Legislators and state officials from both parties are launching formal reviews of a whistleblower’s allegations that the Idaho State Tax Commission cut secret deals to excuse multistate corporations from paying millions in state taxes. Today, Senate President Pro-Tem Bob Geddes, R-Soda Springs, authorized the Senate Local Government and Taxation Committee to call a special, interim meeting this summer to review the charges. Two members of Democratic legislative leadership had requested such a meeting, and Senate Tax Chairman Brent Hill, R-Rexburg, said he thought it was a good idea. Meanwhile, Gov. Butch Otter sent a letter to state Tax Commission Chairman Royce Chigbrow on June 3 requesting a “detailed, formal response from the commission” to the concerns raised by a longtime state tax auditor. Otter asked for the report by last Friday, but Chigbrow said earlier this week that it won’t be completed until next week. And Sen. Kate Kelly, D-Boise, formally requested Attorney General Lawrence Wasden to investigate whether any laws were broken and issue a legal opinion; Wasden said he would. You can read my full story here at spokesmanreview.com.

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