In midst of budget crisis, Idaho plans to go without chief economist for 18 months

Wayne Hammon, Gov. Butch Otter’s budget director, says he’s not planning to replace the recently retired chief economist of the state either this year or next year, even as the state faces potentially huge  budget cuts based on questions about how much the state will or won’t collect in tax revenue next year. “Right now we just don’t have the money to do so,” Hammon said. When longtime Chief Economist Mike Ferguson retired, the state’s other economist, Derek Santos, was moved temporarily into Ferguson’s job in an acting capacity, but Santos’ job wasn’t filled. It’ll stay that way for the next 18 months, Hammon said. In addition, the Division of Financial Management, which Hammon heads and which handles economic forecasting for the state, also has lost its accountant, and that position also isn’t being replaced. Hammon said he hopes to fill the positions in fiscal year 2013. “Before they left, we were looking probably at a layoff in 2012,” he said.