Letter to James Risch, President of the Senate, Idaho Legislature
The Honorable James E. Risch
President of the Senate
Idaho Legislature
Legislative Annex
Boise, ID 83720
VIA HAND DELIVERY
Dear Mr. President,
I hereby advise you that I am transmitting today to the Secretary of State the following Senate Bill, which will be allowed to become law without my signature:
S1464
within the time limited by law.
Idaho's economy, like the nation's, has slowed. That has reduced the amount of tax revenue state government can expect to have available to pay for necessary and proper public services in fiscal 2009. Yet there remains a level of responsibility that state government has to performing constitutional duties. That is the case in the Office of the State Appellate Public Defender. By removing $134,700 in recommended funding to put the pay for attorneys in the Appellate Public Defender's office on a par with their counterparts in the Attorney General's office, we are sending a subtle but unmistakable message that our commitment is greater to prosecution than to ensuring citizens' rights to due process of law. By removing $82,000 in recommended funding for one appellate unit attorney in order to reduce the office's caseload to better comply with national standards, we are relegating appeals proceedings to second-class status and slowing down the wheels of justice. I hope and trust that the Legislature will address these issues when the revenue picture is more favorable to state government complying with all its constitutional responsibilities.
As Always - Idaho, "Esto Perpetua"
C.L. "Butch" Otter
Governor of Idaho