Most used metaphor in today's papers: chopping block. Road funding, payroll, concurrent enrollment, energy center... all on the chopping block as the budget committee gets to work. Also, a bill to provide undocumented kids with instate tuition is being held up in committee, Karen McGee is stepping down... to spend time with her grandson (at least it's a specific reason), Fidel Castro also stepping down and college campuses will still be able to ban guns, for now. In today's Newsrack... [did we mention you could send this email to a few buddies and help them get up to speed with the news every morning too?]

On Friday, a joint committee voted for 3 percent pay raises for some state employees, down from the governor's request of 5. Otter disappointed but encouraging Legislature to use freed up money to fund a scholarship fund he likes. State worker unions also... disappointed. (Not that anyone interviewed them). While last week's revenue projections, or predictions were dire, nobody in the Annex has broached the idea of raising new revenue. Like they did just five years ago. And lots of GOP politicking for Lincoln Day, a few upcoming Democratic announcments, and Newcomb is Stennett's cancer coach... in today's Newsrack.

An announcement Thursday of about $80 million revenue shortfall for 2009 had the governor and lawmakers retooling their priorities. Budgeting work should begin in earnest next week. Lots of stories this morning on a quickly developed plan to separate bighorn sheep and domestic sheep that could result in the extirpation of more bighorns. Fish and Game is calling it an interim plan, but the issue will likely be resolved in court, not around a table. Cool new Google Maps hit Boise, mining and gun bills to be edited and workforce housing for Sun Valley... in today's Newsrack.

The Senate Ethics Committee has chastised Sen. Larry Craig for ethics violations surrounding his June arrest. The decision comes with no penalty and Craig said in a brief statement he is staying put. No reaction yet from Idaho's other Congressmen. The House debated a whole bunch of bills yesterday, most of which moved on to the Senate. The Senate Education Committee is holding confirmation of the State Board of Education president hostage until it can get some answers. And state employees are gathering some momentum to oppose Otter's plan for their health benefits... In today's Newsrack. [CHECK BACK LATER FOR MORE STORIES. PLEASE.]

With school board members from across the state in town Tuesday, top lawmakers and schools chief Tom Luna declared his controversial teacher merit pay plan dead, citing a lack of buy in. Details of a new plan were sketched out during several private meetings throughout the afternoon. Committees are having fun with abortion and gun rights. And toll roads. And midwives. And a Michigan policy on immigrant drivers licenses, similar to one being considered by the Idaho Legislature, is shutting out thousands legitimate workers. Rick Pluta on Michigan Public Radio... in today's Newsrack.

A bill to divert nonviolent drug offenders into treatment programs will get a hearing, but it's demise in the Senate is foreshadowed. Tit for tat on the State Board of Education, a state greenhouse gas study gets a hearing, Cuba bill introduced after feisty debate and a proposed nuclear facility in Owyhee County is not paying its bill (it didn't arrive in the mail). And overheard in the Annex: Privileged committees, ones with no deadline for filing bills, will soon get to work on the meat of the session. Stay tuned... to the Daily Newsrack...

A profusion of bills were heard last week with a bunch on the docket this morning as a Legislative deadline to introduce stuff is upon them. An interesting, if self-serving poll finds majority support for road and transit taxes, including local option tax, which has not been addressed prior to today's committee deadline (bills can still be brought to a few, elite committees.) Talk last week on teacher pay turned to compromise measures after Luna met (again) with the Education committees. It looks like the provision to trade merit pay for teacher contracts will not fly. Also a Cuba resolution, a pro forma elk bill and a new child death investigation program in today's Newsrack... [CHECK BACK AT LUNCH FOR MORE LINKS]

News that Mitt Romney, who had garnered scads of support in Idaho, was dropping out spread quickly through the Statehouse Annex Thursday. Many of the officials who had backed him quickly jumped on the McCain bandwagon. A December decline in personal income tax collections for the state made the budget committee fidget, or feign fidgeting at least and inspired the governor, still recovering from hip surgery, to issue a lengthy op-ed supporting his employee compensation proposal. Also, Dennis Lake, chairman of the House Revenue and Tax committee, suffered a minor stroke and had to be wheeled off the floor in the middle of debate. He smiled and waved to "my fans" as he was taken to the elevator. He is reported to be undergoing tests at a Boise hospital. In today's Newsrack... PaleoMedia.org had record traffic yesterday both on the site and on the feeds. Please pass along the link if you find this service useful.