When Reclaim Idaho decided to name its education initiative “Invest in Idaho,” it wasn’t by mistake. This was based on months of study and discussions with educators, school board members and business leaders. All agreed that increasing funding for Idaho’s public schools was critical for our children’s future. Those opinions are backed up by years of non-partisan and bipartisan research.

For instance, Idaho’s 2017 Workforce Development Task Force concluded that: “If Idaho does not act now there is a real risk of the dual problem of both a) becoming a talent exporter and b) losing businesses to those states that have created the required workforce.”

In 2015, Idaho’s Commerce Director Jeff Sayer urged state lawmakers to make “investments” in education and developing workforce skills to “enhance the earning capabilities of every Idaho citizen.” The headline of the article was, literally, “SAYER CONTINUES TO URGE WORK FORCE, EDUCATION INVESTMENTS.”

I could fill up an entire newspaper with quotes, data and studies that conclude the same thing. The point is everyone from teachers, to business leaders, to employers know that putting more funds into educating our children is an investment by any definition of that word.

How big of an investment? Well, we know that, too. The Idaho STEM Action Center gave its 2019 report to the Legislature less than a month ago and showed us just how deep the education and jobs crisis is in our state. Last year, more than 7,600 STEM-related jobs went unfilled in Idaho. That resulted in more than a half-billion dollars in lost personal wealth. A HALF-BILLION!

That brings me to the salient point. When it comes to valuing investments in education, the ultimate stakeholders in this debate are Idaho families. Jobs, prosperity and financial security for their children is something thousands of Idaho families worry about every night when they sit down at the dinner table. They know better than anyone what a half-billion dollars in personal income could mean to their family, their community and this state. They know, above all, that increasing funding for education is the best investment Idaho can make. We know this, because we’ve met them by the tens of thousands all over our great state.

As with Medicaid Expansion, Reclaim Idaho volunteers are toting clipboards and knocking on doors all over the state collecting signatures for the Invest in Idaho ballot initiative. We’ve been inundated by stories from teachers, parents and young Idahoans who are worried about their future. They are all too aware of the horrific effect declining investments in our schools is having on their prospects in Idaho. They are fed up with empty promises from politicians and are eager to put an initiative on the 2020 ballot to address our education and jobs crisis themselves. They don’t need some expert to tell them what they already know.

Recently, a conservative talk show host wrote a column questioning whether Reclaim Idaho’s initiative was really an “investment” and implying our volunteers were “dishonest” for using this term. His article came shortly after I appeared on his show.

First, I should say this host congratulated Reclaim Idaho for getting Medicaid Expansion on the 2018 ballot. He and his co-host proceeded to talk with me for nearly 20 minutes when the interview was supposed to be about eight. The interview was tough but substantive. I appreciated the opportunity to come on the show, and I sincerely hope I we can do it again in the future.

That said, I take issue with the suggestion that it is “dishonest” to use the word “investment” to describe our efforts to strengthen public schools. The truth is that every dollar we put toward strong career-technical programs is an investment in the next generation of Idaho workers. The same is true for every dollar we put towards making Idaho teacher salaries competitive with salaries in Wyoming, Montana and other neighboring states.

That’s what our ballot initiative is all about. In 2018, we gave Idahoans a chance to expand Medicaid. This was an “investment” in the health and financial security of Idaho’s workforce. The vast majority of Idaho voters — including majorities in Bonneville, Bannock and 33 other Idaho counties — voted in favor of that investment, and that vote will pay dividends for years to come. This year, we’re working to give Idahoans an opportunity to invest in Idaho schools. If we want our kids to have a chance to make a living, we must act now to give them access to experienced teachers and strong programs in career-technical training and other fields. It’s simple: If we care about Idaho’s future, there’s no better investment than the next generation of Idaho kids.

Luke Mayville is the co-founder of Reclaim Idaho.