County action surprises ignite cda

Coeur d’Alene’s urban renewal agency could lose its tax exemption on 11 pieces of property following a re-interpretation of a state statute by Kootenai County officials. At an assessment appeal hearing Wednesday afternoon, ignite cda Executive Director Tony Berns challenged a recent decision by Kootenai County Assessor Mike McDowell to remove the exemption on properties controlled by the agency that are currently being leased to private entities. Berns told the Kootenai County Board of Commissioners, who oversaw the hearing, that ignite cda was surprised to receive notice the agency’s properties are no longer exempt because the properties’ tax-exempt status has been in place for more than a decade. “No change has occurred in the statute,” Berns added/ Keith Cousins , Coeur d’Alene Press. More here .

DFO: I wonder how this one is going to play out?