Culbreth, Sayler at odds over tax relief for businesses

Property taxes are the buzz in the Coeur d’Alene race for the Idaho House.

Rep. George Sayler, the only elected Democrat from Kootenai County in the Idaho Legislature, is steadfast that raising the sales tax wasn’t the best way to get property tax relief.

His Republican opponent, political newcomer Sharon Culbreth, is a strong advocate for a California-style initiative to cap property tax increases at 1 percent per year – an idea that didn’t get enough signatures to get on the ballot. Now the Coeur d’Alene real estate agent wants to take the fight to the Legislature.

In a political gamble, Sayler was the only North Idaho lawmaker to vote against Gov. Jim Risch’s relief plan passed in an August special session. He backed the Democrat alternative that would have given property tax relief only to residential property owners, not businesses. It still would have provided property tax relief for homeowners but without the need for a 1 percent sales tax increase.

“I knew when I made the vote it would be politically risky,” said Sayler, the assistant minority leader. “But I still thought it was the right vote. I had to decide what was more important. Voting the right way to get elected wasn’t.”

He thinks Coeur d’Alene voters agreed with his stance and realize there is a lot more work needed to reduce the property tax burden, especially in resort areas like Kootenai County where property values have skyrocketed.

Culbreth argues businesses deserved property tax relief just as much as homeowners because they create jobs. Sayler maintains that businesses already are exempt from many taxes and that it was homeowners who were truly suffering.

Besides taxes, Sayler said his main goal is to preserve and improve the quality of life, which he defines as good jobs, educational excellence and a clean environment. He said in no way is his campaign just about taxes.

He supports eliminating the sales tax on food and reviewing all the current sales tax exemptions. If it’s not possible to remove the food sales tax, Sayler would want the grocery credit on incomes taxes increased to at least $80 from the current $20 credit. He also supports increasing the minimum wage.

Culbreth supports the grocery credit option but is opposed to boosting the minimum wage.

Sayler also wants to continue the push to require criminal background checks, infant CPR and first aid training and fire inspections for anyone who gets paid to care for two or more children.

Culbreth denounces critics who call her a one-issue candidate even though she admits property taxes are “her baby.” She’s also interested in protecting local water rights and fighting the methamphetamine epidemic by giving abusers treatment instead of just jail.

‘I’ve always been an activist,” Culbreth said. “I’m a button pusher.”

The failed property tax initiative didn’t inspire Culbreth’s run for public office. Instead it was this spring’s failed $40 million Coeur d’Alene School District property tax levy.

“People weren’t against education,” she said. “People just had no more money left in their pockets. It was taken away by taxes.”

She wants to work with Post Falls lawmakers to cap property taxes of longtime residents until they sell their home or die. She also supports an idea to average over five years of property values, to alleviate the spikes so homeowners are not taken off-guard by unexpected increases.

She fears that if something doesn’t resolve the tax burden longtime locals will leave and the heart of Coeur d’Alene could change.

Culbreth opposes Proposition 1, which also is on the November ballot and would force lawmakers to increase funding for schools by an amount equal to what a 1-cent sales tax increase would raise. For next year, the latest estimates put that figure at $219 million.

Sayler, a retired Coeur d’Alene High School government teacher, supports the measure because it would send a message that education funding is crucial.

He also maintains it’s important to balance the Legislature with Democratic representation.

“Too much power by one party creates an arrogance of power,” he said, adding that a Democrat would be more successful than a fringe candidate.

Culbreth doesn’t view herself as fringe. She said she would vote to represent her constituents, not the Republican Party.