Friday, July 25, 2008

Let voters decide


The Blaine County Commissioners should allow voters to decide if they wish to impose a two-year $50 annual tax levy upon themselves in order to create a small fund to protect local land and water.

The short-term levy would be dedicated to providing greater protection for clean water, wildlife habitat, and working farms and ranches.

The proposal comes from a coalition of valley-based groups including Citizens for Smart Growth, the Idaho Conservation League, Idaho Smart Growth, The Nature Conservancy, the Trust for Public Land and the Wood River Land Trust.

The groups mined public attitudes about a potential tax levy in two surveys, first in January and then in June after the impacts of a cooling economy and high gas prices had set in. The surveys were conducted by an independent research firm in Portland, Ore.

Researchers found that 63% of those polled in a random survey said they would be willing to pay higher taxes, specifically $40 a year, to fund protection of water, land, farms and ranches. Passage of the levy would require 51% voter approval.

The respondents' top two priorities for using the tax proceeds were protection of water quality in the Big Wood River and wildlife habitat. Close behind was protection of the Little Wood River Watershed.

Putting the measure on the November ballot would give voters time to study and discuss who would spend the money, its effects on taxpayers and whether the uses of the levy justify passage relative to other county needs.

The county commissioners should not block voters from considering the question.




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