February 26, 2024 (Pocatello for Accountable Government Entities, February 25, 2024)
Our focus is local government and sharing relevant information to help you become better informed citizens and voters.
IDAHO HOUSE BILL 574 deserves your attention.
HB574 passed out of the State Affairs Committee on Tuesday, 02/20/2024. It may be deliberated and voted upon as early as [today] – MONDAY, 02/26/24!
HB574 adds clarity and improves transparency.
It REQUIRES any bond ballot question or official statement which includes a statement about state tax relief funds to IDENTIFY the year state tax relief funds will retire and PRECLUDES a ballot question or official statement from including any information regarding state tax relief funds unless a specific dollar amount of such funding is guaranteed to the taxing district.
As an example (see attached image), here is what HB 574 fixes:
- The 11/07/23 SD 25 bond ballot language did not disclose the state tax relief money was guaranteed for only a few years.
- The 11/07/23 SD25 bond ballot language did not disclose the yearly amount of relief could vary.
Why? It wasn’t required ballot language despite it being necessary information for full transparency and disclosure. HB574 will ensure the general public has the information to clearly understand the temporary nature and/or duration of tax relief funds and to have stable numbers upon which to base their decision.
It is our position, this bill would be a positive addition to Idaho statutes to ensure the full transparency the public deserves in regard to bond election language, especially in light of state tax relief funds which muddy the waters, confuse voters and make the tax amounts unclear.
PLEASE email the House legislators ASAP and ask them to VOTE YES on HB 574. Be sure to mention you live in SD25 – a district that ran a bond in November 2023 lacking this transparency in the ballot language. HB574 may go to vote as early as [today], Monday, 02/26/24 — TAKE ACTION quickly.
LINK to submit written testimony:
https://emailidaho.com/email-both-the-house-the-senate/
