Outlining an agenda heavy on education, Gov. Butch Otter called on the Legislature to increase K-12 public school spending by 7.4 percent in 2016. Otter’s budget blueprint would increase school spending by $101,185,600, bringing the school budget bottom line to $1,475,784,000. That amount would represent a new high-water mark for K-12 spending in Idaho, bringing expenses $57.2 million above the previous, pre-recession high from the 2009 budget year. During his roughly 40-minute speech, Otter outlined a list of budgetary and spending priorities, making no secret where his top priority lies/Clark Corbin, IDEDNEWS.org. More here. (IDEDNEWS photo: Gov. Butch Otter, center, presents his State of the State address Monday at the Statehouse)

Question: OK, let's give the devil his due. Gov. Otter is calling for a solid increase in K-12 education spending this year. Thoughts?