Idaho Gov. C.L. "Butch" Otter delivers his State of the State address inside the house chambers at the state Capitol building on Monday in Boise. (AP photo: Otto Kitsinger)

Idaho Gov. Butch Otter called for boosts to school funding and tax cuts for businesses and top earners in his State of the State message to a joint session of the Legislature on Monday, drawing enthusiastic applause from lawmakers. But the chairman of the Senate tax committee, Sen. Jeff Siddoway, R-Terreton, wasn’t convinced. “Quite frankly, we saw those same proposals last year as far as tax cuts,” Siddoway said after Otter’s talk. “But I’m dead serious about fixing education. … Then we’ll be able to see if there’s going to be enough revenue left over to do any tax reductions. I’m pretty skeptical.” Siddoway said if the House passes Otter’s proposed cuts in the top personal and corporate income tax rates, “It would probably end up the same place the last one did.” That’s in Siddoway’s desk drawer, where it died without ever being scheduled for a Senate hearing/Betsy Russell, SR. More here.

DFO: A good rule of thumb re: governor's pronouncements? Watch what he does, not what he sez.