Guv plays GARVEE against stimulus

The Associated Press is reporting that Gov. Butch Otter has told lawmakers if they don’t back $125 million in GARVEE bonds for six ongoing Connecting Idaho projects in fiscal year 2010, he’ll redirect millions from transportation-related federal stimulus dollars to Connecting Idaho, instead.

“That’s after some legislators expressed reluctance about approving more bonds, because past proceeds haven’t been spent on projects yet and they fear giving Idaho Transportation Department managers too much at once,” AP reporter John  Miller reports. “If Otter follows through, 10 Idaho projects slated for $202 million in federal stimulus funding might go empty handed. Rep. George Eskridge, a backer of a new Dover Bridge in northern Idaho that could get some $40 million from the stimulus, is skeptical about more bonding. But Otter’s threat can’t be taken lightly, Eskridge said. ‘The governor’s got a lot of leverage there, at least for those of us who have got those 10 projects.’ ”