Idaho Property Tax Relief - Petition

[JRob]

Idaho property owner:

Please review and sign this web-based petition to Gov. James Risch and the Idaho Legislature, requesting that the Democratic Property Tax Cut plan be allowed a full and fair hearing during the August 25 special session.
You can go to the petition with this link:

http://www.petitiononline.com/proptax/petition.html


To: Idaho Governor James Risch and the Idaho Legislature

We the Undersigned, as residents of the State of Idaho, hereby request that the Republican Governor, James Risch, and the Legislature, allow for consideration RS16446, providing targeted tax cuts to all homeowners during the Special Session which has been called for Aug. 25, 2006, in Boise, Idaho. More specifically, we call upon Idaho House Speaker Bruce Newcomb and Senate President Pro Tem Bob Geddes to allow, at minimum, an INITIAL PRINT HEARING of RS16446; the substance of which exempts the three (3) mil school tax levy from property taxpayers who currently claim the homeowners exemption; of which the net result would be approximately a 20 percent decrease in property taxes.

ADDITIONALLY, this cut would not impact any other group of taxpayers and therefore it is not a tax shift, as the Republican plan would merely shift the tax burden from businesses, corporations, vacation home owners, and special interest groups onto middle-class homeowners. We acknowledge that these other classes of property will pay EXACTLY THE SAME amount that they currently pay.

ADDITIONALLY, the approximate cost of the Democratic plan this year is about $104 million, which would be made up this year from the budget surplus. In subsequent years, natural growth in state sales and income revenue is expected to keep pace and thus cover the cost of the three (3) mil property tax relief.

ADDITIONALLY, we recognize that this is the ONLY plan that targets relief to homeowners. We remain unconvinced that business, commercial property and vacation home owners are in need of such a tax cut.

ADDITIONALLY, we note that the IDAHO CONSTITUTION SPECIFICALLY ALLOWS DIFFERENT CLASSES OF PROPERTY, as such:

(IDAHO CONSTITUTION, SECTION 5):
"TAXES TO BE UNIFORM -- EXEMPTIONS. All taxes shall be uniform upon the same class of subjects within the territorial limits, of the authority levying the tax, and shall be levied and collected under general laws, which shall prescribe such regulations as shall secure a just valuation for taxation of all property, real and personal: provided, that the legislature may allow such exemptions from taxation from time to time as shall seem necessary and just, and all existing exemptions provided by the laws of the territory, shall continue until changed by the legislature of the state: provided further, that duplicate taxation of property for the same purpose during the same year, is hereby prohibited."

ADDITIONALLY and FINALLY, we believe that Gov. Risch's proclamation of July 25 calling the Idaho Legislature into a Special Session UNCONSTITUTIONALLY EXCLUDES the consideration of RS16446;

THEREFORE, we respectfully make this petition to the leaders of the Idaho House of Representatives and the Idaho Senate.

http://www.petitiononline.com/proptax/petition.html