Transportation funds, tax reform top agenda
I want to start off this first column by thanking the Daily Bee for allowing myself, Rep. George Eskridge, Rep. Eric Anderson and Sen. Joyce Broadsword the opportunity to rotate this space between us so that we may give you an update on the happenings in our state capitol during this legislative session. Many Bee readers will remember the creative columns of former Rep. Jim Stoicheff. I always enjoyed reading them. I don't believe I can stack up to his humorous and creative reporting but I and the others will try to share what we are seeing here and the work that is going on.
This session the Legislature is meeting across the street from the Capitol in the old Ada County Courthouse, now known as the Capitol Annex. The Capitol muilding is very old and was in need of restoration for life-safety issues, historical preservation and to increase public access to the legislative process. The current projection is to have the Legislature back in the Capitol in 2010.
There are many issues that constituents there at home have told us are important to address this year. On the top of the list for many constituents is the need for relief from escalating property valuations and the resulting taxes which are forcing people to evaluate whether they can stay in their homes or not. Like several rapidly growing areas of Idaho, the panhandle is experiencing record growth which drives the "market value" of real estate up. Because of the way our system is structured that pushes everyone's values up. It is past time to evaluate what our property tax system pays for and how it is structured. To force people to leave their homes because of high tax bills is simply un-American. Many favor a system that sets the valuation at the price paid for the property with a modest 3 percent to 5 percent escalation for inflation annually but no substantial re-calibration of value until the home is sold thus re-setting more accurately the "market value". Rep. Eskridge has led efforts to introduce a bill on this concept and I am supporting him as is Rep. Anderson.
Transportation funding for road construction tops the northern list of issues as well. Road projects planned to go to construction have disappeared for lack of money. All traffic congestion is relative and every growing community in the state faces its own form of gridlock. Paying for maintenance and improvement in a fair way and making certain that every region gets its "fair share" of projects is paramount.
There are many other issues critical to northerners that space constraints make difficult to expound upon. Whether it is the above issues or the need for increased funding and capacity of our professional technical education system to insure that the 70 percent of our high school students who don't go on to college have a shot at a good career or bringing a halt to the northern Idaho water adjudication process so people can decide for themselves whether they want to pursue it or not, or providing for our future energy consumption, the four of us are working on these and many other issues.
We always value hearing from the people at home and there are several ways to communicate with us. You can call the toll free number and leave a message for us or e-mail us or write us a letter. Our toll free number is: 800/626-0471, the general e-mail box is idleginfo@lso.idaho.gov and our mailing information is:
Idaho State Legislature
Capitol Annex
P.O. Box 83720
Boise, Idaho
83720-0038 (House)
83720-0081 (Senate).
My direct e-mail is: skeough@senate.idaho.gov. To follow the introduced legislation, committee and floor action go to www.legislature.idaho.gov and also try Idaho Public Television which is carrying video streaming and live broadcasts of some legislative activity.