Watchdogs Release 2010 Idaho Pork Report

WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Today representatives of Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) and The Idaho Freedom Foundation (IFF) gathered in the state capitol in Boise to unveil the first-ever 2010 Idaho Pork Report: The Book Idaho’s Government Doesn’t Want You to Read! The 68-page report, intended to educate the public and lead the state’s elected officials to examine the proper role of government and make both the tough decisions and the right decisions for Idaho taxpayers, details millions of dollars in wasteful spending, excess, and abuse. The report is available at www.cagw.org and www.idahofreedom.net. Featured speakers at the press conference will include IFF Executive Director Wayne Hoffman and CAGW Vice President for Policy David Williams. The press conference will be streamed live from the venue and can be viewed at www.newmediatv.org.

Relying on IFF’s expertise on the Idaho state budget and CAGW’s pork-barrel and waste-fighting acumen, the report provides an essential management tool for Gem State legislators and taxpayers.

“Taxpayers in Idaho deserve a more transparent government. The 2010 Idaho Pork Report is the first step in bringing more accountability to the state budget. From offensive art to sweetheart deals for part-time legislators, it is time to put these wasteful practices to an end,” said David Williams. “States all over the country are faced with serious budget shortfalls. Before legislators demand that taxpayers pony up even more money to finance Idaho’s profligate spending, they should wring as much fat out of the budget as possible. The Idaho Pork Report demonstrates that there are plenty of places to cut waste.” The 2010 Idaho Pork Report exposes hundreds of examples of wasteful spending by state and local officials, including:

$20,000		for decorations on five traffic control boxes. Boise city records explain that the money came from the Neighborhood Reinvestment Grant program.
$16,000		for a Department of Commerce promotional video, called “Idaho … Business is Easy Here.” The six-minute video featured images of the state, as well as comical computer-animated potato people. Posted on YouTube in August, 2009, the video garnered 84 hits and another 1,871 hits on the Commerce Department’s website.
$12,000		for employee meals and refreshments for the Idaho State Department of Health and Welfare during Public Employee Recognition Week. The expenditures violated state spending policies.

CAGW is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to eliminating waste, fraud, abuse, and mismanagement in government. The Idaho Freedom Foundation is a 501(c)3 non-profit educational and research organization that develops and advocates the principles of individual liberty, personal responsibility, private property rights, economic freedom, and limited government.