Constitutional amendment introduced to lower 2/3 supermajority for bonds to 60%

A proposed amendment to the Idaho Constitution to lower the supermajority required for bond issues from 66-2/3 to 60 percent was introduced yesterday in the House Local Government Committee, and read across the desk in the House this morning. HJR 3, sponsored by House Minority Leader Mat Erpelding, D-Boise, told the committee, “It’s still a sizeable majority,” according to the Boise Weekly; you can read their full report here .

The committee agreed to introduce the bill with just three “no” votes, clearing the way for a full committee hearing; the three dissenters were Reps. Vito Barbieri, R-Dalton Gardens; Mike Kingsley, R-Lewiston; and Lynn Luker, R-Boise, the Weekly reported.

To amend the Idaho Constitution, a measure must win two-thirds support in both the House and Senate, and then a majority vote of the people at the next general election. The bill would apply to bond issues proposed by counties, cities, school districts and other local governments in Idaho. In the measure’s Statement of Purpose, Erpelding wrote, “A two-thirds requirement can give a small minority the ability to effectively block progress.”

At December’s annual Associated Taxpayers of Idaho conference, which many lawmakers attended, Ball Ventures CEO Cortney Liddiard urged attendees to consider lowering the supermajority to “lower the barriers to respond to infrastructure funding needs” in Idaho, saying the move would promote economic development in the state. He noted that Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona and Oregon require only a majority vote to issue general obligation bonds.