Post Falls Responds To Spencer

Post falls city officials had a response ready to Larry Spencer’s street lights topic Tuesday night, before he even broached the topic. The city council couldn’t take action on the proposal — that city street lights should be expensed through the general fund, not as a fee on power bills — because it was not on the agenda and Spencer spoke during the citizen comment time. However, the board learned that staff was aware of the request and had penciled in the topic for discussion during budget workshops starting in July. Spencer, a Kootenai County resident and executive director of the non-partisan Idaho Property Owners Association, sent an email to officials in multiple cities on Friday, citing court cases that back his request. “I’m asking that the council put this on a future agenda and talk to legal counsel,” he said at Tuesday’s meeting. “The case law is very clear”/ Brian Walker , Coeur d’Alene Press. More here.

Question: So why is Spencer concerned whether I pay my street lights as a fee instead of a tax? Sounds like a wash to me. Also sounds like he’s in search of an issue. Thoughts?