From the Executive Director: Week of January 23, 2023
Property Taxes, Property Taxes, Property Taxes Everyone in the Capitol is talking about property taxes, leading to a sense of urgency to finally address rising property taxes. While in previous years budget caps have been the primary means of attempting to control rising property taxes, legislators this year appear to be focusing on more targeted …
Continue reading “From the Executive Director: Week of January 23, 2023”
From the Executive Director: Week of January 16, 2023
Legislative Session Off to Slow Start The 2023 Legislative Session is off to a slow start. This shouldn’t be a surprise given the massive turnover, changes in committee chairs, and changes in leadership. To date, only six legislative bills have been introduced. The Legislature has also been slow to take up rules while committees like …
Continue reading “From the Executive Director: Week of January 16, 2023”
From the Executive Director: Week of January 9, 2023
Legislature Convenes with a Focus on Property Taxes As the 67th Idaho Legislature convenes in Boise, property tax relief will quickly come into focus. Some legislators, like Representative Bruce Skaug (Dist. 10, Canyon and Ada Counties) and Senator Scott Grow (Dist. 14, Ada and Gem Counties) have been working with county officials on solutions to …
Continue reading “From the Executive Director: Week of January 9, 2023”
State Tax Revenue Growth Slowing
The State of Idaho released tax collection numbers for the first quarter of state fiscal year 2023 and the results paint a mixed picture. While overall state tax revenues are up compared to the same quarter last year, the growth in state tax collections came in 2% below forecast. Of note to counties, sales tax …
US Treasury Announces LATCF Payments to Counties
On Thursday, September 29th, the US Treasury announced Local Assistance and Tribal Consistency Funds (LATCF) payments to counties. The LATCF was established through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) and provides $1.5 billion in payments to counties over two years. LATCF funds can be used as general fund revenues for any county purpose except lobbying …
Continue reading “US Treasury Announces LATCF Payments to Counties”
State Sales Tax Collections Remain Strong through August
The State of Idaho recently released its September 2022 Idaho General Fund Revenue Report (available here). For the second month in a row, state general fund revenues fell short of predicted revenues. Individual income tax collections once again were less than the same month of the prior year (down 10% compared to last August). For …
Continue reading “State Sales Tax Collections Remain Strong through August”
2022 Legislative Session Takeaway
The Idaho Legislature adjourned last week sine die, marking the end of a session that will be remembered as one of the most important sessions for counties in recent history. Idaho counties scored major wins that reform public defense delivery (H0735), repeal the county medically indigent program (H0735), increase transportation funding (H0772, S1359), transfer funding …
Busy Legislative Week Ahead
The Legislature is barreling towards adjournment later this week, with Friday, March 25th as the targeted day of adjournment. As the session winds down, there are a number of bills to be on the lookout for, including additional transportation funding. The biggest issue outstanding for counties is House Bill 735. House Bill 735 is set to …
From the Executive Director: Week of March 14
Major Property Tax Legislation Held House Bill 741, legislation to raise the sales tax from 6% to 7.85% and properties receiving the homestead exemption from paying most nonschool property taxes, will not move forward this session.The legislation proved to be too complex and too big of a change in tax policy to advance this late …
Continue reading “From the Executive Director: Week of March 14”