There is no truth to the scurrilous rumor being spread that I headed straight to Bogus Basin this morning; no, I’m here at the Capitol, and this is the snowy approach to it this morning, viewed through Capitol Park. It has a bit of the…
A.J. Balukoff, Democratic candidate for governor and chairman of the Boise School Board, has issued a response to GOP Gov. Butch Otter’s State of the State message, focusing on education needs, health care and the economy. “While Gov. Otter’s State of the State Address offers…
Nearly 2,000 people traveled to Boise from all parts of the state in 2011 and 2012 to have their say on the state budget at big public hearings, a first for the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee, which until then had been the only committee in the…
Here’s a news item from the Associated Press: BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Gov. C.L. "Butch" Otter aims to build billions of dollars in new or expanded Idaho dams, to capture more water in his state's drought-stricken southern desert for crops, cities and flushing endangered salmon…
Conservation groups are suing federal and state officials over Idaho's plan to track and kill wolves from two packs in the Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness in central Idaho, the AP reports. The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in Pocatello yesterday, contends the…
Some interesting stats about current state employee pay were presented to lawmakers this afternoon by legislative budget analyst Robyn Lockett, who noted that as of December, 20 percent of Idaho’s state workers made less than $20,000 a year, and another 36 percent made more than…
Jeff Youtz, director of legislative services for the state, told lawmakers that in his 36 years of working for the Legislature, the joint Change in Employee Compensation Committee’s annual hearings and deliberations provided “an extremely valuable forum for you to receive information and stay in…
Jana Jones, a Democrat who narrowly lost to Tom Luna in 2006, announced today that she’s again running for state Superintendent of Public Instruction. “I’ve spent the last 40 years in education in the classroom, in school districts, at the state level, and in both…
The Legislature’s joint Change in Employee Compensation Committee has convened in the Lincoln Auditorium, the joint panel’s first meeting since 2008 to examine state employee pay and benefits. “I am pleased that we are convening once again,” said Sen. John Tippets, R-Montpelier, who is co-chairing…
House and Senate Democrats, responding today to Gov. Butch Otter’s State of the State message yesterday, pledged to work with majority Republicans, but also outlined sharp differences, especially over funding priorities. “Our budgeting shows our values,” said House Minority Leader John Rusche, D-Lewiston. “Idaho’s public…
Here's a news item from the Associated Press: BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Gov. C.L. "Butch" Otter's aides defended his proposed $1.34 billion budget for public schools, saying $21 million that's going to teachers for bonuses and professional development this year was never meant to continue…
Marc Johnson has an interesting look today at the legislative substitute rule – which is unique to Idaho – that allows lawmakers to name temporary replacements to fill in for them; two are doing so now, with Sen. Bob Nonini’s wife, Cathyanne, filling in for…
More than half of state employees got some type of salary increase in 2013 through salary savings in their agencies, Jani Revier, Gov. Butch Otter’s budget chief, told JFAC this morning, even though no raises were funded in the state budget. Revier told lawmakers, “The…
Education is the top priority for Idaho for the coming year, Gov. Butch Otter declared Monday, coming even ahead of tax cuts for businesses and top earners. You can read my full story here at spokesman.com. Click below for a full report from AP reporter…
Senate GOP Caucus Chairman Russ Fulcher, R-Meridian, who's running against fellow Republican Gov. Butch Otter in the primary, released a statement on both video and audio this afternoon, reacting to the governor's State of the State message. Fulcher said the governor's speech to a joint…
Talking with reporters at a news conference in his office after today’s State of the State address, Gov. Butch Otter was asked about his recommendation for zero funding for raises for state employees. He noted that he is proposing $12 million to cover health care…
Penni Cyr, president of the Idaho Education Association, is applauding Otter’s “recommitment to public education” in his State of the State message today, and said her organization “readily supports the majority of the goals and initiatives that he has outlined.” But she decried the lack…
Among the major items proposed in Gov. Butch Otter’s budget for next year: A $15 million, one-time allocation to the state Department of Water Resources for water supply improvement projects around the state. “Being from southern Idaho, I’m encouraged by putting the money back into…
House Speaker Scott Bedke, R-Oakley, had overall praise for Gov. Butch Otter’s State of the State message today. “I’m intrigued by the new concept of K-through-Career,” he said, instead of seeing education as K-12. “I think that is an important recognition that the goal of…
Reactions are rolling in to the governor’s State of the State message to a joint session of the Legislature today. Among them: State Superintendent of Schools Tom Luna says the governor’s budget would cut teacher pay by $21 million. That’s because this year’s budget includes…
“I firmly believe that the kind of conservative, sustainable policies I’ve outlined today are the best way to protect our traditional values while strengthening the foundation of our future,” Gov. Butch Otter told lawmakers this morning in his State of the State message, which ran…
A new $2 million wolf control fund is among Gov. Butch Otter’s proposals for the coming year. The state funding would be one-time, and legislation would call for the state’s cattle industry and sportsmen also to contribute to the fund. “One form of growth we…
Gov. Butch Otter hasn’t included expanding Medicaid in his budget proposal for the coming year. “On the issue of Medicaid expansion, we should not jump into the deep end without knowing what’s on the bottom,” he told lawmakers. “We must not risk our other priorities…
“I’m sure some will argue that the proposals I’m putting forward today are not bold enough, not front-loaded enough or simply not enough,” the governor told a joint session of the Legislature. “But peaks and valleys are not the best way to manage any enterprise…
Idaho would boost its rainy-day savings, under Gov. Butch Otter’s budget proposal, plunking another $35 million into the already capped Budget Stabilization Fund, which now has $135.7 million, and creating a “surplus eliminator” for the current year’s budget to put additional funds into the Public…
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