Gov. Butch Otter laid out a grim budget proposal for Idaho today, calling for cutting public education both this year and next, slashing 400 state jobs, phasing out state funding for Idaho Public TV over the next four years and more. Here's a link to…
Keith Allred, former head of The Common Interest citizen group and now a Democratic candidate for governor, was in the Capitol rotunda after Gov. Butch Otter's State of the State address, and he was plenty critical. “Gov. Otter today delivered a message of decline and…
Gov. Butch Otter, answering questions from reporters in his office after his State of the State message, acknowledged that he's set his proposed budget for next year at $83.4 million less than his economists expect from state tax revenues. "I just think that we've overguessed…
State Superintendent of Schools Tom Luna says Gov. Butch Otter's proposed budget for next year cuts $138 million out of public schools, on top of the $68 million that was cut this year. "That's $200 million over two years," Luna said. He said he'll try…
At the conclusion of Gov. Butch Otter's State of the State message, in which he called for a no-growth budget for next year, House Speaker Lawerence Denney responded, "Thank you, governor. We'll look forward to working with you to solve the tough issues that are…
"Legislative sessions have averaged 82 days over the past 20 years or so," the governor told lawmakers. "Last year factors beyond our control pushed us about 50 percent over that average. I'm sure you share my hope today that - by sticking to our principles…
"I will not allow Idaho to become the nation's dumping ground for its elemental mercury," Gov. Butch Otter declared in his State of the State message just now, saying he'll continue his fight against federal moves to bring mercury to Idaho. Then he compared it…
Gov. Butch Otter called for funding to "handle the tremendous enrollment growth" at the College of Western Idaho; "fully funding our commitments to cooperative medical education programs;" continuing to invest in the Center for Advanced Energy Studies in Idaho Falls; and to provide $1 million…
On holdbacks, Gov. Butch Otter said, "As you know, the tiered holdback that I ordered in September gets us only part of the way to addressing the projected shortfall in our Fiscal Year 2010 revenue. I am asking you today to approve that holdback and…
"My budget eliminates more than 400 positions throughout state government - including about 375 that are now vacant, and consolidates some agency operations," Gov. Butch Otter told lawmakers. Twenty-five existing jobs at the state Department of Parks & Recreation would be eliminated as the department…
The governor told lawmakers, "The budget recommendations I bring you today are based on the fact that it is not state government's money. It is the people's money. As a result, these recommendations are responsibly conservative. ... They provide for a balanced budget, as our…
The governor said he'll "soon be submitting reports" from his business and innovation summits calling for eliminating the personal property tax; enacting tax credits for infrastructure construction investments; and creating a homebuyer tax credit like Utah's. The reports will be submitted to the germane committees…
Gov. Butch Otter listed five priorities, with the first being not to raise taxes. No. 2: Maintain some cash reserves. No. 3: Protect education. "As our recovery advances, one of our first priorities for new dollars should be our public schools and higher education," he…
"Number one, we must not raise taxes," Gov. Butch Otter told lawmakers. "It is not our place to impose an additional economic burden on the people of Idaho who already are struggling, or to put a damper on our economic recovery." His comments drew a…
"We're all in this together," Otter told the assembled lawmakers, officials and onlookers. "We have the talent, the intelligence, the will and most of all the people to get through this - smarter, tougher, and better than ever, and we will." He added, "It will…
Gov. Butch Otter warmly greeted lawmakers as he arrived in the chamber. Then he began by apologizing - because he said this will be his longest State of the State message. He joked that it might be longer than the session. The governor then introduced…
Senators are filing in to the House chamber for the State of the State. There are greetings and camaraderie, but there's also a solemn undertone - the governor is expected to announce sharp cuts in the state budget. Already, last week, he said he'll impose…
The House has convened, and has made a formal presentation to an honor guard of the flag that will fly above the chamber, signifying that the Legislature is in session. In less than an hour, the full Senate, the justices of the Supreme Court and…
Here's a link to my full story at spokesman.com on the state's response to fired ITD Director Pam Lowe's wrongful-termination lawsuit. The state filed its response over the weekend; it was filed by Newal Squyres of the Boise law firm Holland & Hart, who is…
The state of Idaho contends that the four grounds for dismissal of the state's transportation director listed in state law are mere "examples," and the state can fire its transportation director for any reason or no reason at all. "Although the statute provides examples of…
News, happenings and more from the Idaho Legislature and the state capital.
