From the Executive Director: Week of February 14
As we enter the sixth week of the 2022 Legislative Session, the number of introduced bills has increased significantly. In spite of these increases, very few bills have advanced having an impact on counties. The chart below is a good comparison of recent bill introduction history through the first five weeks of the legislative session. …
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From the Executive Director: Week of February 7
Thanks to everyone who attended our IAC Midwinter Legislative Conference last week. We had great dialogue with Governor Little and legislators. It’s an annual highlight for me and I’m sure you all feel the same. At the conference, we spent considerable time in IAC committees and general sessions immersed in conversations about two important issues: …
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From the Executive Director: Week of January 31
Welcome to Boise for the annual IAC Midwinter Legislative Conference. I’m excited to see everyone as we roll up our sleeves and work with the Legislature on issues important to counties. As you meet with your legislators, I want to make sure you are up to speed with where things stand with ongoing discussions on …
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From the Executive Director: Week of January 24
IAC Midwinter Legislative Conference: Virtual Attendance Option Now Available In one week, county elected officials from around the state will gather in Boise for the IAC Midwinter Legislative Conference. This will be our first Midwinter Legislative Conference since the start of COVID and we look forward to seeing everyone in Boise. While we are excited …
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From the Executive Director: Week of January 17
Tax Relief Takes Center Stage Six months into the current state fiscal year the state budget surplus stands at $1.9 billion. Let me repeat that: the state budget surplus is $1.9 billion and counting. With such a large budget surplus, all eyes are on what to do with it. The Governor has laid out his …
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From the Executive Director: Week of January 10
All Eyes on Budget Surplus As the 2022 Legislative Session officially begins, the Legislature is poised to tackle legislation ranging from vaccines mandates to election security to housing, but the real question on everyone’s mind is what the Legislature will do with the state’s historical budget surplus which now exceeds $1.6 billion. Look for policy …
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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 …
County Property Tax Budgets
IAC has been reviewing property tax budget data for the 2021 tax year from information recently released by the Idaho State Tax Commission. The data reveals that local taxing districts levied just over $2.1 billion in property taxes for tax year 2021 (county fiscal year 2022). From this amount, counties budgeted just over $560 million, …
County Officials Invited to Attend Property Tax Summit on January 7
We know that property tax relief is poised to be one of the biggest issues before the legislature in 2022. We also know most Idahoans, including many legislators, do not understand the nuances of how the property tax system works. To that end, the Idaho Association of County Assessors, in partnership with IAC and the …
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