POCATELLO — Gov. C.L. “Butch” Otter spoke to members of the community at a breakfast hosted by the Pocatello-Chubbuck Chamber of Commerce at Idaho State University on Thursday morning.

Otter, who is not running for re-election, spoke primarily about the achievements Idaho has accomplished over the years, which includes not just coming back from the recession in 2008, but also coming back and leading many other states in the nation in economic growth.

According to Otter, Idaho is No. 1 in the nation for job growth and individual growth, and out of the seven economic indicators, Idaho is in the top five in all seven and leading in three.

“That’s because we stayed the course,” Otter said.

He acknowledged the struggles Idaho faced during the recession and addressed how the state needed to focus on areas of necessity rather than areas that were "nice," including cutting back budgets as well as taxes in 2011.

“We did the right thing,” Otter said. “We focused on necessity and we asked other people to take care of (what was) ‘nice.’”

Today, Otter said that Idaho has $450 million dollars in the bank for rainy days and educational protection, as opposed to the recession days when it had drained to no funds at all. Idaho’s GDP has also grown 2.7 percent since 2007, and last year ranged in at about $72 billion GDP in contrast to $54.5 billion 10 years ago.

Idaho is also drawing in crowds from other states, and its growth rate has led it to be the fastest growing state in the nation because of its rising economy.

Otter noted this as an achievement accomplished from the hard work of Idaho residents.

“We’re not blessed with the depth of natural resources and we don’t have the coal or subsurface wealth to the extent that other states do,” Otter said. “Yet our wealth is in the people, our wealth is in ideas and in innovation. We’ve grown into ourselves and people are noticing and are moving here.”

Otter compared his last year in office as similar to winning a last buckle at the rodeo and walking off the stand with his head held high.

“(My wife) Miss Lori and I are so grateful for your folks’ patience and your willingness to question us when you thought we were going in the wrong direction,” Otter said. “As well as your willingness to support us even when it hurt in the tough times. So all I have to say is God bless, and thank you so much. It’s been a great ride.”