It’s difficult to say who had the worst session this year – Idaho legislators or new Gov. Butch Otter. In two online polls, readers
from the Idaho Statesman and the Lewiston Tribune rained D’s and F’s down on the 2007 Legislature for its failure to accomplish anything significant, other than approve $250 million in GARVEE bonding in the closing hours, largely to upgrade Boise-area freeways. Only 6 percent or 7 percent of the poll respondents in those two readership areas considered the do-nothing legislators worthy of A’s and B’s. Amazingly, Gov. Otter was one of those who saw some good in the three months of wasted work at the state Capitol. In an opinion column to the Statesman, Otter said he had “nothing but admiration, respect and praise for each of the 105 men and women who put aside their private lives to participate as citizen legislators in a profoundly public process. Republicans and Democrats alike deserve our thanks and our support for the jobs they do on our behalf.” Otter then proceeded to fill up most of the column with a list of worthy lawmakers. But he was short on examples of their good work. In fact, Otter would be hard-pressed to point to anything important he accomplished himself. He deserves the D’s and F’s, too …” —
DFO
/Spokesman-Review.
DFO:
I caught the first few minutes of the KVNI interview this morning between host Brett Bowers and Senate Education Committee Chairman John Goedde. Goedde was defending the Legislature against charges that this year’s session was a do-nothing one. He clicked off a list of bills that raised spending on education, created or expanded scholarship programs, and provided money for students in trouble. I’d say that’s all routine stuff. It’s easy for Legislatures to spend more when there’s more money to spend. But what did the Legislature do that was significant?
Question: What grade would you give the 2007 Legislature?