Through my time in the Legislature, I have been involved in a number of different issues, and have been successful in many ways. Here is a brief look at just some of the issues I have been involved in during my tenure in the Legislature.

Property Taxes

• Increased homeowners exemption to $75,000 for the first time since establishment, added land and put an inflationary factor on so it will continue to grow.

• Increased circuit breaker assistance for the elderly and low income.

• Simplified impact fee process to allow counties and cities to assess  new development to pay for cost of growth more easily.

• Closed loophole that allowed developers to take advantage of agricultural exemption, thereby paying only pennies in property taxes at the expense of other property tax payers.

Transportation

• GARVEE Bonding funding tool allows state to borrow money to pay today's cost for building highways and pays it back with federal fuels tax dollars the state receives.

• Among the first projects is funding to expand Highway 95 from Sagle to Coeur d' Alene to four lanes by purchasing right of way and preliminary engineering.

Education

• Have increased funding for Kindergarten through 12th, planning for growth and adding to the public schools stabilization fund to provide funding  in case of unforeseen expenses or economic downturns.

• Passed requirement that monies be set aside and used for maintenance of public school buildings, and restores full distribution to school districts of lottery funds.

Environment

• Secured $4 million in funding to help eradicate and control the spread of Eurasion Milfoil, a noxious weed that has been infesting our lakes.

• Monitoring of Lake Pend Oreille water quality to obtain accurate data and observe any changes if new pollutants arise.