It is fair to say that Hall, who announced his resignation from the State Board Wednesday, is intensely political. The Idaho Falls attorney is a longtime GOP power broker and the former chairman of the state Republican Party. During his nine years as a State Board member, the panel became more politically charged.

The board abandoned its traditional focus on higher education. The board became much more involved in K-12 education - publicly wresting away authority from former state schools superintendent Marilyn Howard, who was the only Democrat holding an elected statewide office at that time. The superintendent sits on the board, and Howard was frequently the lone dissenter in 7-1 board votes.

The board's actions at least had the tacit approval of then-Gov. Dirk Kempthorne, who appointed Hall in the first place. Now, Gov. Butch Otter can signal what he wants to see from the State Board.

Because Hall was such a vocal and visible force on the State Board, this may be Otter's defining appointment to the State Board. In many ways, this choice will be very intriguing:

® Does Otter pick a fellow advocate for an ill-conceived medical education plan?

Like a lot of well-positioned legislators and other powerful people in Eastern Idaho, Hall backed Idaho State University President Arthur Vailas' medical education vision. Otter also likes the idea, despite his stated commitment to fiscal conservatism.

Elsewhere in Idaho, the medical education plan has drawn mixed reviews. Critics note, with good reason, that Idaho could train more doctors simply by expanding its cooperative agreements with existing medical schools outside Idaho.

If informal tradition holds, Otter's choice to succeed Hall will come from Eastern Idaho. You can bet Eastern Idaho interests are going to push for a medical education advocate.

® How does Otter play the politics? Let's look at Otter's previous State Board nomination - Don Soltman, a North Idaho hospital executive, who received Senate confirmation Friday.

In an interview with the Spokane Spokesman-Review last year, Soltman described himself as a lifetime Republican. But he publicly supported Democrat Walt Minnick's defeat of GOP Rep. Bill Sali, decrying the incumbent's right-wing politics. This might suggest a somewhat less partisan and ideological approach to State Board nominations, and that's a good sign.

® What is the new appointee's agenda? Otter has publicly and properly chastised the board for past missteps, suggesting the board has too much on its agenda. Bills headed to Otter's desk would move the Idaho Commission for Libraries and the State Historical Society out from under the State Board's jurisdiction.

It's a start. But what the state really needs are board members who are willing to trust the Department of Education's lead on K-12. Board members should focus on helping Idaho universities manage a crisis: increased student demand and decreased state funding. That should be enough to keep the State Board occupied.

THE INTERNAL DEBATE

Rep. Lenore Hardy Barrett is one of the more frequent and most crusty debaters in the Idaho House of Representatives.

But on Thursday, before arguing against a 2-cent increase in the gas tax, the Challis Republican told colleagues that she had debated with herself about whether to take the microphone.

"And you won," quipped House Speaker Lawerence Denney, R-Midvale.

Not skipping a beat, Barrett lifted her arms. "At least in my own mind, Mr. Speaker, I am a winner."

Kevin Richert: 377-6437