BOISE (Idaho Capital Sun) — An influential conservative think tank is urging the Idaho Legislature to cut Medicaid expansion, public school funding and other programs to balance the state budget.

Idaho is projected to face a between a $600 million and $1 billion budget deficit in fiscal year 2027, which begins July 1. It is already facing a roughly $58 million deficit in the current fiscal year.

Leaders from the Idaho Freedom Foundation — a nonprofit organization that scores legislators based on their votes and frequently lobbies on bills — said Monday at a press conference at the Capitol building in Boise the state’s problems were “self-inflicted.”

“Idaho does not have a budget problem,” Idaho Freedom Foundation President Ron Nate said. “We have a budgeting problem.”

The organization,

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