Predicted Political Casualty of 2009: Otter’s Highway Funding

Butch Otter like Sisyphus (the guy from Greek mythology not his Idaho blogging namesake at 43rd State Blues) is once again preparing to push the boulder of increased highway funding up a steep hill.

Like Sisyphus, the best bet is that with a recession on, Otter’s going to watch the boulder roll back down the hill and for the third straight session, he’ll fail to get his way on transportation funding.

The question is why. Is the legislature uncaring, unkind, and stupid as a stump as some on the left allege? I’d suggest that Otter has not made his case to them as to why the large amounts of funding the Governor wants are necessary and necessary right now.

Perhaps, more fundamentally Otter has not sold the citizens of Idaho on the plan. He has not shown us what’s dangerous and what needs to be fixed. He has not proved to us eminent public peril if the legislature fails to act.

What Otter has been asking the legislature to do is to raise taxes in a Republican State on an issue voters aren’t sold on. How many legislative campaigns talked a whole lot about their desire to raise taxes and fees for roads? If Idaho voters were mad about the legislature not taking action on transportation issues, it doesn’t seem they would re-elect every incumbent other than Rep. Jerry Shively (D) last November.

What Otter’s trying to do politically is nearly impossible. He’s trying to convince State Legislators to pass a massive tax/fee increase proposal in the middle of a recession for something the public isn’t convinced will work. And it should be noted who’ll face the political heat in terms of primary challenges. It won’t be Governor Otter. No one has the money or organization to mount a serious primary challenge against him. On the other hand, there are hundreds of people in every legislative district with enough money squirreled away to run a competitive self-financed for the legislature.

Until there is a popular groundswell for Otter’s road-funding, it’s not going to happen. And for it to happen, it’s going to take the Governor making a direct appeal to Idaho voters and getting them fully on board. At  this point, though, the Governor seems like an old dog who is unready to learn any new tricks.