State Government
Prop 13 For Idaho
February 10, 2006 
EDITOR NOTE–THE FOLLOWING IS A GUARDIAN READER CONTRIBUTION — NOT AN ENDORSEMENT OR PRESS RELEASE FROM THE SUBJECT GROUP
When charismatic Idaho Property Tax Reform Vice Chairman Charlie Pottenger spoke to a frenzied crowd of about 60 energetic seniors, at a Boise meeting on February 9, he had plenty of support to put a Prop 13-style one percent initiative on the ballot.
“An initiative limiting property taxes to one percent of the January 2005 value or the transaction price of the property.”
Pottenger argued it’s better to do something, even if it is imperfect than do nothing and have people forced out of their homes by skyrocketing property taxes. The reformers say the initiative can deliver stable, predictable, property taxes.
The devil is in the details. Idaho commercial real estate is assessed differently than residential property. Residential assessments have been increasing many times faster than commercial property. The system is now out of whack, with residential property owners paying much more than their fair share.
This initiative could solidify this imbalance. Also, the legislature could easily step in and make things even worse for residential property-taxpayers, because the initiative takes away the homeowners’ exemption. There is no telling whether our legislators will be in the mood to give it back if they start tinkering with the law created by this initiative.
Selling this idea to voters will be easy for this group. Collecting the necessary 47,881 valid signatures will be harder since this means they will have to have about 60,000 to account for the ones that are declared invalid.
NOTE TO SIGNERS OF ANY PETITION EVER
If you have moved since you last registered to vote, re-register at the new address before signing any petition or your signature will not count.
Tax reform link. Or call Randy Miller in Nampa at 467-5641 or 880-3550.
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Comments & Discussion
Comments are closed for this post.
Feb 11, 2006, 8:28 am
Do you s’pose King Dirk and the princes and princesses in the Legislature will pay any attention to the serfdom? His Excellency Dirk has already declared that high property taxes are NOT a state problem, that the commoners should take it up with their counties. And in recent years, the Royal Legislature has shown that it’s not averse to overriding public initiatives. (As when we voted to term-limit them.)
We hear frequent grumblings, mostly from the Democrats, about how this is a “one-party” state. But as Michael Savage says… go ahead and vote for a Demican or a Republocrat, it just doesn’t matter anymore. They’re ALL about growing the government and making sure the citizenry pays proper tributes. We are here to serve them, not the other way around.
What did the guy say? … I’m as mad as hell, and I’m not taking this anymore! Gimme that petition! (And my first inclination will be to vote for ANYBODY BUT THE INCUMBENT.)
Feb 17, 2006, 12:53 am
I wonder whether anyone involved in this effort has been around long enough to realize that it really doesn’t matter what they do. For those who are too new here to remember: Idahoans approved a 1% intiative some years ago; our lovely legislators simply dismantled it piece by piece until it no longer existed.
That got rid of the tax limit, and very clearly showed us what our elected officials think of those who elected them.
I have no doubts they’d do the same underhanded trick to us again.
Feb 21, 2006, 7:15 pm
Idaho is long overdue for significant property tax relief for Homeowners.The Guardian is doing a great job by letting People know how to get involved in this prop 13 style tax relief initiative. It cannot fail!..People will jump at the chance to sign! We will be sending the state politicians who have grown fat for years at the expense of idaho’s blue-collar workers a great message ” The People rule in this state.”