Otter’s goal for next four years: Cut taxes

In his keynote speech to the Associated Taxpayers of Idaho, Idaho Reports co-host Melissa Davlin reports, Gov. Butch Otter outlined his goals for the next four years, which include lowering the income tax to less than 7 percent across the board, and entirely eliminating the personal property tax on business equipment. During the 2013 session, the Legislature exempted the first $100,000 of each company’s personal property in each of Idaho’s 44 counties from the personal property tax, eliminating it for the vast majority of Idaho businesses. Otter and the Idaho Association of Commerce and Industry wanted a full repeal.

Otter, like many speakers before him, also spoke of the importance of a strong infrastructure, but said a good transportation system wouldn’t matter without a strong economy or healthy education. “If you haven’t got smart people coming up with the next generation of French fries, or the next generation of computer chips…. then you’re not going to need the highway to get it there,” he said. Otter said his proposed budget for the coming year would not increase spending to match economic growth. “Am I overly cautious? I think so. But I think it’s warranted,” he said. He added he hopes to have no budget holdbacks in the next four years.