Blog at MSPC

This one-stop portal supports the initiative that government services should be organized around the people who use them, not the bureaucracy that administers them.

With the federal rules now on the table, Washington's remaining question is no longer how the program will work. It is whether the state will participate. Taxpayers and students in Idaho, Montana and Wyoming are already set up to benefit from the new federal Education Freedom Tax credit.

The Idaho Education Association is cutting roughly 13% of its staff, eliminating four organizer positions, closing all five of its regional offices and scaling back its annual Summer Institute. In other words, it is dealing with a major budget mess. And it has no one to blame but itself.

Electricity consumption could grow 300% over the next decade, while overall U.S. electricity demand is expected to increase by about 3.5% annually through 2040. The study warns that without additional dependable generation, parts of the country could face shortages of dispatchable power during peak summer demand hours by 2030.

Data centers act as the physical computing infrastructure of apps like Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, as well as AI models. It’s not just a place to store photos on social media apps; these computer server warehouses connect people, help small businesses, and promote overall economic productivity.

Wildfire will remain part of life in the Mountain West. The question is whether states will continue paying primarily after disaster strikes or invest more deliberately before the next fire begins.

When Idaho lawmakers passed the state's new parental choice tax credit in 2025, we knew it wouldn't take long to determine whether the program would be a success. After all, implementation was almost immediate, and the law was hailed as the nation's "best education choice program." Still, it was important to help families understand the system, and defend the law from an expected court challenge.

A new study from consumer spending site WalletHub recently ranked the “Best States to Live” across the country, with Idaho grabbing the top spot in the study. The other Mountain States scored relatively well, with Wyoming coming in sixth and Montana 14th, though Washington state ranked in the bottom half at 33rd.

Before Idaho's next property-tax debate becomes another argument about assessments, exemptions and tax shifts, let's put government spending on the table too.

It's no coincidence that the top states in the country for growing hourly wages embrace limited regulations, prioritize tax relief, and favor a small government approach. Combining growing wages, affordable purchasing power, and a favorable business climate means higher productivity and economic growth.

Maintaining a competitive economy requires constant attention to workforce development, business investment, tax and regulatory restraint, and the policies that encourage innovation and opportunity.

So many families applied that the program hit its nearly $50 million statutory cap Friday, forcing the Idaho State Tax Commission to close the application window about a month before the law's outside deadline of August 15.

The study isn't asking whether removing the dams is wise. It's asking how to replace them after they're gone. That's not an honest analysis. It's an attempt to justify a predetermined political objective. The study isn't asking whether removing the dams is wise. It's asking how to replace them after they're gone. That's not an honest analysis. It's an attempt to justify a predetermined political objective.

Authored by Senior Policy Analyst Madilynne Clark, the study finds that decades of underbuilding, restrictive regulations, permitting delays, and limited housing choices have contributed to a housing shortage estimated at 3 to 4 million homes nationwide. In Idaho, Montana, Washington, and Wyoming alone, the shortage exceeds 335,000 homes.

Recently, Washington state and Idaho reported success in aggressively pursuing fraud in their respective Medicaid programs.

For Montana, Idaho, and Wyoming – the 2025 rankings reinforce the idea that fiscal conservatism is no longer simply a political slogan in the region, but a defining component of economic strategy and regional identity. It’s also a reminder for Washington of the important fiscal reforms needed.

Early data obtained by MSPC shows that nearly half of participating families are lower-income or working class. That matters. And it tells u

The hits keep coming for Washington state’s poor fiscal management. The latest comes in the form of the recent credit ratings. At the same time, Idaho and Montana continue to receive high praise on credit reports for their fiscally conservative budget practices.

The real issue isn’t that Idaho spends too little—it’s whether we’re getting results for what we spend. And right now, the data suggests something important: We can do better without simply spending more.

House Bill 516 does not ban unions. It does not prevent teachers from joining them. It does not end collective bargaining. Even critics admit as much. What it does is far simpler — it stops government from acting as the middleman for union operations.