Former chief state economist Mike Ferguson’s analysis of the big jump in revenues for the year’s most important month means the 2014 Legislature will have $162 million more than contemplated when lawmakers adjourned early last month. That figure represents about…
Blog Archives
Otter’s Idaho-Asia trade mission report card: We did good!
Idaho Gov. Butch Otter says sales numbers aren’t yet available but “significant progress” was made on his trade mission to South Korea, Taiwan and Vietnam. Among the successes was a memorandum of understanding signed by Department of Commerce Director Jeff…
Tagged with: butch otter, idaho trade mission, melaleuca, south korea, taiwan, vietnam
Posted in Idaho Politics
Posted in Idaho Politics
Education bills: a post-session signings roundup
Gov. Butch Otter Butch Otter’s veto stamp got the lion’s share of the attention last week — but the governor quietly signed several bills that have important implications for public schools. Heading the list: a pair of public schools budget “fixes” and…
2014 Idaho Medicaid expansion hinges on hard work, new lawmakers
Gov. Butch Otter said last week that building consensus over time was critical to convincing lawmakers to enact a state-run health insurance exchange under the Affordable Care Act this year. Prospects for expanding Medicaid to about 100,000 low-income Idahoans in…
Tagged with: butch otter, Fred Martin, Gov. Butch Otter, Grant Burgoyne, idaho legislature, idaho medicaid expansion, Luke Malek, obamacare
Posted in Idaho Politics
Posted in Idaho Politics
Otter on criticism of Gwartney’s bending state rules: ‘He’s still my friend’
Gov. Butch Otter declined comment on Supreme Court Justice Jim Jones’s finding that Otter’s close friend and business partner bent state contracting rules to help the Idaho’s largest phone company obtain part of a $60 million contract. But Otter said…
Tagged with: butch otter, Idaho Education Network, Idaho Supreme Court, Jim Jones, Mike Gwartney, Qwest, Syringa
Posted in Idaho Politics
Posted in Idaho Politics
Opponents of Otter’s health exchange begin debate with delaying tactic
Above: Sheryl Nuxholl of Cottonwood debates against the health exchange. Opponents of Gov. Butch Otter’s state-run health exchange are playing hard ball in attempting to stall the bill before final passage. At the start of Thursday’s debate, Sen. Dean Mortimer,…
Tagged with: affordable care act, butch otter, health exchange, Idaho Senate
Posted in Idaho Politics
Posted in Idaho Politics
Labrador wants distance from friend Crane on Rosa Parks flub
Idaho Congressman Raul Labrador’s spokesman asked that a photo including Labrador alongside Idaho House Assistant Majority Leader Brent Crane, R-Nampa, be replaced on the Statesman’s website. The photo accompanied my column Friday exploring Crane’s erroneous claim that civil rights icon…
Tagged with: brent crane, butch otter, raul labrador, rosa parks, state health exchange
Posted in Idaho Politics
Posted in Idaho Politics
Idaho House passes Otter’s state-run health exchange, 41-29
The Idaho House delivered Gov. Butch Otter the most significant legislative victory of his six years in office Wednesday, passing his bill establishing a state-run health insurance exchange. The 41-29 vote on House Bill 248 came after a two-year effort,…
Debate begins on Otter’s health exchange, with rumor of defections from ‘Gang of 16′
The Idaho House began debate at 9:53 a.m. Wednesday on Gov. Butch Otter’s House Bill 248, which would establish a state-run online health insurance marketplace under the federal Affordable Care Act. A similar bill passed the Senate 23-12, so the…
Tagged with: affordable care act, butch otter, idaho health care exchange, idaho legislature
Posted in Idaho Politics
Posted in Idaho Politics
