Reclaim Idaho: Court delays would leave K-12 initiative ‘dead in the water’ – Idaho EdNews

The states attempts to delay electronic signature gathering would leave Reclaim Idahos K-12 funding initiative dead in the water, attorneys for the group said Tuesday.

In a filing before the U.S. Supreme Court, Reclaim Idaho attorneys Deborah Ferguson and Craig Durham urge justices to let the online campaign continue. U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill ordered the state to allow Reclaim Idaho to resume signature gathering last month, and the group began the effort last week.

The court simply gave Reclaim Idaho an opportunity far from a sure thing to meet Idahos rigorous standards to qualify its initiative for the fall ballot, Ferguson and Durham wrote. If they are successful, voters can vote against the initiative if they so choose.

Tuesdays filing, requested by Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan, is the latest development in a complex legal dispute between Reclaim Idaho and state leaders a struggle that has stretched across three levels of the federal judiciary:

In Tuesdays response, Reclaim Idaho attorneys dismissed two of the states arguments that the federal court orders would lead to voter confusion, and that online signature gathering is ripe for fraud and abuse.

Technology offers a safe, secure, and reliable alternative to in-person signature gathering through electronic petition circulation and electronic signatures, Ferguson and Durham wrote. Courts rely on the authenticity of electronic signatures every day. That includes Idaho courts.

Reclaim Idahos Invest in Idaho initiative would increase corporate tax rates and income tax rates for Idahoans making more than $250,000 a year. The new taxes, $170 million to $200 million, would go into a dedicated fund for K-12 programs.

If the initiative qualifies for the November ballot, it would require a simple majority to pass.

Senior reporter and blogger Kevin Richert specializes in education politics and education policy. He has more than 30 years of experience in Idaho journalism. He is a frequent guest on KIVI 6 On Your Side; "Idaho Reports" on Idaho Public Television; and "Idaho Matters" on Boise State Public Radio. Follow Kevin on Twitter: @KevinRichert. He can be reached at [emailprotected]

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Reclaim Idaho: Court delays would leave K-12 initiative 'dead in the water' - Idaho EdNews