Otter says it’s time to restore Idaho school funding to 2009 levels

From staff and wire reports BOISE - Laying out priorities for the upcoming legislative session, Gov. Butch Otter told reporters Thursday he’ll propose finally restoring school funding in Idaho back to pre-recession levels. But he and other state leaders say there isn’t a clear plan for other key issues, including transportation, Medicaid expansion and the troubled high school broadband network. Along with the governor, House Speaker Scott Bedke, Senate President Pro Tem Brent Hill, Senate Minority Leader Michelle Stennett and House Minority Leader John Rusche spoke to reporters during the Associated Press Legislative Preview on Thursday morning at the Capitol. “Financially speaking, the state is in great shape,” Otter said. “So my budget is going to reflect that.” Still, he said he wants state government to grow more slowly than the economy. “So you can expect us to make an effort to put money into savings, you can expect us to return money that we don’t need. Now, whether or not we’re going to do it this year is another question, and that’s subject to debate once the Legislature gets started.” Businesses in Idaho are pushing for more tax cuts this year, but economists say Idaho has seriously underfunded everything from education to Health and Welfare through the economic downturn, and should replenish those services first. A joint legislative committee is holding hearings stretching into today to hear from representatives of various sectors of the Idaho economy, experts, state officials and more, to try to determine just what the Legislature can afford to do this year. During Thursday’s preview, legislative leaders all agreed Idaho’s roads and bridges need more funding for maintenance. “I think we will take steps this year,” Bedke said. “There is this growing acknowledgment that we’ve got to do something, and from all quarters.” Both Otter and legislative leaders said they’ll push for improved oversight of big state contracts, after the $60 million contract for the Idaho Education Network was ruled illegal by a judge, leaving the school broadband network in limbo. Otter said he’s tried to follow former Gov. Cecil Andrus’ “no surprises” rule, but when it comes to problems with contracts, “Admittedly, I’ve been surprised.”