BOISE — With all the concerns over state tax revenues coming in behind forecasts this year due to income tax withholding issues, Gov. Brad Little has modified one of his signature proposals: Rather than trying to raise Idaho’s starting teacher pay to $40,000 next year, he’s now proposing to phase that in over two years.

The result, according to the governor’s bill introduced recently in the Legislature, is that the state’s minimum teacher salary would rise to $38,500 next year, then $40,000 the year after. The current minimum is $35,800, though that would rise next year under the teacher career ladder to $37,000.

The change means Little would add just $3.8 million to next year’s budget for the extra salary boost, if his bill passes, rather than $11.2 million. In the second year, the fiscal impact would be an additional $7.7 million.

The Legislature’s Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee is scheduled to set the public school budget, the largest single slice of Idaho’s state budget.