Idaho Gov. Otter Shuffles Commission Heads

BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Gov. C.L. "Butch" Otter did some internal shuffling on the State Tax Commission, elevating a Republican member to the chairmanship held since February by a Democrat. Commissioner Rich Jackson will be the new chairman of the bipartisan commission. Jackson replaces former chairman David Langhorst, who will remain one of two Democratic members of the commission, with Tom Katsilometes. Langhorst became chairman in February when former chairman Bob Geddes quit the post.

Otter lauded Langhorst's work, saying he's done a great job of calming the waters and restoring trust in the commission after turmoil there preceding the early-2011 resignation of GOP Commissioner Royce Chigbrow. But the Republican governor now wants Jackson, a certified public accountant, to now preside over day-to-day operations of the agency. The commission's other Republican is Ken Roberts.