In 'Disheartening' Ruling, US Supreme Court Halts Citizen Initiative to Fund Education in Idaho

[Nevilledog]

https://www.commondreams.org/news/2020/07/31/disheartening-ruling-us-supreme-court-halts-citizen-initiative-fund-education-idaho

In a blow to grassroots efforts to put education funding on the ballot in Idaho in November, the U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday ordered organizers to stop collecting signatures statewide—a potential setback for other local initiatives across the country under attack from right-wing and Republican forces.

"It is deeply disheartening that the highest court in our nation has decided to clamp down on a grassroots campaign in Idaho—a campaign made up of thousands of ordinary citizens who are simply trying to make Idaho a better place for their children and grandchildren."
—Luke Mayville, Reclaim IdahoIn response to the court's decision, Reclaim Idaho, the group behind the citizen initiative, announced the suspension of its campaign entirely.

"With the Court's decision, and with the Governor and Secretary of State determined to block our efforts, it is highly unlikely that our initiative will see the November ballot," Reclaim Idaho cofounder Luke Mayville wrote in an email to supporters on Friday. "Regretfully, we see no other option than to suspend our signature drive."

Mayville, along with Garret Strizich, co-founded Reclaim Idaho in 2017 and launched a successful statewide Medicaid Expansion citizen initiative in 2018. Reclaim then helped pressure Gov. Brad Little, a Republican, to veto a GOP-led attempt to increase restrictions and requirements for Idaho's citizen initiative process in 2019 before turning their focus to education funding in 2020.

*snip*

[2naSalit]

1. No surprise there...

If it isn't mormon school, no funding.