Boise (670 KBOI News) – House Bill 463, the $202 million tax cut and reconciliation bill, is headed to the Idaho Senate after clearing the House on a party-line vote.
Some Democrats, including Representative Hy Kloc of Boise, said the money would be better used for education, and to keep districts from having to ask taxpayers for supplemental levies.
“I oppose this fiscal policy, because it puts more public education funding on the backs of Idaho property tax payers,” said Kloc. “The State should be providing our school district with badly-needed resources, so that no matter where you live, your kids receive an excellent education.”
Democrats have also cited infrastructure and suicide prevention as programs that could use the money, but House Majority Leader Mike Moyle of Star, the bill’s sponsor, said growing the economy has to come first…
“It’s not like we’re not trying to address all the concerns you have,” said Moyle. “It’s not like we’re not trying to fix these problems and help the citizens. But it’s a balancing act. You can’t just take, take, take, take, and expect you can do it. You get to a point where the people give up, and they’re gonna go where the income taxes are zero. Same with the businesses.”
Representative Ron Nate of Rexburg pointed out that it isn’t actually a $202 million tax cut…that after the effects of the federal tax reform, it would actually only be a net $105 million cut.
House Bill 463 now goes on to the Senate.
