Trib: Butch Changes His Tune

In his weekly Cheers & Jeers column, Opinion Editor Marty Trillhaase gives jeers … to Gov. C.L. “Butch” Otter:

“He’s the last person in Idaho who ought to be complaining about how challenges to the state’s salvage logging plans trimmed revenues for the public education endowment fund. At issue is an operation on 167 acres of state land located about 25 miles east of Kooskia. To access those trees, the state wanted to build a road across property owned by Morgan and Olga Wright. But the couple didn’t want all that disruption and possible erosion. A conservation easement attached to that property protected their rights. Along with Idaho Rivers United, the Wrights sued the U.S. Forest Service for not requiring the state to get a special use permit. U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill agreed and granted an injunction. So instead of trucking out the logs, the Idaho Land Board Tuesday resorted to helicopter logging. The state will make money — about $500,000 - but not the $2 million it envisioned. “It’s disappointing,” Otter told Keith Ridler of the Associated Press. “A million and a half bucks in a classroom - you can do an awful lot with it.” What a crock!” Complete Cheers & Jeers column here .

Question: Do you have a cheer or a jeer for anyone?