Next one’s more controversial…

Now the House is debating HB 96, another bill from Rep. Mike Moyle on urban renewal, this one letting any taxing district “opt out” of an urban renewal district. Moyle joked that he’d like to just use the previous vote; this one is more controversial. Rep. Leon Smith, R-Twin Falls, said if taxing districts opt out, there won’t be enough increment left to pay the bonds for urban renewal projects. “This is creating a bad scenario when you let the opt-out control the course of the bonds,” Smith said. “It will hurt any future urban renewal districts that are formed.” Rep. Christy Perry, R-Nampa, said bill creates an unintended consequence, creating leverage for each taxing district to press for its own benefits in return for not opting out. “Now they have some leverage that they didn’t have before,” she said. The result will be more expensive urban renewal projects. “That’s going to cost an extra expense to our taxpayer,” Perry said. “I just don’t think we want to open that door.”