“I’m sure some will argue that the proposals I’m putting forward today are not bold enough, not front-loaded enough or simply not enough,” the governor told a joint session of the Legislature. “But peaks and valleys are not the best way to manage any enterprise – public or private. These proposed investments are measured, manageable and within our means.”

He said: “Their sustainability also is critically important to Idaho’s competitiveness in the global economy. So while I appreciate your support for the tax relief we’ve been able to provide these past two years – and while I would love to see a third year – it’s also my view that any effort to provide additional tax relief for our citizens must be in the context of advancing our goals for Idaho’s education system.”

What that means: Otter has set aside $30 million in his budget proposal for some form of tax relief. But he’s done so with a caveat: That his education improvement proposals must come first.

He offered lawmakers some examples of cuts he’d consider: Further trimming Idaho’s top individual and corporate income tax rates, and increasing the personal property tax exemption for business equipment, enacted last year, from $100,000 to $250,000.