Counties’ Personal Property Tax Bill On Fast Track?

Emilie Ritter Saunders / StateImpact

The House Ways & Means Committee reportedly will meet this afternoon to consider a personal property tax bill backed by the Idaho Association of Counties. It’s a sign the bill has House Speaker Scott Bedke’s support, according to Boise State University emeritus professor and political analyst Jim Weatherby.

“It looks like they’re trying to come out with some kind of a bill this year, if they’re working through Ways & Means,” Weatherby says. “The committee is called by the Speaker. It does not meet without his approval. You’re not going to find that in the rule books anywhere, but that is in fact how it works.”

The Idaho Statesman‘s Dan Popkey writes that Idaho Association of Commerce and Industry (IACI) President Alex LaBeau was unaware of a new bill as of noon today.  

IACI favors eliminating Idaho’s tax on business personal property, which generates approximately $140 million for local government and taxing districts annually. The Idaho Association of Counties introduced a less costly bill that exempts the first $100,000 worth of business personal property from taxation.

The Ways & Means Committee meets at 2:30 this afternoon.