Gov. Butch Otter

Safe routes to school bill becomes law, without Otter’s blessing

Passed in the final hours of the 2017 session, the new law allows the Idaho Transportation Department to siphon some state dollars into pedestrian projects near school zones.

Analysis: Grocery tax veto tears open a widening rift in GOP

Gov. Butch Otter faces increasingly vocal opposition from fellow Republicans — as his final term heads into its final 20 months.

Otter vetoes grocery tax repeal, allows highway bill to become law

Otter still has not acted on a related transportation bill to allow state funding for “safe routes to school” projects.

Otter’s latest batch of bill signings: still no word on grocery tax

Gov. Butch Otter signed three education-related bills Thursday.

Otter signs $1.7 billion K-12 budgets

Still hanging fire: a bill to repeal the state’s grocery tax, and a $315 million highway and infrastructure bill. Otter has voiced his opposition to the grocery tax repeal.

Otter: Another broadband settlement is in the works

The state is negotiating with the feds, Gov. Butch Otter said Monday. A federal contractor fronted Idaho $13.5 million for the ill-fated Idaho Education Network broadband project.

Otter gives the Legislature an ‘A’ on education issues

Idaho’s governor also said on Monday legislators earned “incomplete” grades on some education areas, and he declined to say how he’ll act on repealing Idaho’s grocery tax.

Analysis: In a climate of political change, Otter stays the course

On education, Gov. Butch Otter stayed close to his five-year plan. On taxes, highways and health care, he punted.

Otter announces higher education task force

Modeled after Idaho’s K-12 task force, Otter hopes the 28-member higher education task force will help Idaho improve its stagnant college completion rates.