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Eye On Boise

How to fund ISP…

Col. Jerry Russell, chief of the Idaho State Police, briefs lawmakers on how much the state could raise to fund ISP from an array of different surcharges or fees. (Betsy Russell / The Spokesman-Review)
Col. Jerry Russell, chief of the Idaho State Police, briefs lawmakers on how much the state could raise to fund ISP from an array of different surcharges or fees. (Betsy Russell / The Spokesman-Review)

Col. Jerry Russell, chief of the Idaho State Police, told a legislative task force that whatever funding source is identified to replace gas taxes for ISP, "We believe that it should be one that will grow with the state of Idaho." He noted Utah's approach, tying the number of state troopers to either the number of vehicle registrations or population. "Implementing an initiative like this would ensure that the Idaho State Police Patrol is aligned with the continuing needs of the people of Idaho, reflecting growth or decline in the base," he said in a memo submitted to the task force. He then reviewed the potential revenue from an array of possible alternative funding options, from increased vehicle registration fees and a sales tax hike to an auto dealer vehicle sales tax, tire fee, dedicated sales tax on transportation items, surcharge on local and wireless access lines, vehicle insurance surcharge or increases in other fees. A vehicle insurance surcharge, for example, of $1 a month would raise $19.4 million a year for ISP.



Betsy Z. Russell
Betsy Z. Russell joined The Spokesman-Review in 1991. She currently is a reporter in the Boise Bureau covering Idaho state government and politics, and other news from Idaho's state capital.

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