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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Visionaries:</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I support both of these. It's very limiting
for these entities to need a 2/3 favorable vote every time they need to
make these purchases that they need for their operations. This
does not affect Gritman.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Shirley</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><B><FONT face=TimesNewRomanPS-BoldMT>
<P align=left>H.J.R. 4</P></B></FONT><FONT face=TimesNewRomanPSMT>
<P align=left>“Shall Section 3C, Article VIII, of the Constitution of the State
of Idaho be amended to authorize</P>
<P align=left>public hospitals, ancillary to their operations and in furtherance
of health care needs in their service</P>
<P align=left>areas, to incur indebtedness or liability to purchase, contract,
lease or construct or otherwise acquire</P>
<P align=left>facilities, equipment, technology and real property for health
care operations, provided that no ad</P>
<P align=left>valorem tax revenues shall be used for such activities?”</P>
<P align=left>Proposed Amendment to the Constitution of the State of Idaho:
Section 3C, Article VIII</P></FONT><B><FONT face=TimesNewRomanPS-BoldMT>
<P align=left>Legislative Council’s Statement of Meaning, Purpose and Result to
be Accomplished of Proposed</P>
<P align=left>Amendment:</P></B></FONT><FONT face=TimesNewRomanPSMT>
<P align=left>This proposed amendment will allow public hospitals to acquire
facilities, equipment, technology and</P>
<P align=left>real property through a variety of means that aid the public
hospital operations, as long as the acquisitions</P></FONT><FONT
face=TimesNewRomanPSMT>
<P align=left>are paid for solely from charges, rents or payments derived from
the existing or financed facilities and</P></FONT><FONT face=TimesNewRomanPSMT>
<P align=left>are not funded by property taxes. Under current Idaho
constitutional provisions, public hospitals, as</P>
<P align=left>subdivisions of the state of Idaho, have limited ability to incur
debt without the approval of a two-thirds</P>
<P align=left>vote at an election held for that purpose. This proposed amendment
will provide a limited alternative</P></FONT><FONT face=TimesNewRomanPSMT>
<P align=left>to that two-thirds vote requirement. The use of tax dollars to
finance these kinds of investments is</P></FONT><FONT face=TimesNewRomanPSMT>
<P align=left>prohibited.</P></FONT><B><FONT face=TimesNewRomanPS-BoldMT>
<P align=left>Statements FOR the Proposed Amendment</P></B></FONT><FONT
face=TimesNewRomanPSMT>
<P align=left>1. The proposed amendment will allow Idaho’s public hospitals,
which are primarily located in</P>
<P align=left>small towns and rural areas, to invest in new medical equipment,
facilities and technology to</P>
<P align=left>better meet the health care needs of patients in their
communities, strengthening Idaho’s entire</P>
<P align=left>health care system.</P>
<P align=left>2. The proposed amendment will help give public hospitals the
resources they need to attract the</P></FONT><FONT face=TimesNewRomanPSMT>
<P align=left>best medical personnel, spur the economy by creating jobs, and
increase operational efficiency</P></FONT><FONT face=TimesNewRomanPSMT>
<P align=left>through long-term contracts.</P>
<P align=left>3. The proposed amendment keeps in place the safeguards provided
in the Idaho Constitution in</P></FONT><FONT face=TimesNewRomanPSMT>
<P align=left>two ways. First, no tax dollars can be used to finance these
investments. Second, the amendment</P></FONT><FONT face=TimesNewRomanPSMT>
<P align=left>strictly forbids obligating taxpayers or any state, county or
other governmental entity with these</P>
<P align=left>investments.</P></FONT><B><FONT face=TimesNewRomanPS-BoldMT>
<P align=left>Statements AGAINST the Proposed Amendment</P></B></FONT><FONT
face=TimesNewRomanPSMT>
<P align=left>1. The existing Idaho constitutional requirement mandating a
two-thirds assent of the voters before</P>
<P align=left>a public hospital can enter into long-term debt is an important
safeguard for all Idaho citizens.</P>
<P align=left>2. Adoption of the proposed amendment will limit the right of
voters to approve certain debt</P>
<P align=left>incurred by the public hospitals.</P></FONT><FONT
face=TimesNewRomanPSMT>
<P align=left>3. Changes to the Constitution should be made only for major
issues of interest to the state or in the</P></FONT><FONT
face=TimesNewRomanPSMT>
<P align=left>event of a constitutional crisis.</P></FONT><B><FONT
face=TimesNewRomanPS-BoldMT>
<P align=left>H.J.R. 5</P></B></FONT><FONT face=TimesNewRomanPSMT>
<P align=left>“Shall Article VIII, of the Constitution of the State of Idaho be
amended by the addition of a new</P>
<P align=left>Section 3E, to provide for the issuance of revenue and special
facility bonds by political subdivisions</P></FONT><FONT face=TimesNewRomanPSMT>
<P align=left>of the state and regional airport authorities as defined by law,
if operating an airport to acquire,</P>
<P align=left>construct, install, and equip land, facilities, buildings,
projects or other property, which are hereby</P>
<P align=left>deemed to be for a public purpose, to be financed for, or to be
leased, sold or otherwise disposed of</P></FONT><FONT face=TimesNewRomanPSMT>
<P align=left>to persons, associations or corporations, or to be held by the
