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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Eye On Boise

Otter at Women’s Day on selling Idaho to China: ‘We have not, we will not’

Gov. Butch Otter and female state officials host the second annual
Gov. Butch Otter and female state officials host the second annual "Women's Day at the Capitol' on Thursday. (Betsy Russell)

An array of female state government officials, including state Controller Donna Jones, state Department of Agriculture Director Celia Gould, state Appellate Public Defender Molly Huskey, state Historical Society Director Janet Gallimore, and many more, are gathered in the Capitol Auditorium for today's second annual "Women's Day at the Capitol." Gov. Butch Otter told the group, "Women have been intricately involved in the history of Idaho."

The governor, First Lady Lori Otter and the officials are taking questions from the roughly 70 attendees; the first was from the owner of a very small business, inquiring what the state is doing to help the state's smallest businesses, like hers with just herself and one part-time employee. Otter said, "I would tell you in Idaho, small business is our economy." Bibiana Nertney from the Idaho Department of Commerce discussed loans and other programs her department offers. The next question, submitted in writing and read by moderator Natalie Hurst, was, "Can you explain the Chinese situation - are you really selling part of the state?"

Otter said, "No - that's the answer. I don't know how that got so convoluted, but I guess it had to do with poor timing on our part. The first lady and I led a trade delegation to China." He noted that Idaho's international sales have risen dramatically since 1987, when he first became lieutenant governor, and touted that growth. "Somehow the connection was made between a visit that was made to the state of Idaho by a Chinese group and my trip to China," Otter said. "I have never ever talked to anyone or got into a discussion with anyone that wanted to buy 50,000 acres right next to Gowen Field, which we don't have, by the way, and open up a free trade zone, which we only have one in Idaho, and it's actually up on the Canadian border with Canada. ... We have not, we will not."
 



Betsy Z. Russell
Betsy Z. Russell joined The Spokesman-Review in 1991. She currently is a reporter in the Boise Bureau covering Idaho state government and politics, and other news from Idaho's state capital.

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