If the transportation funding issue is Gov. Butch Otter’s No. 1 priority for the coming year, why is it that he didn’t attend the kickoff briefing for legislators on the issue on Monday, instead sending a video message? I asked two of Otter’s aides this question. “The governor is out of the office today,” said Otter aide Clete Edmunson. Otter spokesman Jon Hanian had the same answer, and the governor’s public schedule showed nothing scheduled on Monday.

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