Wednesday, January 10, 2007

Local legislators put forth aggressive agenda

Three regional representatives vow to stand up for the middle class


By REBECCA MEANY
Express Staff Writer

Legislators from District 25, which includes Blaine County, discuss the upcoming session with area Democrats during a luncheon at Rico?s Pizza & Pasta Wednesday, Jan. 3. From left are Sen. Clint Stennett, Rep. Donna Pence and Rep. Wendy Jaquet. Lawmakers were back in session Monday, Jan. 8. Photo by David N. Seelig

The 59th Idaho Legislative session convened Monday, Jan. 8, with District 25 lawmakers ready to do battle with the solid Republican majority.

District 25 is represented by Senate Minority Leader Clint Stennett, D-Ketchum, House Minority Leader Wendy Jaquet, D-Ketchum, and Rep. Donna Pence, D-Gooding. The district includes Blaine, Lincoln, Camas and Gooding counties.

"We as a caucus are working on three main things," Stennett said. "Protecting Idaho's lifestyle, standing up for the middle class, and making sure government is responsible—that it actually works, and that it's getting results. And we'll be keeping vigilant on ethics."

Issues that will be a part of the dialogue this session include:

· Grocery sales tax: Democrats have long advocated the elimination of Idaho's grocery sales tax. The tax was increased by 20 percent with previous-Gov. Jim Risch's tax shift, which sought to relieve property owners' tax burden, made up for by a penny sales tax increase.

"We have one of the highest taxes on groceries because of the 1 cent increase," Stennett said. Democrats have traditionally held that tax relief should be targeted in a way that helps those who need it most, he added. "Food is a staple you can't live without."

Elimination of the tax could cost the state $180 million.

Another option is to increase grocery tax credits to income tax payers. Governor C.L. "Butch" Otter said Monday he supports increasing the tax credit by up $90 per person. Lower-income residents would get the bulk of the benefits.

· Property tax: During the last session, Democrats achieved a partial goal of raising the homeowner's exemption. Although they wanted it raised to $100,000 from $50,000, they settled for $75,000. But Risch's August tax shift, which will cut $260 million in property taxes, will be paid for by increasing the sales tax to 6 percent from 5 percent

"It didn't undo it," Stennett said, "but it had the effect of undoing it. It just shifted the burden to homeowners and off other classes of property."

Twenty years ago, approximately one-third of the burden was paid by homeowners, with commercial, industrial, utilities and other property-tax paying categories picking up the other two-thirds, Stennett said.

"That has shifted almost to an inverse relationship," he said. "Homeowners have continued to pick up a larger share of the property tax burden. It continues to be compounded because farmers and ranchers are flat in their property tax valuation."

· Real estate sales price disclosure: Just 13 percent of real estate sales prices were disclosed last year to the Blaine County assessor, Valdi Pace.

"Her job is becoming more difficult," Jaquet said.

A real estate sales price disclosure law would essentially require parties to disclose the final sales price to the county, which could then use the figures to better assess property values. Idaho is one of only three states in the country to not require a real estate sales price disclosure. Some believe the state's lack of such a law leads to inequalities in property taxes paid by property owners.

Previous attempts at such a bill received little support.

· Local option tax: District 25 legislators and many Boise-area representatives are seeking a local option tax for public transportation.

"(This) has got a great deal of energy from the Treasure Valley because of traffic problems they're having over there," Stennett said.

Legislation could establish a local option taxing authority for public transit, which would likely allow for up to .05 percent of sales tax, in addition to regular taxes already levied. Counties would determine if they want to impose the LOT for that purpose.

· Energy plan: The Legislature last session approved funding for a draft energy plan, which is set to be unveiled next week.

"I'm hopeful the Legislature will be more progressive than I believe the energy draft is going to be and focus more on incentivizing and recognizing the value of incentives for geothermal, wind, solar, biomass, biodiesel and ethanol projects," Stennett said.

The siting recommendation in the draft energy plan provides for state agency personnel to be available to counties or cities at the request of local officials to help with their decision. But it would remain voluntary.

Siting takes on added weight with the announcement late last year that a Nevada-based company wants to build a nuclear power plant near Bruneau, 20 miles south of Mountain Home.

"It's not the kind of siting legislation we would want for a coal-fired plant or nuclear plant," Jaquet said.

The draft plan will have conservation as a No. 1 priority, with renewables as No. 2.

"If the plan is adopted it'll be hard to get beyond those and to nuclear," Jaquet said.

Lawmakers might enact legislation based on the plan. They won't, however, be bound by its recommendations.

"What you're going to hear from Democrats is the Legislature needs to look at sustainable and renewable energy sources to get off the coal train," Stennett said. "That's energy security. We're going to take the lead in that role, and we're going to continue to push for those values."

- Carbon sequestration: Stennett will try a third time to gain approval for a bill that would allow Idahoans to sell carbon credits. Agriculture and forestry practices could limit their carbon production and sell their allotment to outside entities that are unable or unwilling to reduce carbon emissions. Modification of grazing practices, different tilling techniques and creation of riparian buffers are some ways to reduce carbon.

"It's a way for (people) to be able to change business practices slightly, be able to sequester carbon and offset carbon being produced somewhere else," Stennett said. It would also provide Idahoans with extra income from the sales.

- Shooter-bull operations: A bill to outlaw these operations, in which animals are hunted in a confined area, may originate in the Senate.

"It's designed to make sure operations in existence are shut down and the state doesn't allow them to come back into play," Stennett said. "This is not hunting. It gives hunters a bad name."

"It'll be a hell of a fight."

- Wood River Legacy Project: Stennett will sponsor a bill that supports a project spearheaded by valley resident Rich McIntyre. The project seeks to restore flows to 12 miles of the Big Wood River by providing water rights holders with an option to keep some of their water in-stream.

"We're looking for bi-partisan support," Stennett said. "We feel we're going to get that."

If enacted, the law would apply only to the Big Wood River, Stennett said, but it could serve as a model for other Idaho rivers' restoration in the future.

- Natural resource restoration tax credit: A law on the books allowing an income tax credit for natural resource restoration expired five years ago. Stennett hopes to revive it this session.

This bill will differ in that it will be simplified and will require soil conservation districts to select five projects.

"That makes it competitive," Stennett said. Eligible projects, such as riparian restoration, could get credit for 50 percent of a project up to $4,000, for a maximum $2,000, in any one year. Credits statewide are limited to a half million dollars each year.

- Minimum wage: State Democrats don't want to wait to see what the U.S. Congress does with minimum wage increases. A minimum wage hike bill, likely to originate in the Senate, seeks to raise the minimum wage from $5.15 per hour to $7.25, Stennett said.

"We don't know what the federal number will be," he said. "We are not going to count on it. We're just charging ahead.

"Obviously, that doesn't have much of an effect on Blaine County. But we think it will help the overall fortunes of those who can least afford to live (in Idaho)." Democrats also believe a minimum wage increase will help the state economy.

The minimum wage hasn't been increased since 1997.




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