Otter, six others to receive pay raises
Increases will restore salaries to 2010 levels
BOISE — Gov. Butch Otter and six other elected state officials will receive pay raises this year as a result of an automatic provision in state code that was passed into law two years ago. Their salaries dropped in 2011, but will be restored this year to their 2010 levels. According to Idaho Code 59-501, the positions of governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, controller, treasurer, superintendent of public instruction and attorney general will all receive pay increases. Otter will get $115,348 this year, a 4 percent increase from the $110,734 he earned last year. His spokesman, Jon Hanian, said the governor will do the same thing he did the last time he received a raise — donate the extra money to charity. Otter’s pay is less than that of 261 other state employees, according to the Idaho Comptroller’s Office. By comparison, the presidents of Idaho’s three major universities earned between $323,004 and $336,419, according to the Idaho State Journal. Pay levels for Idaho’s elected officials are updated every few years. The last update was in the 2010 Legislature, whenlawmakers approved increases through 2014. The raises passed the House by a 37-30 vote and by a 20-13 tally in the Senate. The annual salary increases through 2014 for the governor are listed as exact dollar amounts; raises for other elected officials are a set percentage of the governor’s pay (30 percent for the lieutenant governor, 85 percent for the secretary of state, controller, schools superintendent and treasurer and 90 percent for the attorney general). Idaho has eliminated 1,800 state jobs since 2008. The Legislature hasn’t given state employees a raise since Fiscal Year 2009. In his State of the State address earlier this month, Otter proposed a 3 percent raise for state employees, contingent on the state meeting revenue projections. It would cost Idaho $41 million, according to a story in the Twin Falls Times-News. Spokesmen for Attorney General Lawrence Wasden and Controller Donna Jones said those officials would keep the raises. Schools Superintendent Tom Luna’s spokesperson said he would donate the extra money to charity. The other officials could not be reached for comment as of Tuesday evening. OMG, Butchie gets a raise? What for? Does he need it? Christ, they guy's a millionaire!
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House panel OKs bill to oust Boise occupiers
BOISE (AP) — A camping ban at statemanaged properties cleared a House committee on Tuesday, beginning the countdown to the day when Occupy Boise protesters will likely be forced from their tent village across the street from the Idaho Capitol. The House State Affairs Committee voted 13-5 for the measure, after the Idaho attorney general concluded evicting the group from the old Ada County Courthouse grounds wasn’t an unconstitutional infringement on free-speech rights. Four Democrats and one Republican, Rep. Janice McGeachin of Idaho Falls, voted against the bill. Again, Democrats see that ousting these guys is not constitutional. It's called Free Speech and the Right to Assemble! I cannot believe the damned Reps in this state. They scream that we Dems are not adhering to the constitution, and here they go abandoning it when it serves 'em. These folks are simply full of it.
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Otter should change name to ‘Flip Flop’
After years of cheap shots at Obama, Democrats and “hell no” on President Obama’s Patient Protection and Affordable Health Care Act, our good Gov. Otter declares that the Obama health care option was what he was going to do all along. In fact, he tacitly admits that Obama’s plan is better because it halted the Guv’s supposed “better” plan in its tracks. Is it now fair to call him Governor Flip-Flop? I guess that’s why our GOP dominated legislature voted to give him a raise of 4 percent, or $4,600, or $383.33 a month. That’s more than the monthly food budget of single working mothers and homeless veterans. I guess in the eyes of the Republican Party his signature achievement of balancing the budget on the backs of the poor merited that raise. If you voted Republican, shame on you! n Ray Heidt, Marsing I just love you Ray!
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