The House Revenue & Taxation Committee had urban renewal legislation, HB 672, back on its agenda this morning, but the discussion focused on what should happen next - including possibly more study in an informal interim task force. Rep. Leon Smith, R-Twin Falls, said the bill that a subcommittee crafted after reviewing seven others is "certainly not perfect" and "needs work," but he said he wants to "keep the ball rolling." Said Smith, who chaired the subcommittee, "These things need to be discussed with the detractors as well as the proponents, so that we could come up with some good language."

Rep. Mike Moyle, R-Star, advocated splitting it up into little pieces that people could agree on. "I think if we keep trying to have an omnibus bill we're going to have the same results we did this year," he said. But Rep. George Sayler, D-Coeur d'Alene, said that's where this year's effort started - with lots of little bills. Rev & Tax Chairman Dennis Lake, R-Blackfoot, said, "We did a lot of work to get where we are on 672, and I can't see that we're that far away from having something that we agree with." Rep. Phil Hart, R-Athol, said, "I think this bill that we've got before us today has been a really big step forward. ... I'm kind of disappointed that we didn't really get it launched this year."

Meanwhile, Rep. Bob Schaefer, R-Nampa, advocated abolishing urban renewal entirely, saying, "This is a really ridiculous idea that the Legislature came up with and the taxpayers aren't too fond of it." Rep. Bill Killen, D-Boise, called urban renewal "one of the only mechanisms local communities could use to improve their local economies," and called it an "essential tool."

Said Sayler, "I think we did make a good-faith effort to reach a compromise. ... It's such an important issue around the state. We've made progress on it, but I think it needs more work." Lake said he'll continue to work on the bill over the summer, and he welcomes anyone who'd like to work with him.