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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Visionaries:</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
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<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">As the session winds down, it
appears one of the major issues looming relates to property tax.</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><?xml:namespace prefix = o ns =
"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Legislation providing for
property tax deferral has passed both house and senate.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Low income people who qualify can defer
property tax payments until the sale of the home, or death of that owner.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>If you’re interested in reading the
details, it is House Bill 680.</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">House Bill 421, which raises the
home-owners exemption to $75,000, has now passed both House and Senate.</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Other issues dealing with
property tax are unclear at this time.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>The Senate has not accepted the House Bills that would use ½% additional
sales tax to replace .15% of the property tax for school M and O.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>I was very worried about the particulars
of this plan, and will be relieved if it is discarded.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>However, the notion of replacing all
(.3%) of the M and O by an increase of one and one-fourth percent property tax
is still in play.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Again, I am very
concerned about the details of such a plan.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>It has potential to threaten the
stability of public school funding.</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">There is a large omnibus bill
involving the use of $50,000,000, mostly for economic development, up for a vote
in the Joint Finance Committee next week.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>Part of that relates to the Governor’s spending plan for state
parks.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>I suspect that the
appropriation for parks (Experience <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns =
"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:State w:st="on"><st1:place
w:st="on">Idaho</st1:place></st1:State>) will be less than the governor’s
request.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>My major concern relates
to expenditures needed for maintenance.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>There is a backlog of $20,000,000 in needed projects.</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">I have been favorably impressed
with response to our concern for the Cedars.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>I had an opportunity early in the
process to speak to Lance Giles from the Governor’s office.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>He took immediate action with the Land
Board to start the process for appropriate action.</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">We may finish this process next
week, so you can look for action on some of these issues soon.</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Shirley</P></DIV></BODY></HTML>