Gov. Batt Still A Major Roadblock For Local Option Tax

North Idaho interests fought hard this year to win legislative approval of a bill to allow Kootenai County voters to decide whether to change their tax system - but the bill still faces a major hurdle.

Gov. Phil Batt, within the next few days, could sign the bill into law, veto it, or let it become law without his signature.

Asked about the bill last week, Batt was noncommittal. “I’ll have to look at it,” he said.

The measure allows local voters, by a 60 percent vote, to approve a local sales tax. At least half of the proceeds would go to property tax relief. The bill applies only to Kootenai County.

Local officials say it would allow the cost of services like law enforcement, roads and parks to be shared with visitors. Property taxes now pay the full costs of those services.

Batt said he supports another bill that passed this session to allow communities statewide to charge development impact fees, because the current law, which lets only Ada County have the fees, is unfair.

“I’d have to ask the same question” about Kootenai County’s bill, he said.

Another measure was introduced this session to extend the same local option that Kootenai County is proposing to communities statewide. It died in committee.

, DataTimes