Politics & Government

What You Should Know About Governor C.L. "Butch" Otter

C.L. “Butch” Otter has been a fixture of Idaho politics since 1973 when he was elected to his first term in the state House of Representatives.Otter was elected to his third-consecutive term as governor on Nov. 4, 2014. He was elected to his second term as Idaho governor on Nov. 2, 2010. Otter first became Idaho's governor on Nov. 7, 2006.Gov. Otter was at the helm during the peak of the Great Recession and it was his administration that oversaw the cutting of the state budget, record unemployment, and a boom in the number of people using government assistance.Otter spoke with StateImpact Idaho back in 2012 about that recession and its lasting impact on Idaho's workforce.Governor Otter: Every Generation Deals with Joblessness and We Live Through ItA Brief BiographyOtter, a Republican, is the longest serving lieutenant governor of Idaho, his tenure spanned from 1987-2000. In 2000 he was then elected to the United States Congress and served until 2006.According to the Washington Post, Otter voted with his party most of the time, 86 percent, but has been known to have an independent streak on some issues.“He was among three Republicans in the House to vote against the USA Patriot Act in 2001 and he later sponsored a bill to repeal parts of it. But independent streaks are sometimes tolerated in a state that would rather not be told what to do by the federal government.” - William Yardley, New York TimesOtter was born on May 3, 1942 in Caldwell, Idaho. He attended St. Teresa’s Academy in Boise and graduated from Boise Junior College (now Boise State University) with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science in 1967.After college, Otter joined the Idaho National Guard and served in the 116th Armored Calvary until 1973.Butch Otter is married to his second wife, Lori. He has four children and several grandchildren.

Idaho Public Television Celebrates Positives, Despite Equipment Troubles

Boise State Public Radio News | By Samantha Wright

Published January 25, 2013 at 2:11 PM MST

The head of Idaho Public Television had some good and bad news for budget writers at the Idaho Legislature today.

General Manager Peter Morrill said IPTV won 53 national and regional awards last year. One of its premiere programs, Antiques Road Show, is coming to Boise to film several shows. And…“Late last week we were informed by the good folks at Nielson and Track Media that we are in fact the most watched, most viewed PBS station in the U.S.," Morrill said. "This is great news.”

Still, Morrill said there are challenges ahead for the statewide network. Keeping the signal going in a large portion of Idaho means a lot of equipment, which is growing older every year.

Morrill has been faced with a broken snow cat, leaky roofs, generators filled with ice and snow, and equipment damaged by a fire. “What is Peter is playing most of the time," he asked. "Peter seems to be playing Whack-A-Mole, much with equipment maintenance.”

Idaho Public Television requested $2.8 million in general fund dollars. The governor recommends a 2.6 percent increase in general funds or $1.6 million for the station. Morrill says "This recommendation finds a balance between the resources of the General Fund and the needs of Idaho Public Television."

Clarification: BSPR originally reported that Morrill asked lawmakers for an additional $1 million next year to help pay for aging equipment bringing the station's funding request to $2.8 million. The last paragraph of the story now gives a more detailed description of what that initial request was and what's actually being recommended.

Idaho Public Television Celebrates Positives, Despite Equipment Troubles

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