BOISE – School districts shouldn’t be able to keep going back to voters after a bond or levy measure fails at the polls, Rep. Heather Scott told a House committee on Thursday.

“The purpose of this bill is to protect voters from aggressive taxing districts that repeatedly run bonds or levies until they finally pass as a repackaged proposal that’s more palatable,” Scott, R-Blanchard, told the House State Affairs Committee. Scott proposed legislation to ban any Idaho taxing district – including school districts, community college districts, cities, counties and more – from holding a bond or levy election within 12 months after a previous one fails.

Rep. Randy Armstrong, R-Inkom, said, “I’ve been continually frustrated by the fact that these agencies come back and bludgeon the electorate over and over and keep going ’til they get their thing passed.”

The committee agreed to introduce Scott’s bill with just one “no” vote, from Rep. Elaine Smith, D-Pocatello. The vote clears the way for a full hearing on the proposal.