What to Watch: Week of February 21
Special IAC Member Meeting on Property Tax Replacement Proposal this Week Leaders in the House and Senate are focusing in on a proposal to increase the state sales tax to 7.95%, dedicating the increase to expand the grocery tax credit and provide property tax relief for owner-occupied homes. Under the proposal, anyone receiving the homestead …
What to Watch: Week of February 14
Behavioral Health & Transportation in Committees This Week The Senate Health and Welfare Committee scheduled for 3:00 p.m. MST today will hold a print hearing on RS29526 related to Civil Commitments. The civil commitment proposal adjusts the responsibility for the costs for involuntary commitments. With HB316 from the last session, there were unintended cost shifts …
What to Watch: Week of February 7
Idaho Legislature Full Steam Ahead The 2022 Legislative Session started out slowly, but the pace is quickening rapidly. This week, we encourage IAC members to watch the House and Senate Committee hearings, keeping an eye out for legislation affecting counties. Some of the legislation being heard includes IAC sponsored legislation. For example, yesterday, House Bill …
What to Watch For: Jan. 31 – Feb. 4
Proposed Changes to Circuit Breaker Eligibility Last year, House Bill 389 changed the Property Tax Relief (PTR) eligibility requirements by adding restrictions that disallow residents from qualifying if their homes are valued over 125% of the median residential property value of the county. With this change, many previous qualifiers are no longer eligible. House Bill …
What to Watch For: January 24-28
Governor’s Transportation Budget to Be Heard Soon The Joint Finance and Appropriations Committee will likely hold hearings on Governor Little’s transportation budget either the first or second week of February. This means transportation funding will likely be top of mind during our Midwinter Legislative Conference. Governor Little is championing historic investments in transportation without raising …
Educational Property Tax Symposium Brings National Experts to Boise
The Idaho Association of County Assessors (IACA), Idaho Association of Counties (IAC) and Associated Taxpayers of Idaho (ATI) came together to co-host and sponsor an educational event on property taxes to kick off the legislative session in downtown Boise. Several legislators, county and city officials and business and industry folks participated in the event both …
Continue reading “Educational Property Tax Symposium Brings National Experts to Boise”
Summary of Gov. Little’s State of the State Address and How It May Impact Counties
Governor Brad Little proposes big investments in transportation and education alongside tax cuts. The proposed budget would pay off state building debt and bolster rainy-day funds by adding more than $1 billion to the bank. It would also aim to spend $1.1 billion over the next five years on Idaho education. The Governor also proposed …
2022 IAC Legislative Priorities
Property tax continues to be a hot button issue across the state. The IAC Legislative Committee recognizes there are only two ways to provide property tax relief to homeowners: First, expand property tax exemptions for homeowners which results in a property tax shift to businesses and farms. Second, provide other non-property tax revenue sources in …
Want Flexibility on ARPA Spending? Contact Your Congressman
In late October, the U.S. Senate unanimously passed the State, Local, Tribal, and Territorial Fiscal Recovery, Infrastructure, and Disaster Relief Flexibility Act (S. 3011/H.R. 5735). It was introduced to the House on November 1 but has not seen further movement since. Many counties have struggled when determining how to use these funds based on the …
Continue reading “Want Flexibility on ARPA Spending? Contact Your Congressman”
Potential Federal Funding Sources for Idaho Counties
In light of new legislation being enacted such as the bi-partisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) along with more seasoned programs like the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), Idaho counties have several opportunities to obtain federal funding. Read on for more details on these potential funding sources and additional resources for counties. American Rescue …
Continue reading “Potential Federal Funding Sources for Idaho Counties”