KTEC bill hits snag, held ‘til Tuesday

The House Revenue & Taxation Committee has put off a vote on HB 35, legislation from Sen. John Goedde, R-Coeur d’Alene, designed to let the Kootenai Technical Education Campus in Rathdrum open a year earlier than it could otherwise, until Tuesday. Committee members said they were concerned that by allowing construction before all the cash has been collected from a two-year, voter-approved levy, the change opened the way for shortfalls if tax collections fall short. “We’re trying to spend money we may or may not get,” said House Majority Leader Mike Moyle, R-Star. Goedde argued, “It’s certainly an opportunity to move the opening of the building forward a year and not to cost taxpayers any additional money. … They’re not going to spend money before they have it, and it’s not going to cost the voters any more.”

Rev & Tax Chairman Dennis Lake, R-Blackfoot, suggested holding the bill until Tuesday so Goedde could come back with more information about how the funds would flow under the bill. “Otherwise I think that we’re going to lose the bill here,” he said, “and I think the bill has merit.” The KTEC project would build a technical school to offer juniors and seniors from three North Idaho school districts vocational courses in health occupations, welding, construction and auto tech; voters in the three districts approved a two-year property tax levy in August to raise $9.5 million to build the school.