Item: Coroner busts budget: Wilkey: High number of autopsies is to blame/Alecia Warren, CdA Press

More Info: Due to a high number of autopsies, the Kootenai County commissioners have injected an extra $50,000 into the coroner's budget to make it to the end of the fiscal year next month. “She told us what she had for current payables and what was projected through September,” said Commissioner Jai Nelson. The budget for autopsies will also increase next fiscal year, from this year's $135,000 to $150,000. The commissioners want to take a closer look at the coroner's expenditures, Nelson added.

Question: Do you blame autopsies or inexperience for the budget busting in the coroner's office?

The governor said his proposed budget for fiscal year 2012 is “based on a modest but responsible 3 percent growth rate in our state revenue.” That's despite the fact that his own Division of Financial Management economists are forecasting 6.9 percent more in tax revenue will come into state coffers in fiscal 2012. Otter is proposing to budget to just the 3 percent figure - leaving $91 million on the table if the state's forecasts prove true. Lawmakers have been pessimistic about forecasts since revenues fell short in the past few years/Betsy Russell, Eye On Boise. More here. And: text of speech here.

• The governor's budget
• A flat school budget
• Otter backs teacher 'pay-for-performance'
• Otter wants business incentives
• Guv addresses Tax Commission trouble
• Guv: State more efficient now
• Folo: Betsy Russell's live-blogging of State of the State speech

Question: Do you have high hopes for 2011 Legislature?

Signe Wilkinson/Philadelphia Inquirer

• Thursday Poll: 96 of 154 (62%) respondents said Gov. Butch Otter hurt Idaho education by offering & approving a budget that was too conservative. 55 of 154 (36%) said he wasn’t. 3 of 154 (2%) were undecided.
• Weekend Poll: Which talented team will emerge as football champion of the 5A Inland Empire League?
  

Item: Sheriff sues Kootenai County: Watson wants attorney fees paid so he can file suit over budget issues/Alecia Warren, CdA Press

More Info: Frustrated at how county department budgets have been slashed evenly during the recession, Watson says he wants to sue to determine if its legal for the county to fund unmandated services while mandated ones — like sheriff’s department staff — go underfunded.

Question: Does Sheriff Watson have a legitimate point? Or is he being unrealistic on seeking more money for his department at a time when public agencies are pinching pennies?

It would also mean $62 million in budget cuts for public schools next year, no increase in the grocery tax credit, no conformance with IRS tax law changes (a $2 million cost, and a bill that’s already moving quickly through the Legislature), no enhancements in any agency budgets, and more - all decisions that haven’t yet been made, and that, if they go otherwise, will require other cuts or other budget changes. The approach also anticipates spending $95 million from the state’s various reserve funds, another call that hasn’t yet been made/Betsy Russell, Eye On Boise. More here.

• Read all about it
• Otter imposes statewide hiring freeze
• A 5% pay cut for all government employees?
• January revenue off by $33.1M
• Speaker, Pro-tem co-sponsoring education bills

What do you think of Butch Otter’s proposed budget, which includes a 5% cut in education?/Idaho Statesman

*Love it

*Not enough cuts

*Too many cuts

*Close, but needs work