Article published Aug 25, 2006
by Gregory Hahn, Bill Roberts and Shawna Gamache
Special session convenes today (Check back all day long for updates from the special session)
Lawmakers will take up governor's tax proposal
The Idaho Legislature convenes this morning to vote on Gov. Jim Risch's plan to cut property tax and increase the sales tax. Statehouse leaders say the measure will pass.
That didn't keep several groups of educators, parents, advocates for the poor and Democrats from trying Thursday to stop the train. The Democrats even stood in front of the Boise Depot to make the point.
"What we have here is a special-interest session from a special interest governor," said House Minority Leader Wendy Jaquet of Ketchum, wearing a blue-and-white train conductor's hat. "We're not going to be railroaded by you guys."
Senate Democrats conducted their own public hearing Thursday night, with about 50 people in attendance to hear about the minority party plan — which Risch won't allow to be introduced in today's special session.
About 75 educators and parents turned out at Borah High School's parking lot Thursday afternoon to protest the plan. "Our schools are horribly underfunded," said Siva Laughlin, a Nampa homeowner and property taxpayer.
She's concerned that her sixth-grade daughter must attend classes packed with up to 40 students and ride a school bus crowded with high schoolers because her district cannot afford a separate route for middle school.
"We are kind of squished," said Laughlin's daughter, Celena Sanchez.
Brenda Miller, a former state PTA president, told the Borah crowd that Risch's doesn't plan to use the state's $200 million surplus to buy another textbook or fix a leaky roof. "Just think what ($200 million) could do for your kids," Miller said.
Earlier in the day, about a dozen advocates for the poor, Idaho women, teachers and social workers spoke about the tax plan in front of the Statehouse steps.
United Vision for Idaho and social worker Bill Whitaker said the plan is unfair because businesses and second-home owners would get much of the tax break, while Idahoans buying food would pay more sales tax. The Rev. Elizabeth Greene, a Unitarian minister, said it was immoral and unethical to ask low-income people to pay for tax breaks for the rich.
Risch has called the Legislature back to town to:
• Eliminate the $260 million property tax that pays for school maintenance and operations.
• Raise the sales tax by a penny to bring in $219 million.
• Use the state's $200 million surplus to pay for the rest of the cut and to put $100 million into a rainy-day fund for schools.
Democrats want to cut the school tax just for people who live in their own homes, while requiring other property owners to continue to pay it. Their $105 million plan includes no sales tax increase.
Risch said before he called the special session a month ago that he wouldn't bring the lawmakers back unless he was sure he had a majority. Thursday, key lawmakers said that majority was holding.
In the past few days, groups on both sides have been running radio ads, and Risch and the Democrats have each toured much of the state to spread their messages.
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