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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Huckleberries Online

PF Trojan: Why School M&O Mils Have To Go

PF Trojan: I was not sure about this plan at first, but what I have found that I like about it, and many seem to miss, is that not only will it remove the 3-mil levy for this year, but it will also remove those increases from our property taxes each year in perpetuity. All other levies on our property taxes are capped on how much they can increase each year, while the 3 mil school maintenance and operation levy is not. Meaning the higher the increase in property value, the higher the increases in the 3 mil levy. So if this plan is approved Friday, not only will Dean's homeowner in his example save $360 this year, but they will also save next year and the year after that when the property increases in value further because that levy is no longer there. Bottom line, the school maintenance and operation levy needs to be removed from property taxes now while it is still a manageable number to replace ($260 million). Soon, as property values continue to rise in Idaho, the total value of the levy will be over a billion dollars and the legislature will not be able to be replaced by sales tax or surplus. I’m not a big fan of the penny increase in sales tax, but that seems to be the only way to get the 3 mil levy removed. Not a perfect plan, but a compromise plan with the needed support to pass. The D’s plan is great this year, but does nothing next year or the year after that when property taxes increase again.

DFO: PF Trojan absolutely nailed this.



Huckleberries Online

D.F. Oliveria started Huckleberries Online on Feb. 16, 2004. Oliveria's Sunday print Huckleberries is a past winner of the national Herb Caen Memorial Column contest.