Batt’s Property Tax Bill Clears First Hurdle

If Gov. Phil Batt’s $40 million property tax cut bill becomes law, property owners could see tax bills drop by $1 for each $1,000 of taxable value.

Carrying out his campaign promise, the new Republican governor on Tuesday gave the Legislature a bill that would trim local property taxes used to finance school operations and replace the money with general tax revenues.

Rep. Steve Antone, R-Rupert, chairman of the Revenue and Taxation Committee, assigned the administration bill to a subcommittee headed by Rep. Golden Linford, R-Rexburg. A competing property tax bill, sponsored by the Association of Idaho Cities, also heads to a subcommittee after winning introduction.

Some committee members noted that with Idaho’s rapidly increasing property values, the tax relief could be more of a gesture than real. Rep. David Bivens, R-Meridian, said that with property values going up nearly 10 percent per year, Batt’s proposed cut of 5-6 percent would be erased.