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

Background

State of Idaho

Governor C.L. "Butch" Otter (R-Idaho)

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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 second term as Idaho governor on Nov. 2, 2010. He was first elected governor on Nov. 7, 2006.

StateImpact Idaho sat down with the governor before the 2012 legislative session began to ask about a few key economic issues. Click the links below to see video of where he stands:

A Brief Biography

Otter, 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 Times

Otter 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 116^th Armored Calvary until 1973.

Butch Otter is married to his second wife, Lori. He has four children and several grandchildren.

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January 5, 2012

Liveblog: Legislative Preview

December 23, 2011

Governor Otter: New Health Care Law Hurts Idaho Job Creation

At Governor C.L. “Butch” Otter’s annual State of the State Address last January he said federal programs, like the Affordable Care Act hurt local job creation. “For businesses, economic and financial uncertainty caused in large part by misguided federal programs and policies are undermining confidence in the marketplace. Employers have no idea what it will cost […]

December 21, 2011

Governor Otter: Legislators Can Count On My Budget

January 9th is a highly anticipated day for state budget wonks and policy nerds. It’s the day Governor C.L. “Butch” Otter releases his budget proposal for the 2013 fiscal year. The governor recommended spending about $2.5 billion general fund dollars for basic services like education, health care and corrections during the current budget year, FY12. […]

December 20, 2011

Governor Otter: The State Can’t Reject a Federal Unemployment Benefit Extension

The Idaho Department of Labor estimates about 1,500 people would lose their weekly unemployment payment immediately if federal benefits are allowed to expire at the end of the month. Additionally, the department estimates about 300 Idahoans would drop off the federal program every week through mid-June. Extended benefits for the long-term unemployed are tangled in […]

December 19, 2011

Governor Otter: Every Generation Deals with Joblessness and We Live Through It

As we previously reported, Idaho is one of a handful of states where the number of people without jobs has increased since the official end of the recession. The state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate has ticked down in recent months, but there are still at least 65,000 people out of work. Tens of thousands more […]

December 14, 2011

Video: Governor Otter Responds to Areva Announcement

As we reported yesterday, Governor C.L. “Butch” Otter says plans for Areva’s Idaho uranium enrichment facility are moving forward. But the CEO of the French energy company announced Tuesday its uranium enrichment plant near Idaho Falls is on hold. “The assurances that I got from the folks over there when I called them, said that’s […]

December 13, 2011

Governor Otter Says Areva’s Idaho Nuke Facility is Moving Forward

Idaho Governor Butch Otter says mid-day headlines (here, here and here) about Areva suspending its Idaho uranium enrichment plant aren’t true. “The assurances that I got from the folks over there when I called them, said that’s not the case, that the headline is totally misleading,” Otter says. “The enrichment project is going forward…in fact […]

December 7, 2011

Governor Otter Says State Budget Surplus Unlikely

As we reported earlier today, the Division of Financial Management released its monthly state revenue report, which shows November tax collections didn’t meet expectations. Collections were $5.4 million below DFM’s monthly forecast. In advance of this news, Governor C.L. “Butch” Otter sent this letter to his Cabinet, warning any projected budget surplus isn’t likely. “Unfortunately, […]

November 22, 2011

Idaho Governor Says Leaner Government Should be the New Normal

On the heels of the bipartisan supercommittee’s announcement that it failed to reach an agreement to cut $1.2 trillion in federal spending, Idaho’s governor decided to weigh in. Governor C.L. “Butch” Otter’s opinion piece, with the headline “Leaner, More Focused Government Must Be Our New Normal”, has already appeared in Roll Call and has been distributed […]

October 17, 2011

A Mixed Bag for Idaho’s Energy Economy

The Idaho Department of Labor is touting the state’s energy economy and reports a four percent growth in jobs between 2007 and 2010. At the same time, a study released today by the department in collaboration with the Center for Regional Development at Purdue University, shows a 15 percent decline in jobs over that three year […]