Budget Battle in the Making: All quiet on the western front, at least for now, as we look toward 2024. At the Statehouse, the Legislature will be dealing with a slowing rate of growth as Idaho revenues have, for the first quarter of the new fiscal year, come in below expectations. This is a change after five years of steady growth, including during the pandemic when Idaho, like all states, was showered with federal money like manna from heaven. The dif- ference here though is that Idaho runs a tight ship, and all that “free” money was a significant in- crease in our historic revenue stream, driving more than 20% annual increases. That’s real money, especially in Idaho. And now much of those funds are sitting in piggy banks around the state, waiting to be delved out for one-time projects or saved for the next “rainy day.” Look for a budget tug of war between legislators and the governor in 2024 as they seek to balance their competing priorities. Legislative budget writers, for the first time, will prepare their own budget rather than rely on what the governor and his administra- tive agencies propose. This departure from tradition, and the strong personalities behind the decision, will make for a new dynamic as the next state budget is prepared. Get out the popcorn and grab a seat. This will be worth watching. Read More...

“2023 Convention: Embracing Cooler Weather, Casual Elegance, and Record Turnout in Sun Valley.” Members, family, friends, and business partners enjoyed a welcome respite of cool weather this year in Sun Valley for our annual event in early August. After the triple digits of July, the Wood River Valley’s mountain temperatures in the 60s and 70s were much appreciated during our events, including shooting, golfing and of course socializing. Fortunately, the thundershowers didn’t roll in until the golf awards & BBQ wrapped up at the Sun Valley Golf Club. Read More...

Idaho was well represented at the 2023 Day on the Hill in May for our annual meetings in Washington D.C with our national association, the Energy Marketers of America (EMA).Idaho’s EMA Director Tyler Harker, Senergy Petroleum, and Executive Director Suzi Budge made the rounds on Capitol Hill to meet with the Idaho Congressional Delegation. Idaho is fortunate to have U.S. Senators Crapo and Risch, and Congressmen Simpson and Fulcher – all well-positioned to help Idaho constituents on issues that matter, and our industry is no exception. Idaho representatives also participated in EMA board and committee meetings for the event and heard from EMA President Rob Underwood and others who provided insight and expertise on national issues. Read More...

Thanks as always for joining us in Las Vegas to discuss what is going on in the Idaho Statehouse. Always a great time to connect, our Idaho member meet- ing is the perfect opportunity to gather the troops, get positioned and engaged on any issues of importance when the Idaho legislature is in session. Our 2023 member meeting did not disappoint, and we were thrilled with the turnout when so many members could be walking the trade floor, sitting in on educational ses- sions or meeting with their suppliers. We always appreciate members taking a brief respite from the bright lights of Las Ve- gas to reconnect on Idaho issues moving through the statehouse back in Boise. We had a good turnout, a good legisla- tive discussion, and got a good start on collecting Idaho’s 2023 EMA PAC money. Thanks to one and all for joining us in Las Vegas for the Idaho member meeting. Read More...

Statewide Races – Federal & Constitutional Offices: At the top of the ticket, general elections in Idaho followed historical norms - a statewide GOP sweep of all Congressional and Statewide offices and most of these races were determined in May, following some hotly contested GOP primaries. Governor Little and the rest cruised to easy victory, all with more than 60% majorities. The candidate with the widest margin at 72% was the newest and the youngest: Phil McGrane had already prevailed in a hotly contested three-way primary for Secretary of State, and won Tuesday with 416,439 votes. Governor Little had the lowest level of support with 356,490 votes, and a margin of 60%. Attorney General candidate Raul Labrador received 365,061 votes (62%), despite a last ditch effort to defeat the former Congressman, which includ- ed many well-known former Republican officials. Read More...

Thanks to our 2022 Coeur d’Alene Convention sponsors and participants for making our annual event a big success! We had a terrific turnout and love to see our friends and colleagues from surrounding states, but especially Washington and Montana, and we can always count on a great showing of marketers and business partners from Idaho and Utah. Special guests included WPMA President Kary Tonjum who joined us from his home state of Montana. Thanks to Kary and Team WPMA for yet another successful convention. Read More...

IPM&CSA Strongly Opposes Banning Menthol Cigarettes & Flavored Cigars. IPM&CSA and our 50+ members strongly oppose these 2 proposed rules, which would ban both menthol cigarettes and flavored cigars, for the following 5 reasons Read More...

The Idaho Petroleum Marketers & Convenience Store Association (IPM&CSA) appreciates the opportunity to provide comments on Idaho’s NEVI program being coordinated by the Idaho Department of Transportation in conjunction with the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality and the Idaho Office of Energy and Mineral Resources Read More...

