{"id":15326,"date":"2013-02-01T06:00:08","date_gmt":"2013-02-01T13:00:08","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/idaho\/?p=15326"},"modified":"2013-02-05T11:31:43","modified_gmt":"2013-02-05T18:31:43","slug":"answer-these-11-questions-and-youll-get-why-idaho-businesses-gripe-about-the-personal-property-tax","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/idaho\/2013\/02\/01\/answer-these-11-questions-and-youll-get-why-idaho-businesses-gripe-about-the-personal-property-tax\/","title":{"rendered":"Answer These 11 Questions And You’ll Get Why Idaho Businesses Gripe About The Personal Property Tax"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Mario Tama \/ Getty Images News<\/p>

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Governor C.L. \u201cButch\u201d Otter, prominent lawmakers and Idaho\u2019s most powerful business lobby want to phase out or eliminate Idaho\u2019s business personal property tax<\/a>. Aside from costing a total of $141 million a year, businesses complain that the tax is a nuisance. That\u2019s in part because it\u2019s not always obvious what kinds of office supplies, equipment, decorations and other stuff is taxable \u2013 and what isn\u2019t.<\/p>\n

To understand this better, let’s look at some common items you might find in one kind of Idaho business: a diner. Can you figure out which of these things are considered “personal property” for tax purposes? Take our quiz. We can’t promise that it’ll make you want to work for your county assessor. But it will help you understand some of what they’re talking about at the legislature.<\/p>\n