The Idaho Republican Party's new attack ad against Democratic candidate for governor Keith Allred charges that he'd tax everything from child care to church bake sales, a claim Allred dubs a "wild distortion." Norm Semanko, Idaho Republican Party chairman, said the new TV commercial, which is running statewide including in the Spokane TV market, is based on Allred's statement at a debate in Twin Falls that everything is on the table when it comes to reviewing existing tax exemptions.

"That means school lunches," Semanko said. "That means sales of meals by churches to their members - all of these things are in Idaho Code as tax breaks. That seems to be a very dangerous road to head down during tough economic times."

Allred, however, says his proposal is not to raise taxes, but to broaden the tax base by removing exemptions to allow overall tax rates to be lowered. "I have been absolutely consistent for the entire 10 months of this campaign that every dollar raised by closing tax exemptions goes to cutting tax rates on Idaho families," Allred said Friday. "That is my iron-clad commitment. I have never talked about anything else." You can read my full story here at spokesman.com.