Lawmakers on the revenue committee have voted to accept Gov. Butch Otter's forecast of state tax revenues for the coming year, on a 13-4 vote. The four "no" votes came from Sen. Dan Schmidt, D-Moscow, and Reps. Joe Palmer, R-Meridian, Christy Perry, R-Nampa, and Mat Erpelding, D-Boise.

Palmer had submitted a much lower revenue estimate - the lowest on the committee, forecasting just $3.2968 billion in state tax revenue next year; Erpelding was second-lowest at $3.3159 billion. Schmidt was close to the committee median at $3.3434 billion; as was Perry, at $3.3472 billion. 

This is the fourth straight year that the legislative panel has agreed with the governor's forecast. The last time they didn't, in 2012, the joint committee adjusted the figure downward, which resulted in pressure to cut budgets below the level the governor recommended.