A budget plan outlined by Republican Idaho Governor Butch Otter in his annual State of State Address calls for nearly $217 million in proposed cuts. In all, Otter is recommending Idaho spend just $2.74 billion in the fiscal year that starts next July – a 7.3 percent reduction from the original $2.96 billion appropriation for the current year.
Education is among the biggest targets as the Governor plans to cut $75 million dollars from Idaho schools.
Idaho Gov. Butch Otter comments
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During his speech Otter also provided details of his plan to raise nearly $175 million in new money for transportation projects.
Otter continues
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Under the Governor’s plan, deeper cuts would be absorbed by other state agencies.
The Department of Health and Welfare will see a 7.5 percent reduction in funding; higher education will suffer a 10 percent cut; the departments of Corrections and Water Resources would see 12 percent reductions; the state department of Agriculture’s appropriation would be down 31 percent; and the departments of Commerce and Parks would see reductions of 56 and 57 percent respectively.
