Governor lashes back at lawmakers with veto

Gov. Butch Otter has issued another line-item veto, this time scratching out the funding for the Legislative Services Office for technology upgrades and to purchase 108 laptop computers next year for use by legislators. Though he doesn’t mention it in his veto message , the swipe appears to be payback for the Senate having voted to override his veto of substance abuse treatment funds. Otter said the $274,000 line-item veto came because the Legislature didn’t join in a new money-saving effort to consolidate computer purchases under the Department of Administration.