[Vision2020] Lawsuit Over Tax Deals Over, But New One Follows

[Tom Hansen]

Courtesy of today's (November 20, 2010) Spokesman-Review.

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Lawsuit over tax deals over, but new one follows
Judge calls allegations ‘very troubling’
Betsy Z. Russell

BOISE – An Idaho judge has “reluctantly” granted the state of Idaho’s
motion to dismiss Rep. Shirley Ringo’s lawsuit over secret tax deals for
lack of standing, but a new version of the lawsuit already has been filed
with six plaintiffs.

“We believed that Rep. Ringo had standing, but the six plaintiffs in the
second case have an even stronger position relative to standing,” said
Robert Huntley, Ringo’s attorney and a former Idaho Supreme Court justice.

The new plaintiffs are three education groups including the Idaho
Education Association; a public school student and the student’s mother;
and a school district employee. The lawsuit contends Idaho’s Tax
Commission has been improperly cutting secret deals with influential
taxpayers, letting them off the hook for millions in state taxes. Ringo,
D-Moscow, sued, saying the deals violate the state constitution.

Fourth District Judge Cheri Copsey, while granting the state’s motion,
called the allegations in the case “very troubling” and said if true, they
“cry out for some remedy or some action.”

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Seeya round town, Moscow.

Tom Hansen
Moscow, Idaho

"The Pessimist complains about the wind, the Optimist expects it to change
and the Realist adjusts his sails."

- Unknown