IPM&CSA members benefit directly when our association engages in regulatory and legislative processes locally & nationally. Your membership in IPM&CSA improves your bottom line, controls the cost of doing business, and defends against unnecessary regulatory burdens. Here are some examples of how IPM&CSA helps your business, advocates for your interests, and saves you money Read More...

We are writing to urge you to OPPOSE the proposed Fossil Fuel Terminal Ordinance (FFTO). We believe the proposed ordinance would seriously harm our ability to provide adequate fuel supplies to consumers in Oregon, Idaho and Washington. Read More...

Member Meeting Features Industry Trends, Business Advice & Emerging Issues. We know you need a few days by the lake, so join us for our 2022 convention at the Coeur d’Alene Resort. We have an impressive line-up of speakers for our IPM&CSA member meeting, including emerging economic and demographic trends in the region, protecting your business from ransomware, educating your team about risk management, and catching up on Powerball. Please join us for lunch at our member meeting beginning at noon on Thursday August 4, 2022. Read More...

Thanks to Idaho members for taking time out of their day during the Las Vegas WPMA Convention to get an update on the latest legislative issues during the 2022 legislative session. We had a great turnout for a quick review of legislation, a plan for our PAC golf outings, discussion of the upcoming 2022 redistricting election cycle, and planning for our annual Convention, this year in Coeur d’Alene, August 3-5 (Note to self – get your room reserved early!) and the EMA Day on the Hill in Washington D.C. May 17-19 at the Mayflower Hotel. Thanks to members and friends for joining us for the Idaho member meeting in Las Vegas. Read More...

It's a Perfect Storm - A Collision of Political Forces: 2022 Election Cycle, Once-a-Decade Redistricting, $1.45 Billion Revenue Windfall and an Epic Pandemic Hangover ... and that's just the big stuff!

Welcome to 2022 ... and just when we though it couldn't get any crazier around here. The upcoming legislative session will convene on January 10 when lawmakers will grapple with a host of challenging circumstances, likely to confound even the most seasoned of our elected officials. Read More...

Thanks to our 2021 Sun Valley Convention sponsors and participants for making our annual event a big success! We are so very grateful to be back in person for our annual event in 2021. And we were especially pleased to welcome Idaho Governor Brad Little to our event. The governor joined us for the IPM&CSA board meeting, a special Meet and Greet, and our opening reception on August 4th. We appreciate him taking time out of his busy schedule to share the afternoon and evening with us. Other special guests included WPMA President Steve Clark who joined us for the entire IPM&CSA Convention. Read More...

We know you need a "get-away" these days, so join us for our 2021 convention at the Sun Valley Resort. We have an impressive line-up of speakers for our IPM&CSA member meeting, including the state of the industry, cybersecurity, emergency practices and emerging issues. Please join us for lunch at our member meeting beginning at noon on Thursday August 5, 2021. Read More...

The “new normal” impacts everything these days, and that includes the 2021 legislative session in Boise. By most states’ standards, the Idaho Statehouse is wide open, but operations at the state capitol are definitely not “business as usual” in 2021. The building is much quieter than usual with fewer people on site, and many of those behind closed doors and doing business virtually. Rooms are locked and access is limited except during regularly scheduled committee meetings. Hearings and some testimony allow virtual options, which actually may improve access for folks outside of the “Great state of Ada.” Read More...

“There remains significant uncertainty over economic measures this year” so says Idaho’s official Economic Forecast released from the Governor’s Division of Financial Management in October 2020. Now there’s the understatement of the year! But eight months into a global pandemic, Idaho has defied all predictions in the budget area. Idaho is on track for a $530 million surplus in the current fiscal year, the largest surplus in state history and more than 10-times what was predicted when the budget was set – what now seems a lifetime ago – before the pandemic-driven emergency hit Idaho. September revenues came in $33 million ahead of forecast, marking the third straight month of the new fiscal year where the economy beat projections, according to a news release from Governor Brad Little. These revenues are 10% ahead of pre-pandemic predictions. Chock it up to Idaho’s appeal as a great place to live when measured by cost of living, safety, business and tax environment, recreational opportunities and perhaps even a bit of political sanity compared to some of our surrounding states. Looking down the road, we can probably predict that as the fastest growing state in the country, our political environment is likely to reflect those changing demographics in the future. Whether that change is for better or for worse, remains to be seen. Read More...

