When the U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments last week in the case of Doe vs. Reed, challenging Washington state's practice of considering signatures on petitions for a referendum or initiative to be public record, the justices' questioning showed much concern about openness and transparency;…
Gov. Butch Otter says he'll hold his next "Capital for a Day" event in his own hometown of Star on May 17th. At the events, the governor and a slew of top state officials typically meet with the public for a day in a rural…
Gov. Butch Otter announced yesterday that Idaho will join more than a dozen other states in "opting out" of a requirement under the new national health care reform legislation to set up a new "high risk pool" for uninsured residents with pre-existing conditions. Idaho already…
Here's a link to my full story at spokesman.com on tonight's Idaho Supreme Court debate, which was the first of the "Idaho Debates" to take place in front of a live audience, as well as being broadcast live statewide on Idaho Public Television. The debates…
Things got pretty heated during tonight's Idaho Supreme Court debate. At one point, Justice Roger Burdick disputed Judge John Bradbury's statement that the state school facilities lawsuit ended when lawyers were called to a basement meeting and told "it's over," without any written order or…
Among issues on which the two Supreme Court candidates have sparred so far: The newly released Idaho State Bar poll and its high rankings for Burdick and low rankings for Bradbury; what happened in the school facilities lawsuit, which Bradbury dubbed "the darkest day in…
There's a pretty good crowd assembled for tonight's Idaho Supreme Court candidates debate, the first of the "Idaho Debates" to take place before a live audience as well as being broadcast live statewide on Idaho Public Television. It's being held in the new Capitol Auditorium.…
Idaho Supreme Court Justice Roger Burdick, left, and Lewiston Judge John Bradbury, center, prepare for the coin toss before their live debate tonight on statewide television, as Idaho Public TV's Bruce Reichert explains the rules. Burdick won the toss and chose to go second in…
Congressional candidate Raul Labrador called a press conference this morning to speak out on his views on illegal immigration - and accuse his GOP primary opponent, Vaughn Ward, of inappropriately impugning his work as an immigration attorney and his Puerto Rican heritage. "He is hoping,…
Democratic gubernatorial candidate Keith Allred has issued a statement on the latest April state tax revenue figures, sticking by his contention that Gov. Butch Otter was guilty of "irrational pessimism" in his approach to the state budget during this year's legislative session. The preliminary figures…
The new member survey from the Idaho State Bar ranking the candidates in the contested race for the Idaho Supreme Court is out today, and it gives incumbent Justice Roger Burdick considerably higher rankings than his challenger, Judge John Bradbury. However, nearly half the respondents…
Here's the chart from the state Division of Financial Management on the April state tax revenues, though, as the chart notes, it's "incomplete preliminary data." It shows that individual income tax in April came in $47 million below projections, and corporate income tax $11 million…
Here's a press release from Gov. Butch Otter on the preliminary April revenue report: STATE’S APRIL REVENUE WAS BELOW PROJECTION (BOISE) – The Idaho Division of Financial Management issued preliminary, incomplete April tax revenue data today that shows the State took in $55.5 million less…
The earliest preliminary reports on April's state tax collections - a key month, with the biggest collections of the year - show they're down by $55 million from projections, the AP reports, meaning the state would head into the final two months of its fiscal…
In a new TV commercial airing across the 1st Congressional District, GOP candidate Vaughn Ward says "the only way to stop reckless spending" by the federal government is to "end government bailouts and ban earmarks." The campaign ad, Ward's second of the campaign and the…
AP reporter John Miller takes a look at the role of opposition research in congressional campaigns and what the campaigns are digging up about their opponents in the 1st District congressional race; click below to read the full story. It was opposition research that enabled…
There's a lot on the ballot in this spring's primary election, though the marquee race clearly is the vigorous GOP contest between two rising young Republicans for a chance to challenge 1st District Democratic Rep. Walt Minnick in the 1st Congressional District. Every statewide elected…
Here it is May 1st - and it was a powder day at Brundage! And snowing like mad on and off today, as hundreds of skiers turned out to enjoy midwinter fun in May (the powder was knee deep, and especially at the top, just…
News, happenings and more from the Idaho Legislature and the state capital.
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