Oregon Public Broadcasting

Washington Governor Chris Gregoire has fired back at her counterpart in Idaho. Governor Butch Otter wrote a new economic recruiting letter to Oregon and Washington businesses this week.

The Idaho Republican is appealing to Oregon businessowners who are upset by newly-imposed taxes on businesses and wealthy people.

He says he'll also reach out to Washington businesses if legislators in Olympia raise or impose new taxes to balance the budget.

Speaking to reporters Tuesday, Gregoire says she left a phone message for Governor Otter.

Chris Gregoire: "So I intend to say to the governor, 'You know, I'll go recruit companies that you have in your state. Everything's fair game.' But to suggest that somehow there's this massive tax going on in my state that puts my business to a detrimental level compared to yours is simply not fair."

Gregoire referred to a recent Forbes Magazine report that ranks Washington as the second-best state in the nation to do business.

That's several slots ahead of Idaho. She also mentioned Idaho's corporate and personal income taxes, neither of which Washington imposes.