The Gem State Brief

Curated by Locus Lectorum

August 28, 2025 • Estimated Reading Time: 7 minutes

Revised collections estimates put Idaho in a budget deficit of over $80 million

State Capitol | August 21 | Idaho Capital Sun

The Department of Financial Management released a new budget forecast that revised downward projections of tax collections from $5.9 billion to $5.5 billion. This $400 million difference shifted the budget projection from a $300+ million surplus to nearly a $100 million deficit. Governor Little's 3% slash of agency budgets last week will almost exactly offset the impact of the tax revenue shortfall; however, even with the revised downward projections, collections for the month of July were still over $30 million short of expectations. Continued revenue shortfalls would be a concerning indicator for the health of the Idaho economy.

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Federal court upholds Idaho's university bathroom law

State Capitol | August 26 | KLEW

A federal district judge has upheld Idaho's new law that requires state universities to designate restrooms as male and female based on biological sex, despite challenges by transgender students.

Idaho Supreme Court hears arguments about new public defender system

Idaho Supreme Court | August 22 | Idaho Capital Sun

Following an overhaul of the state's public defender system in 2022, which took responsibility away from individual counties and created a new statewide Office of the Public Defender, the ACLU of Idaho is challenging the constitutionality of the state's system. The public defender's office remains understaffed, with openings for over 20 attorneys across the state going unfilled.

Idaho Supreme Court rules on validity of medical liens

Idaho Supreme Court | August 25 | Idaho Statesman

A Boise neurosurgeon filed a medical lien against a client for the cost of surgery without charging their insurance first. After a protracted court battle, the Idaho Supreme Court ruled that this constitutes an extraordinary collection action and that the surgeon was required to bill the patient's insurance before filing a lien.

Idaho Supreme Court revives Pocatello land dispute

Idaho Supreme Court | August 21 | Idaho State Journal

Owners of 930 acres of farmland near the I-15 interchange claim that land developers and the city of Pocatello have deliberately blocked access to their land to devalue their property in revenge for a decision to annex the land to Chubbuck in 2018. After the owners' attorney missed deadlines, the case was dismissed, but has been reinstated by the Idaho Supreme Court.

Annual Spirit of Boise Balloon Classic

Ann Morrison Park | August 27 | Idaho Press

Starting Wednesday of this week, Ann Morrison Park has been hosting the 34th annual Spirit of Boise Balloon Classic. Hot air balloon pilots from across the country participate in the event, and every morning through Sunday of this week balloons can be seen taking off from the park and floating across the Boise skies.

Highlights & Insights

✍️ By Locus Lectorum

"A Brave New World" - Exciting updates to the Gem State Brief! (Caleb Cook)

📖 Other Recommended Read

"Large Shareholder Predicted Cracker Barrel Issues" - Biglari Capital, led by founder Sardar Biglari, has been engaged in a prolonged dispute with Cracker Barrel's board, sharply highlighting the company's numerous missteps in this pointed letter dated October 8, 2024. This 7-page missive is a masterclass in professional insults and has proven prescient over the last week or so.

🏛️ Apologetics Fact

David Hume famously coined the "is-ought" dilemma, which states that the way things are cannot tell us the way things should be. This is often used to reject the idea of moral absolutes. However, this argument falls apart when we consider that physical evidence (the way things are) points us to the existence of a transcendent Being—God, and that Being is the source of moral absolutes (what ought to be).

🗣️ Quote

"If liberty means anything at all, it means the right to tell people what they do not want to hear." — George Orwell

🏅 Person: John III Sobieski (1629-1696)

Born to Polish nobility in 1629, John Sobieski quickly rose to prominence as a young man for his intrepid command of Polish military units during the ongoing wars between the Poles and the Ottoman Empire. After his defeat of the Ottomans at the Battle of Khotyn, he was elected King of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth in 1673. As King he modernized and reorganized the Polish military, creating formalized regiments and greatly increasing their use of artillery. His crowning achievement was his defeat of the Ottomans at the Battle of Vienna. Sobieski commanded a multinational army to relieve the beleaguered city, personally leading the largest cavalry charge in history, consisting of over 18,000 Polish and allied horsemen. This defeat marked the furthest the Ottomans would ever reach in their invasion of Europe and earned Sobieski the title "the savior of Western Christendom".

📕 Book: Till We Have Faces

C.S. Lewis worked on this retelling of the Greek myth of Cupid and Psyche for over 35 years before finally publishing it as his last novel. Lewis adapted the original story to focus more on the themes of faith, divine love, and sacrifice that he felt were missing from the original story. A masterpiece of English prose, it was considered by both Lewis and Tolkien to be his finest work.