The House Democratic Caucus has announced its leadership contest results. Rep. John Rusche, D-Lewiston, will continue as minority leader. Rep. Grant Burgoyne, D-Boise, was chosen as assistant minority leader, and Rep. Donna Pence, D-Gooding, will be the new caucus chair. All three were uncontested for…
Sen. Chuck Winder, R-Boise, has turned back a challenge from Senate State Affairs Chairman Curt McKenzie, R-Nampa, to continue as Senate assistant majority leader.
Senate Majority Leader Bart Davis, R-Idaho Falls, has defeated a challenge from Sen. Dean Mortimer, also an Idaho Falls Republican, to keep his leadership post. Davis is an attorney and eighth-term senator. "I continue to be honored to serve," Davis said. Also, Senate President Pro-Tem…
The first legislative leadership caucus election results are in, from the smallest of the four caucuses meeting tonight, the Senate Democrats. They elected Sen. Michelle Stennett, D-Ketchum, as their new minority leader, replacing Sen. Edgar Malepeai, D-Pocatello, who retired from the Senate. Sen. Elliot Werk,…
Both the majority and minority parties, in both houses of the Idaho Legislature, will hold closed-door caucuses tonight to elect leaders. The highest-profile matchup is the one between House Speaker Lawerence Denney, R-Midvale, and Assistant Majority Leader Scott Bedke, R-Oakley, for the speaker's post. Bedke…
Rep. Grant Burgoyne, D-Boise, told the Associated Taxpayers of Idaho today that he supports eliminating the personal property tax, because it's difficult for businesses, but doesn't want to cut basic funding for local government services that now rely on that tax. "No matter what we…
When Gov. Butch Otter asked for questions at the end of his luncheon speech to the Associated Taxpayers of Idaho today, the first one came from former longtime state chief economist Mike Ferguson. "Do you believe that the state of Idaho is maintaining a general,…
Gov. Butch Otter noted today that a decision on whether to start a state-run health insurance exchange or not will have to be made shortly. "There's some decisions that are going to have to be made between now and the 14th of December that are…
Idaho Gov. Butch Otter said today that he's asked the State Board of Education to head up a 33-member stakeholder group to look at parts of the failed school reform referenda that should perhaps be salvaged. "I believe we're going to have in this legislative…
An empty chair stood next to Gov. Butch Otter as he spoke today to the Associated Taxpayers of Idaho. "I apologize for this chair up here," Otter told the crowd. "The lieutenant governor asked me if I was going to pull a Clint Eastwood, and…
Gov. Butch Otter, in his luncheon address to the Associated Taxpayers of Idaho today, challenged county commissioners to bring him a list of state-mandated services they provide that they'd like to do away with. "I'd be remiss if I didn't open the floor to the…
Alex LaBeau, president of the Idaho Association of Commerce and Industry, is pitching his plan to eliminate the personal property tax, speaking to the Associated Taxpayers of Idaho. He decried calls to focus on small businesses, like the current law, passed in 2008, that would…
Dan Chadwick, executive director of the Idaho Association of Counties, says he's heard comments from state lawmakers in recent years that demonstrate "a clear lack of understanding of what county government does." He said, "The Legislature sets the rules, and counties and other local governments…
At the Associated Taxpayers of Idaho annual conference this morning, Curtis DuBay of the Heritage Foundation opened with a pitch for his organization's views on the fiscal cliff and national spending policies, saying spending is the problem and taxes shouldn't be raised. He was followed…
Boise has become Idaho's second city to enact an ordinance banning discrimination in employment, housing or public accommodations based on sexual orientation or gender identity; the Boise City Council last night voted unanimously in favor of the ordinance, a move that was followed by a…
Federal authorities are laying groundwork for possible trophy grizzly bear hunts around the Yellowstone area as soon as 2014, the AP reports, in the surest sign yet that more than 30 years of ederal protection for grizzlies in the area is nearing an end. Officials…
Idaho needs to invest $5.2 million for a major computer upgrade in its tax collection system, state tax officials say, and it'll pay off big not far down the road. The upgrade, which state tax commissioners plan to pitch to lawmakers in January, could pay…
Here's a news item from the Associated Press: BOISE, Idaho (AP) ― A Boise woman who took a chance on winning the $597.5 million Powerball jackpot last week is thrilled with her $1 million runner-up prize. Susan Worthington appeared at a press conference announcing her…
Idaho Sen. Mike Crapo is "all but official" for the top Republican spot on the Senate Banking Committee next year, Politico reports today; and reporter Patrick Reis writes that Crapo will "face a tall order: Cutting deals with with Democrats over housing and financial regulation…
Three people have died from the flu in Idaho, the state Department of Health & Welfare reports, all women over age 50; one was from southeastern Idaho and two from southwestern Idaho. “With the holiday season fast approaching, we strongly urge people to be vaccinated…
Idaho Gov. Butch Otter announced today that his Leadership in Nuclear Energy (LINE) Commission has presented a "progress report" to the state and is seeking public comment. “I think this progress report clearly points out that the environmental cleanup envisioned by my predecessors has largely…
Boise's city zoo will welcome two new female Patas monkeys within the next few seeks, the city announced today; they'll join the zoo's sole surviving Patas monkey, a male, who was left on his own after his cagemate was killed in a bizarre break-in at…
Idaho newest state legislators are on the job today, attending the first day of orientation for the record-tying 2013 Legislature's freshman class of 44. As they arrived for an opening lunch, many were greeted in the Capitol basement hallway by Rep. Christy Perry, R-Nampa, who's…
Idaho Supreme Court justices delved into the details of tribal jurisdiction this morning, during arguments on an appeal from Native Wholesale Supply Co., which has sold more than 100 million cigarettes to an Indian-owned business, Warpath, on the Coeur d'Alene Reservation, without complying with Idaho…
The Lorax, the “shortish and oldish and brownish and mossy” character with a “voice that was sharpish and bossy,” was created by Dr. Seuss in his 1971 environmentally themed children’s book by the same name, in which the Lorax “speaks for the trees, for the…
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