Never before have our state, regional and national trade groups played such a vital role to convey critical information to petroleum marketers on the ground. EMA, NACS, WPMA and IPM&CSA pulled our collective resources together to advocate for the industry and to keep members abreast of the many pandemic-related changes. Be it emergency waivers for operations, funding to stay in business, or deciphering new safety requirements, your advocates worked in emergency mode for weeks to provide members with the most up to date information needed to stay in business safely. We’ve moved away from weekly crisis calls, but that doesn’t mean we’re off duty. For better or worse, we are truly in a brave new world, and as you already know, it’s not over yet. Please stay tuned! Watch your email and check our websites for the latest. Read More...

Every Idahoan has been enjoying record-low gas prices. While those prices have put the hurt on local family-owned businesses like mine, they are undoubtedly a reflection of the incredible volatility in the market - to the benefit of the consumer. They’ve been set by factors out of my control, or the control of anyone selling fuel in the Gem State. Now, as Idaho starts to get back to work, that volatile market is pushing those prices up sharply. You might’ve already seen the prices in your neighborhood spike a dime or more in a single day. But remember, that cost increase is for the same reasons as the huge price drop: factors completely beyond our control. Read More...

Idaho’s own – Dennis and Carla Campo presided over the 2020 WPMA Convention with style and grace and we want to acknowledge and congratulate them for a successful year, capped off with a home run of a key-note with Former Speaker of the US House, Paul Ryan. Following a year of constant commitment and travel to all WPMA member states, the Campos are likely ready for a well-deserved rest. (Those who know Dennis will expect that he really just wants to get back to the office.) How nice to have three generations of Campos join the party in Las Vegas, and special thanks to Campo-Poole Energy for their contribution and commitment to supporting Dennis and Carla as they rose through the ranks of WPMA leadership to president. WPMA and our member states owe our success as an organization, in business and in politics, to members like this, and all those who stand behind them! Read More...

BOISE, Idaho – While most Idahoans are working from home, and schools around the state are closed as part of Governor Brad Little’s shelter-in-place executive order, essential employees and businesses are seeing a break at the gas pump. According to GasBuddy.com the average price per gallon in Idaho is roughly $2.11 with some parts of the state seeing prices under $2.00. Read More...

The Little Administration has settled in – Governor Little is still in the honeymoon stage with the Idaho legislature, but the road may get rougher in 2020. Budget forecasts are off the mark and the belt-tightening has begun. Agencies have been put on notice to zero out budget increases, and of possible holdbacks if revenues continue to lag. Legislators are also looking at the revenue storm clouds and are reigning in expectations. Throw in the need to reinstate all state rules in 2020, and the upcoming session may not follow traditional patterns of activity. Governor Little jumped at the opportunity (handed to him by the 2019 legislature) to revisit all 8000 pages of the administrative rules that govern state regulation. We commend the governor for his efforts to streamline and reduce government regulation, but we do expect the new set of rules to consume the early weeks of the 2020 session. And in this case, it is a very good thing. Read More...

Thanks to our 2019 Convention sponsors and participants for making our annual event a big success! We were graced with good weather, wonderful mountain scenery and a host of activities to keep everyone occupied and entertained. As always, we got in some socializing and networking through-out, book-marked at the start by shooting at the Sun Valley Gun Club and closing out the big event with a spectacular day of golf, awards and BBQ Read More...

Join us for our convention at the Sun Valley Resort. We have an impressive line-up of speakers for our IPM&CSA member meeting, including infrastructure and supply, marketing, business planning, retail demographics and emerging issues. Please join us for lunch at our member meeting beginning at noon on Tuesday, August 6, 2019. Read More...

Thanks to those who joined us in Las Vegas for our Idaho State Member meeting. We appreciate our Idaho members taking time away from their busy convention schedule to connect as Idaho members and compare notes on industry issues, legislation and upcoming events. With the legislature in full swing, our Las Vegas meeting is a perfect time to review the issues we need to watch, and to identify those that require action from our industry. Members also dip in to their wallets for the EMA PAC. Idaho continues to exceed our annual goal for PAC fundraising at the federal level, and for our state. Read More...

We had our most successful PAC fundraising year ever in 2018 allowing IPM&CSA to contribute more than $24,000 to 65 state candidates in the 2018 election cycle. As always, thanks to our members, vendors and friends who supported four IPM&CSA PAC golf tournaments that make these contributions possible! Also a huge “Thank You” to our event coordinators (noted below) who donate countless hours to making these events a success! Read More...

