The Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee has voted unanimously for a budget for the state Tax Commission for next year that reflects a 10.2 percent increase in state general funds and an 8.7 percent increase in total funds, but it anticipates a big return from the investment: $19 million in increased collections on state taxes that already are owed. The budget plan calls for continuing the phase-in of additional auditors in a multi-year tax compliance initiative, plus adding back $480,000 in ongoing funding to restore the agency's base funding and eliminate six furlough days that full-time auditors otherwise would have had to take next year. "A $4 million increase to get back a $19 million return is a really good investment," said Rep. Darrell Bolz, R-Caldwell, who proposed the motion along with Rep. Wendy Jaquet, D-Ketchum. The budget reflects an overall $2.8 million increase over the current year, but the targeted investments total a little over $4 million.

The budget is significant because rather than being behind its budget target, it puts JFAC ahead of its target for next year's budget overall - by about $13 million. Many lawmakers want to target those additional funds to public schools, to ease cuts there.