In delivering a warning to his department heads, Gov. Butch Otter is also giving a heads up to lawmakers. Don’t expect an unabated flow of federal dollars into state government. Otter is asking his agency directors to come up with a contingency plan for absorbing a 20 percent cut in federal dollars. They’re supposed to report back by Aug. 1. I don’t have any problem with this exercise, even if a 20 percent cut is an unlikely worst-case scenario. By asking state agencies how they would go without help from Uncle Sam, Otter is shedding a little light on a conveniently forgotten reality of budgeting: Idaho depends on federal dollars more than its fed-bashing citizen lawmakers ever care to admit/Kevin Richert, Idaho Statesman. More here.

Question: Did you realize that Idaho depends on federal dollars to fund a number of state budgets? Still hate federal gummint?