We have an impressive line-up of speakers for our IPM&CSA member meeting, including nationally-recognized experts in energy, industry best practices, national industry and political issues from our industry partners in WDC. Please join us for our member meeting beginning at noon on Thursday August 9, 2018 Read More...

Thanks to those who joined us in Las Vegas for our Idaho State Member meeting. We had a great turnout, as usual, and lots to talk about. We have been inundated by bills, both good and bad, in the 2018 legislative session, and the Las Vegas meeting is a perfect time to connect. Timing is good to review the issues we need to watch, and to identify those that require action from our industry. We get a few minutes to connect as Idaho members and compare notes in industry issues, legislation and upcoming events. Members also dip in to their wallets for the EMA PAC. Idaho continues to exceed our annual goal for PAC fundraising at the federal level, and for our state. Read More...

If your eye is on Idaho's economy, the outlook appears to be rosy with current statistics as your measure. State revenues are ahead of projections, unemployment is extremely low, and construction is booming - at least in the urban areas. On the political front, expect big turn-over at the State and legislative levels, with more open seats than Idaho has experienced in some time. Although we will stop short of calling it a wholesale generational change, we can expect Idaho?s major offices to be filled by new occupants (if not new faces). Some of this looks like the proverbial game of "musical chairs," but this is Idaho after all, and for the most part, we are in familiar territory. Regardless of who is sworn in to office in 2019, IPM&CSA will be well positioned to work to defend and protect our industry. Read More...

We enjoyed fun activities, got in some socializing, learned a few new tricks to take back to our businesses, and did it all with lovely weather in Sun Valley, Idaho. As always, we welcomed a full line-up of great speakers on a broad range of issues important to our industry. Thanks to marketers and their families, suppliers, vendors and friends who joined us for the 2017 Convention and Trade Show to support another successful annual convention. Read More...

We have an impressive line-up of speakers for our IPM&CSA member meeting, including nationally-recognized experts in energy, industry best practices for succession planning, hedging and marketing. Organizational issues include election of new board and officers and updates to IPM&CSA Bylaws. Read More...

We had a great turnout, as usual, for the IPM&CSA member meeting in Las Vegas. This is always a perfect time to connect and discuss the latest action at the Idaho Statehouse. Timing is good to review the issues we need to watch, and identify those that require action from our industry. We get a few minutes to connect as Idaho members and compare notes in industry issues, legislation and upcoming events. Members also dip in to their wallets for the EMA PAC. Idaho continues to exceed our annual goal for PAC fundraising at the federal level, and for our state. Read More...

In the wake of the 2016 elections, a newly-elected group of lawmakers will convene in Boise for the first regular session of the 64th Idaho Legislature. But despite all 105 seats being up for re-election on November 8, don't expect many new faces to cross the threshold of the Idaho Statehouse in January 2017. Although we will see a few new members, the major players will remain unchanged, with leadership in the House and the Senate reflecting the dominant political party and conservative sentiment, as it pertains to managing the business of the State of Idaho. We can expect some musical chairs within the committees, and those will require our attention as we work to maintain good working relationships and continue our ever-important effort of educating lawmakers about our industry: fuel taxes, fuel distribution and infrastructure, sales tax and retail issues, UST and environmental regulations. All of these, and then some, require our active participation in the political process, starting January 9, 2017. Read More...

Sinclair's Peter Johnson, President of Sinclair Oil Corporation was our featured keynote. As long-time partners of the company, Idaho marketers were happy to help celebrate Sinclair's Centennial Anniversary. We welcomed a number of informative speakers on a broad range of issues important to our industry. Marketers enjoyed Coeur d'Alene's perfect summer weather at the lovely Coeur d'Alene Resort. Thanks to marketers and their families, suppliers, vendors and friends who joined us for the 2016 Convention and Trade Show. Read More...

Join us for our convention at the Coeur d'Alene Resort. Be sure to get registered and get your room right away, because our block fills up fast at the resort in August. As always, we will be golfing the CdA Resort Golf Course, with its famous floating green, and shooting at the local CdA Gun Club. The CdA resort offers a world-class spa for those in need of pampering. Reserve these dates - August 3-5, 2016 -- You'll want to bring friends and family and stay awhile! Read More...

DEQ proposes S1244 to impose a new fee on USTs to maintain the program in Idaho, and avoid handing it back to the EPA. IPM&CSA believes Idaho marketers are better off being regulated by the state rather than the feds. IPM&CSA worked with DEQ to cap the fee at $100 per tank per year, to require that those fees be used only for the UST program, to provide a budget report to the legislature, a listing of the USTs covered, and apply any excess funds to future years. Read More...