Gov. C.L. "Butch" Otter has named three former Idaho governors and five former state budget directors to his newly created "stimulus executive committee," which will consider how best to make use of funding from the federal stimulus legislation signed into law Tuesday by President Barack Obama.
Named to the bipartisan committee late last week were former Republican Gov. Phil Batt and former Democratic Governors Cecil Andrus and John Evans. Also named were former administrators of the state's Division of Financial Management, Mike Brassey, Brian Whitlock and Jeff Malmen, all Republicans, and Marty Peterson and Darrell Manning, both Democrats.
The members of the committee will review proposals from state agencies and the private sector and provide analysis on the best uses of the expected infusion of federal dollars, a news release from the governor's office states.
"The wealth of experience and diversity of backgrounds that these distinguished statesmen bring to the table will help ensure that state government puts this taxpayer funding to work in the best, most efficient way for the benefit of all Idahoans," Otter said. "Their advice and counsel, and the respect that they bring to this process, will result in careful and thoughtful stewardship over these public resources."
Otter issued an executive order Tuesday that created the committee, which will make recommendations within 30 days on how best to use the federal dollars designated for Idaho in the federal law. Recommendations from the committee will be due by the close of business on March 19.
Each state agency will have until noon on March 4 to submit information to Otter's office detailing how it anticipates using the stimulus funds.
Jason Kauffman: jkauffman@mtexpress.com
