[Vision2020] Legislative update from Rep Trail - week IV (Jan 31-Feb 4th

[RepTrail]

Dear Visionaries:
     
By most standards, things are moving slowly during the first four weeks
of the legislative session.  I know that things will be picking up since
I'll be introducing four legislative pieces for print this coming week.
The Dist. 6 legislative delegation spent some time with the Moscow
Chamber of Commerce on Thursday.  They met with the Governor and Karl
Dreyer, Director of the Idaho Dept. of Water Resources.  I'm certain
they talked about the Naylor Farm situation.
 
1.  Pay Your Taxes in Silver and Gold  --  A north Idaho legislator is
introducing a bill which would allow taxpayers to pay their taxes in
silver or gold.  There is a historic precedent  --  In the early days in
the state of Virginia, taxpayers could pay their taxes in industrial
hemp.  This law was in effect for more than 150 years.  I suspect the
real problem would be electronically transmitting your silver gold to
the tax commission.
 
2.  Resolution for a Interim Committee to study Idaho Tax Structure  -
the Democrats are framing a resolution calling for an interim committee
to study the Idaho tax structure.  The resolution would call for a study
of exemptions to sales tax collections and examine questions of fairness
in the tax system.  I support this effort.  On Monday I submitted my tax
reform proposal that would eliminate 8 major tax exemptions and requires
services (except medical and health related) to pay sales tax.  The Tax
Commission estimates this change would bring in $60,000,000 over the
$180 million currently generated by the 6% sales tax.
 
3.  Open Meetings  --  I agree with several Idaho legislators that the
legislature should honor our Open Meetings Laws.  We should be
transparent in our deliberations to instill confidence in the
legislative process with the citizens of the state.  The Senate voted on
Thursday to reflect that with a 2/3rds vote, any committee can close its
doors to the public for any reasons.  We are sending out a bad message
to the public with this type of action.
 
4.  Idaho Tax Collections  --  Idaho tax collections came in $12 million
above projections for January.  This is good news.  Let's hope that the
economic recovery continues.
 
5.  Anti-Meth Legislation  --  A bill that would restrict the sale of
medicine containing a popular decongestant passed the Jude and Rules
Committee 10-6.  The bill would restrict the sale of medicine containing
pseudoephedrine.  This ingredient which is found in cold medicines is
used along with other products to make Meth (methamphetamine - an
illegal narcotic).  The bill would prevent consumers from being able to
get pseudoephedrine containing drugs off the shelf and require a
pharmacist to give out the medicine.
 
6.  Property Tax Bills  --  Rep. Leon Smith introduced legislation which
would let homeowners 65 or older be relieved from tax increases above 2
percent a year.  Rep. Frank Henderson are working on legislation that
would increase the homeowner's exemption for everyone from $50,000 to
$60,000 and include the value of land in the calculation  For seniors
earning less than $33,090 there would be a bigger exemption of $75,000.
Veterans, widows, and widowers and the blind could qualify for a bigger
break.
 
7.  Educational Funding for K-12  --  it is apparent that the
legislature is going to provide funding fairly close to the Governor's
request for Higher Education, but the K-12 budget will be an open target
by many of the more conservative legislators.
 
     It is interesting to note that the Gov's budget represents about a
4% increase for public education over last year, but that his
recommendation for the SBOE (St. Board of Ed) is over 21%. In addition,
the SBOE has taken over 4 positions from the Division of Professional
and Technical Education.  These positions appear in the DPTE's budget.
There is also one new Deputy Attorney General working for the SBOE but
this position is under the AG's budget.  If all of these new positions
were rightly included in the SBOE's budget you'd see a 30% increase in
the request.
     This is your taxpayer dollars at work for the SBOE and not for
teachers or the kids in the classroom.
 
I'd appreciate your comments and questions.  My e mail is:
ttrail at house.state.id.us   My phone is 208-332-1260
 
Rep. Tom Trail
 
 
 
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