Gov. C.L. “Butch” Otter began and ended his talk to the Idaho Chamber Alliance this morning by cheering Chobani, the Greek yogurt manufacturer that opened a plant in Twin Falls last month. But the real subject of his talk was the 2013 legislative session, and his priorities for the months ahead. One of those priorities is to establish a plan for eliminating Idaho’s business personal property tax. “We have a myriad of options,” the governor said, before appearing to float one of his own. He’s set aside $20 million in his budget this year, he noted, to offset the losses in tax revenue that local government will face if the tax goes away. He then took a swipe at journalists who have pointed out that $20 million is far less than the $141 million the tax generated in 2012. “If you take a 7-year transition, seven times 20 is — 140,” Gov. Otter said/Molly Messick, StateImpact. More here.

Question: Don't you wish Gov. Butch Otter was as determined to pump money into our under-funded education system as he is to shift $141M from business to Idaho taxpayers by eliminating the personal property tax?