Edit: Teachers Accept Table Scraps
Rather than trigger staffing cuts, some districts will launch efforts to raise local property taxes to compensate for the lost state dollars. So far, many voters across Idaho have gone along with the idea, rather than
shortchange their students’ opportunities. That’s a matter of choice, not necessity. Idaho House Republicans refused to raise $50 million by raising one of the nation’s lowest taxes on cigarettes by $1.25 a pack. They deliberately ignored an economic forecast that Idaho will take in another $90 million above what has been budgeted. They refused to spend millions of dollars held in reserve throughout various state accounts. And they won’t consider going after the tax owed on Internet and catalog sales but beyond the reach of Idaho’s tax collection arm/
Marty Trillhaase
, Lewiston Tribune.
More here.
Question: Why is the Idaho Legislature so dead set on raising cigarette taxes that would make up a considerable portion of the public education shortfall?
* This story was originally published as a post from the blog "Huckleberries Online." Read all stories from this blog