Idaho Association of County Assessors Holds 2023 Fall Meeting

By Justin Baldwin, Gooding County Assessor

The Idaho Association of County Assessors (IACA) met in Boise on December 5, 2023 for their annual fall meeting.

While not directly involved in the collection of taxes, much of the discussion of the assessors revolved around the difficulty of the recent tax drive and how this was exacerbated by the variety and limitations of local government software systems.

There are several contributing factors. House Bill 292, while providing property tax relief, was difficult to calculate and administer, putting considerable pressure on the county treasurers and the technical staff of the Idaho State Tax Commission. 

 The tax commission’s technical division has struggled with staying fully staffed for the last several years. While they have performed admirably, concerns were raised if this amount of workload was sustainable.

In addition, the CAMA and tax software world is very dynamic. Some long-used systems have recently experienced buyouts and corporate shuffling, which have called into question their longevity. Others, like the AS400, have aged to the point the hardware belongs in a museum.

The assessors, in a show of solidarity, voted to begin conversations with the Idaho Association of County Treasurers and the Idaho State Tax Commission on the viability of adopting a singular, statewide, system counties could opt into.