subdivision or regional airport authority,</P></FONT><FONT
face=TimesNewRomanPSMT>
<P align=left>and may in the manner prescribed by law issue revenue and special
facility bonds to finance the costs</P></FONT><FONT face=TimesNewRomanPSMT>
<P align=left>thereof; provided that any such bonds shall be payable solely from
fees, charges, rents, payments,</P>
<P align=left>grants, or any other revenues derived from the airport or any of
its facilities, structures, systems, or</P></FONT><FONT face=TimesNewRomanPSMT>
<P align=left>projects, or from any land, facilities, buildings, projects or
other property financed by such bonds,</P></FONT><FONT face=TimesNewRomanPSMT>
<P align=left>and shall not be secured by the full faith and credit or the
taxing power of the subdivision or regional</P>
<P align=left>airport authority?”</P>
<P align=left>Proposed Amendment to the Constitution of the State of Idaho: New
Section 3E, Article VIII</P></FONT><B><FONT face=TimesNewRomanPS-BoldMT>
<P align=left>Legislative Council’s Statement of Meaning, Purpose and Result to
be Accomplished of Proposed</P>
<P align=left>Amendment:</P></B></FONT><FONT face=TimesNewRomanPSMT>
<P align=left>Currently, local governmental entities that operate airports and
regional airport authorities cannot</P>
<P align=left>incur indebtedness without the approval of a two-thirds vote at an
election held for that purpose. This</P>
<P align=left>proposed amendment will allow local governmental entities that
operate airports and regional airport</P>
<P align=left>authorities to issue revenue and special facility bonds to
acquire, construct, install and equip land,</P></FONT><FONT
face=TimesNewRomanPSMT>
<P align=left>facilities, buildings, projects or other property. Voter approval
will not be required to incur such</P></FONT><FONT face=TimesNewRomanPSMT>
<P align=left>indebtedness, as long as the bonds are paid for by fees, charges,
rents, payments, grants or other</P>
<P align=left>revenues derived from the airport or its facilities. The use of
tax dollars to repay such bonds is</P>
<P align=left>prohibited.</P></FONT><B><FONT face=TimesNewRomanPS-BoldMT>
<P align=left>Statements FOR the Proposed Amendment</P></B></FONT><FONT
face=TimesNewRomanPSMT>
<P align=left>1. Public airports should have the ready ability to construct
needed facilities, such as terminals,</P>
<P align=left>runways, parking structures and hangars, which provide travelers
with better services and</P>
<P align=left>accommodations and attract industries to Idaho as long as the
users pay for these facilities.</P></FONT><FONT face=TimesNewRomanPSMT>
<P align=left>2. Political subdivisions and regional airport authorities need
the ability to efficiently address</P></FONT><FONT face=TimesNewRomanPSMT>
<P align=left>operational needs as they arise. Adoption of this amendment will
provide this ability without the</P>
<P align=left>use of tax dollars to repay any debt or liability incurred.</P>
<P align=left>3. The inability of political subdivisions and regional airport
authorities to incur indebtedness and</P>
<P align=left>liability without voter approval has been a contributing factor in
driving regional aviation-related</P>
<P align=left>industries to conduct business in neighboring states. If the
proposed amendment is not adopted,</P>
<P align=left>Idaho could continue to lose similar economic development
opportunities.</P>
<P align=left>4. Public airports are a vital part of economic development and
commerce in the state of Idaho. In</P>
<P align=left>2009, aviation contributed an estimated $2.1 billion to Idaho’s
economy. Properties and facilities</P>
<P align=left>funded by special facility bonds will attract and expand
industries, such as maintenance, manu</FONT><FONT
face=TimesNewRomanPSMT>facturing</P>
<P align=left>and cargo operations, which will create new jobs and foster
economic development in</P>
<P align=left>Idaho. Modern and efficient airports are essential to Idaho’s
prosperity.</P></FONT><B><FONT face=TimesNewRomanPS-BoldMT>
<P align=left>Statements AGAINST the Proposed Amendment (H.J.R. 5
Continued)</P></B></FONT><FONT face=TimesNewRomanPSMT>
<P align=left>1. The existing Idaho constitutional requirement mandating a
two-thirds assent of the voters before</P>
<P align=left>a political subdivision or regional airport authority can incur
debt is an important safeguard for</P>
<P align=left>all Idaho citizens.</P>
<P align=left>2. Adoption of the proposed amendment will allow political
subdivisions and regional airport</P></FONT><FONT face=TimesNewRomanPSMT>
<P align=left>authorities to acquire, construct, install and equip land,
facilities, buildings and projects that are</P>
<P align=left>not specifically limited to airport operations.</P></FONT><FONT
face=TimesNewRomanPSMT>
<P align=left>3. Buildings and land owned by the government are not taxed and
therefore provide no revenues to</P>
<P align=left>schools, cities, counties or other levying authorities. Adoption
of the proposed amendment could</P>
<P align=left>result in an increase in property exempt from
taxation.</P></FONT><FONT face=TimesNewRomanPSMT>
<P align=left>4. Changes to the Constitution should be made only for major
issues of interest to the entire state</P></FONT><FONT face=TimesNewRomanPSMT>
<P>or in the event of a constitutional crisis.</P></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>