Idaho gov’s federal funds’ executive order may not apply to all state departments
By Idaho Reporter
Less than a week after Gov. Butch Otter issued an executive order requiring more transparency with how Idaho government agencies spend federal tax dollars, uncertainty has emerged as to which government agencies have to follow his plan.
Additionally, the governor’s order has become an issue in the current primary election cycle with Otter seeking re-election to another term in office.
“Since the governor took office in 2007, our dependence on the federal government has grown considerably,” said Sen. Russ Fulcher, R-Meridian, in response to Otter’s order. Fulcher, who is challenging Otter for the Republican gubernatorial nomination, said in an email to supporters and the media that “no steps have been taken to curtail our dependence on federal money to balance our budget. In fact, it’s been quite the opposite. Under Governor Otter, we have become a subsidiary of the federal government and that has allowed an intrusion into our lives in many ways.”
For his part, Otter ordered state government agencies to prepare on an annual basis detailed reports about how much federal money they spend and for what purposes they spend it, and to have the reports delivered to the Division of Financial Management. Additionally, Otter ordered state government agencies to prepare for a ten percent reduction in federal funding.
