There was intense interest in Gov. Butch Otter's announcement today on new state budget cuts; this shot shows the line-up of TV cameras at the press conference. Not visible are many additional reporters and photographers (including me) who were ranged around the sides of the…
The Idaho Transportation Department has announced an $8.6 million holdback on its own department budget - a 3.4 percent cut - even though it wasn't required to participate in Gov. Butch Otter's holdbacks because the agency receives no state general funds. ITD Acting Director Scott…
There were even deeper cuts proposed by state agencies that Gov. Butch Otter rejected, when he put together the holdback plan he unveiled this morning, Otter told Eye on Boise. "Yes, yes," he said to the question, but he declined to give examples. "I'm not…
Idaho House Assistant Majority Leader Scott Bedke said, "We're ready to stand and work with the executive branch to work this thing out." He told Eye on Boise that many lawmakers are wary of spending down the state's budget reserves, when they already face a…
Idaho state Superintendent of Schools Tom Luna said, "I think the reality that we find ourselves in today validates ... the decisions that we made in the last legislative session," when lawmakers made the state's first-ever cut in state funding to public schools. Luna said…
Idaho's legislative minority party says it's unhappy with the governor's holdback plan, but the Democrats, like Otter, also say they oppose raising taxes to cope with the state's budget shortfall. Senate Minority Leader Kate Kelly, D-Boise, said the Dems would prefer to tap more of…
Here's a link to the governor's holdbacks from state agency budgets, broken out by agency, showing both the dollar amounts and percentages for each agency.
Colleges and universities will take a 6 percent hit under Gov. Butch Otter's new budget holdbacks, as will community colleges - even as they see enrollment swell due to the down economy. Asked how higher ed will handle that, after already taking big budget cuts,…
Gov. Butch Otter plan for coping with the $151 million budget shortfall this year calls for covering 65 percent through holdbacks - new, mid-year budget cuts - and working with agency heads to find additional savings to cover the final $50 million. "If we can't,…
Layoffs could be part of the new 4 percent holdbacks Gov. Butch Otter ordered today, but Otter said he'll leave that up to agency directors. "I'm going to let that director, that cabinet member, call those shots," he said. "They are the managers. I trust…
Gov. Butch Otter has announced plans for a "tiered" holdback, cutting the state's budget back mid-year by 4 percent, but with varying amounts for each agency. "The message I want to leave with you today is that we've been here before and we can do…
News, happenings and more from the Idaho Legislature and the state capital.
