Otter to WA biz: Come on over

OLYMPIA – Idaho Gov. Butch Otter is suggesting Washington businesses come over to his side of the border if taxes go up like they have in Oregon.
In a “love letter to our neighbors,” Otter argues that Idaho has a better plan than other states for handling the recession: “Predictable tax and regulatory policies are what our employers need in order to maintain their operations through this rough patch.”

 

He jabs Oregon voters, who last month voted to raise income taxes on people making more than $125,000 and business taxes. Oregon businesses started calling Idaho, he said.
“Legislators in the state of Washington are talking about even bigger tax increases to tackle a budget deficit that figures to be as big as Idaho’s entire state budget,” he says. “We are now reaching out to hundreds of Oregon businesses and will do the same with those in Oregon if the Legislature there follows Oregon’s lead.”
Otter’s letter essentially echoes the warnings of fellow Republicans in Washington who opposed a package of sales and business tax increases this weekend in the state Senate. Sen. Mark Schoesler, R-Ritzville, called the proposals to raise sales, business and cigarette taxes the “Idaho Economic Development Act.”