Idaho

Richert: Stimulus money should be discussed in the open

"Gov. Butch Otter has assembled a team of experienced experts to sort through the 1,100 pages of the newly passed economic stimulus law.

The flipside to tapping people with experience, of course, is that they have connections. They work with companies or agencies that have a potential stake in how Idaho spends upwards of $1 billion in stimulus dollars.

And their work, while advisory in nature, will occur behind closed doors."