Gov. Brad Little struck an optimistic tone during a Tuesday visit to North Idaho. 

After touring charter schools, Little met with reporters on the 2026 legislative session and how they worked with his Enduring Idaho plan.

He addressed the state budget, affordability, public safety, public schooling and income growth

“I appreciate the Legislature's help,” he said. “They embraced thoughtful major spending.”

Little was proud of Idaho's credit ratings with Moody’s, S&P and Fitch. The state’s most recent grades ranged from AAA, Aaa, to AA+. 

“Idaho has a very well-earned reputation for fiscal responsibility, and that doesn’t happen by accident,” Little said. “We made important decisions and prioritized wisely on what we believed was most important.”

He also spoke about balancing state budgets while providing tax relief to Idahoans. He credited the state’s adoption of President Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill” with providing a seamless tax system for the state and its taxpayers. 

“One of my core ethoses is that taxes should be fair, simple, predictable and competitive,” he said. 

Little was also happy with Idaho’s education spending. He said he increased public education funding by 70% since his first year in office and was especially happy with this year’s initiative to expand healthcare benefits for teachers.  

“Besides a balanced budget, my No. 1 priority has, and always will be, public education,” he said.

He addressed public safety, saying the state has made a $20 million investment to get public road projects done and he wants to ensure public infrastructure maintains pace with growth.

His main safety concern was for Idaho police. He was glad the state was able to avoid layoffs in the corrections and police agencies.

“We partially got to address some of the competitiveness that I need for my state troopers. We didn’t get all I wanted; we got kind of half of it with a strong commitment to do the rest of it next year,” he said. 

He noted that, particularly in Coeur d’Alene, Moscow and Lewiston, the state is having a hard time keeping pay competitive. 

He was proud of what the state has accomplished in fire and rescue departments, and that it secured an injection of cash to fund firefighting statewide.

Little spoke about new investments in recruiting and retaining medical professionals.

He was concerned about Idaho’s low doctor-to-population ratio and said he would continue working to address it, noting that his Idaho Launch grants will help. 

“Launch is a big part of that because we have got to get these kids in high school thinking about being in a healthcare field, particularly in the nursing area,” he said. 

"I believe that Idaho will endure and will continue to prosper," Little said.