Voters send clear message about tax

Ignoring Kootenai County just got a little more difficult for the Idaho Legislature after 75 percent of the voters said they want to use sales tax to pay for big-ticket projects other than jails.

“I would say it’s a mandate,” said Sen. John Goedde, R-Coeur d’Alene, who started writing a bill Wednesday to change state law so the local-option tax can go toward projects other than jails.

The overwhelming results of the advisory vote are expected to help Goedde and other North Idaho lawmakers convince the 2005 Legislature to change the law.

Currently Kootenai County charges people a half-cent extra in sales tax, money that goes to pay off the $12 million jail expansion and property tax relief.

The County Commission put the advisory vote on the ballot in hopes of getting broad base support that they could use as leverage against the tax-adverse Legislature, which includes many lawmakers who don’t like the idea of allowing counties to control sales tax collection.

Commission Chairman Dick Panabaker said the vote is proof that the local-option concept works in Kootenai County and that it’s a good way for counties to pay for things they can’t afford in their regular pocketbook.

“It’s going to be really hard to overlook,” Panabaker said referring to possible attempts to bury the bill.

Already Rep. Delores Crow, R-Nampa and chairwoman of the powerful House Revenue and Taxation Committee where the bill would be introduced, has said she’s against the local-option. Crow could prevent the bill from getting a hearing.

Goedde already has started working on a strategy for ensuring the bill does get a hearing. Panabaker said House Speaker Bruce Newcomb plans to visit North Idaho in the next few weeks, and the local option tax expansion is on the agenda.

The advisory ballot also asked voters what types of projects Kootenai County should fund if the Legislature approves expanding the half-cent sales tax. The ballot listed two options – open space and a civic center.

The open space idea, pushed by Panabaker, got 55 percent of the vote while the civic center option got 45 percent. Voters could mark both boxes if they wanted and the ballot didn’t provide space to write in other ideas.

Both Panabaker and Goedde were opposed to putting the options on the ballot, arguing the most important task is to get the law changed. They worried listing the options could cause a division, taking away from the overall question of whether the Legislature should expand the local-option law.

But local car dealer John Robideaux, who is pushing for the civic center, insisted that the ballot list the two options.

Robideaux said the outcome shows both the open space and civic center ideas are viable.

County residents would have to vote on how to spend the money if the Legislature agrees to expand the law.

Panabaker wants to use the half-cent sales tax to buy up to 10,000 acres of Rathdrum Prairie for open space, which also would protect the aquifer and ensure the region’s ability to meet its growing wastewater treatment needs.

He said the large support for open space shows that residents realize time is running out to save the prairie, which loses about 1,000 acres to development each year. He said the money also could go to buy other land, such as Canfield Mountain.

Robideaux, who said he has support from 42 local groups, has been working on a civic center plan for years but never had any way to fund the multi-million project that could offer recreational and cultural activities as well as have a pool, ice rink and conference center.

The local-option tax might not be the area’s only chance to finally get a community center.

Coeur d’Alene found out last week it has a good chance of getting a $20 million Salvation Army grant to build a community center.

The city will compete with applications from 12 other western states for five to seven grants to build Kroc Centers. McDonald’s heiress Joan B. Kroc bestowed $1.5 billion to the Salvation Army – the largest donation ever given to charity – to build community centers.

Robideaux said he supports the Kroc grant, which also would come with an additional $20 million operational endowment, and hopes Coeur d’Alene is successful.

“As long as we get a facility for youth, we don’t care where money comes from,” Robideaux said. “When we started looking at the half-cent (sales tax), we weren’t sure if Kroc was a possibility.”