Attorney General Lawrence Wasden is skeptical about state school superintendent Tom Luna's plan to use $52.8 million in reserves to offset cuts to public education.

But in an interview Monday, Wasden would not say how he will vote on the proposal.

"I don't know what I'm going to do," he said.

Luna has touted the plan as a short-term buffer to a K-12 budget that could otherwise face at least $135 million in cuts. While Wasden conceded the schools are in the midst of a budget crisis, he also said the state's Land Board must consider the long-term needs of Idaho students.

In his monthly column about the Idaho economy, Gov. Butch Otter today touted the F-35 — and Idaho's two-pronged push to land some the U.S. Air Force projects.

A little heavy on the aviation puns — "fly-over country" and "flying under the radar," in the first four paragraphs — but timely. The Air Force is beginning a series of hearings on the projects, which carry the promise of up to 3,000 jobs, and Idaho supporters are trying to drum up a big turnout.

UPDATED, 5:17 p.m., with comments from Allred.

The Idaho Republican Party has blasted Keith Allred, saying the Democratic gubernatorial candidate failed to file an annual report as a lobbyist.

In a statement late Friday, Allred said he "expressed regret" for missing the Jan. 31 deadline, but said he was an unpaid lobbyist who was not required to file an annual report with the secretary of state's office. Allred said he still filed his annual report Friday.

Allred was a registered lobbyist in 2009 for The Common Interest, a nonpartisan good-government group.

This just in from Democratic gubernatorial candidate Keith Allred: a press release accusing incumbent GOP Gov. Butch Otter of "irrational pessimism and recklessness."

My quick 30-second analysis: a good use of snippet, a bit of a forced reference to Allred's ranching roots and a pretty far-ranging criticism of budget proposals that already have come under fire at the Statehouse.

Here's the full press release:

On Wednesday afternoon, Tom Luna's $52.8 million gamble comes before the state Land Board.

The state schools superintendent is betting that the state can afford to use an endowment reserve to backfill Idaho's K-12 budget. He is also wagering that he can sway a couple of Republican votes on the state's Land Board.

Mayor Dave Bieter responded angrily today to
my Thursday column about the streetcar debate, in an e-mail to the city's streetcar task force.

Here's what the Idaho congressional delegation has to say about the child kidnapping and criminal association charges filed by the Haitian government against 10 Americans, including eight Idaho detainees.

“We have been in regular communication with the State Department from the beginning of this situation, as well as working with the families of those involved. Our first concern has been that all 10 of the detainees have their physical and medical needs met, as well as access to legal representation.

I want to wish you good luck in your friendly Super Bowl wagers.

And I just hope the cops don't get wind of what you're doing.

Under a laughably archaic section of state law, police officers and prosecutors are required to "inform against and diligently prosecute persons" go after all forms of gambling, clear down to the low-stakes betting. An officer or prosecutor who looks the other way is subject to a misdemeanor charge.

The Boise streetcar proposal has divided Downtown's big hitters.

And the streetcar's biggest cheerleader, Mayor Dave Bieter, has a pointed view of his Downtown divided — one that could further deepen the rift.

Six days ago, Rep. Mike Simpson went out of his way to avoid criticizing the Obama administration's tepid plan to freeze some federal spending — next year.

What a difference a week makes.

On Capitol Hill Tuesday, the Idaho Republican and House Budget Committee member, ripped White House Budget Director Peter Orszag over Obama's $3.8 trillion budget proposal for 2010-11.