Nearly 90 percent of Idaho's businesses will no longer have to pay taxes on their computers, tables, chairs and other personal property, if Gov. C.L. "Butch" Otter signs a $20 million tax relief bill that's now cleared the Senate. Read More
The House has voted 67-2 in favor of HB 315, the new business personal property tax relief bill. The only dissenters were Reps. John Gannon, D-Boise, and Shirley Ringo, D-Moscow. Rep. Hy Kloc, D-Boise, missed the vote. Read More
The House Ways & Means Committee has voted unanimously to introduce the new personal property tax bill from the Idaho Association of Counties; the new bill has a total cost to the state of $20 million a year. Read More
The House Revenue and Taxation Committee voted this morning to introduce a second personal property tax bill, this one supported by the Idaho Association of Commerce and Industry (IACI), which represents business interests in the state. In doing so, the committee has set itself up for big decisions about whether and how to address the increasingly controversial tax this session. Read More
No bill has even been introduced yet to repeal Idaho's $141 million personal property tax on businesses. But one potential beneficiary aims to kick-start debate by putting its tax savings where its mouth is. Read More
Some companies are concerned a repeal of Idaho's personal property tax could hurt the communities in which they do business. That's according to a news brief filed by the Associated Press, citing worries from ag giant Monsanto Co. and Spokane, Wash.-based Avista Corp. Read More
When Boise Weekly sat down in January with Mike Ferguson, former chief economist for the State of Idaho and current head of the Idaho Center on Fiscal Policy, he said that there had been "precious little time for people to familiarize themselves with" a proposal, floated by Gov. C.L. "Butch" Otter, to phase out personal property taxes for Gem State businesses. Read More
After a meeting with Coeur d'Alene Tribe officials today, Kootenai County commissioners voted unanimously to cancel all property taxes on reservation land from the past four years. Read More
After spending a week meeting with state legislators, county officials returned feeling they would come out on the short end of personal property tax reform. The shift means the loss of thousands in revenue to the county that will either be shifted to property owners by way of increases in real property tax or could come in a reduction in services to offset the loss of revenue. Read More
Seeking equality for tribal governments, a lobbyist from the Coeur d'Alene Tribe encouraged the Legislature on Monday to halt counties' taxation of reservation land. Read More
Gov. C.L. “Butch” Otter this morning told a crowd of county officials he’s not sure the Legislature will be able to come up with a plan to eliminate Idaho’s personal property tax. Read More
The Senate Education Committee heard a presentation this afternoon from Alan Dornfest, property tax policy supervisor for the Idaho State Tax Commission, on the impact of a possible repeal of the personal property tax on business equipment on Idaho school districts. Read More
Gov. C.L. “Butch” Otter began and ended his talk to the Idaho Chamber Alliance this morning by cheering Chobani, the Greek yogurt manufacturer that opened a plant in Twin Falls last month. But the real subject of his talk was the 2013 legislative session, and his priorities for the months ahead. Read More
This week, we’re devoting some time to understanding Idaho’s business personal property tax. Ending that tax is a priority for the governor and some of the state’s biggest businesses. But it generates millions for local government. Yesterday, we explained what the personal property tax is. Today, we go to Power County, in eastern Idaho. Local leaders say getting rid of the tax could have serious effects. Read More
Governor C.L. “Butch” Otter and many of the Idaho Legislature’s Republican leaders are in agreement: something has to happen on the personal property tax this session. And by “something,” they mean a plan to get rid of it. But there’s a problem. The tax generates $140 million dollars each year for local government. In this story, we start at square one: explaining this thing called the personal property tax. Read More
We rely on so many wonderful services in Idaho. We have police officers to keep our communities safe. A fire truck will show up if we call 911. We have parks where our kids and grandkids can play. Someone picks up our garbage when we put it out. The street lights come on so we can find our front door when we come home after dark. Teachers set our kids on the path to productive futures. These things are possible when residents and businesses come together with a shared vision of strong communities. Read More
