If a conservative is a liberal who's been mugged, a tax raiser might be a tax opponent who's driven some of Idaho's roads. Someone like Butch Otter, say. Idaho's governor is no friend of big government, or big taxes, but he knows that rants against higher taxes don't build or fix highways. Dollars do. Tax dollars. Idaho's roads need more of them, and credit Otter for recognizing that, and for being willing to tell it to his constituents. "I feel obligated right now to step up forward and say, 'Folks, I'm sorry, but we've got to have it,' " the governor said the other day. "I think we've got to prepare the environment, and when folks say, 'I'm sick and tired of paying taxes,' well, folks, I'm sick and tired of paying taxes. But we've got to look to the need. We've got to look to the economy." No liberal ever said it better. But no matter who says it, it's true -- Jim Fisher/Lewiston Tribune Opinion Editor.

DFO: I'd agree, except I wonder how much of the increased taxes will make its way to Highway 95 and North Idaho. The Kingdom of Ada has a habit of glomming onto road dollars, sometimes with the help of well-meaning Republican legislators, like Frank Henderson. Jim Risch knew how to protect North Idaho. Butch Otter hasn't shown that same tendency so far.

Question: Do you support higher taxes to fix Idaho's roads?

---

---