Rep. Jaquet: Food Tax Update

I am writing to update you on the situation that is surrounding the issue of food tax credits that is again before the legislature this session. Today proved to be an interesting meeting of the House Revenue and Taxation committee as the controversial issue of food tax credit was brought to the table. The bill under consideration today was that of HB 0439. This bill proposes an addition to existing law to provide for income tax credits or refunds for certain resident individuals to offset the cost of sales tax on food.

This legislation addresses the inadequacies of the current law by incrementally increasing this "Food Tax Credit" starting with an increase to $55 for the poorest Idahoans, $30 for all other Idahoans, and an additional $20 for seniors for tax year 2008.

However, the majority of the committee believe that this issue is better accomplished by a repeal of the tax on food, a basic necessity. After numerous testimonials from members of the community and representatives from various churches and organizations it was decided by the committee that the bill, HB 0439 will be held in committee until other options have been brought forth and considered.

One such potential bill is being brought forward by one of our Democratic Representatives, James Ruchti. Our Food Tax Elimination Act proposes an elimination of the 6% sales tax on food by a reduction of 1% per year for six years. Not only does this provide a fiscally responsible and feasible approach to this necessary repeal, but it also has a greater positive impact for those Idaho citizens who are not eligible to receive a refund under the current grocery tax program. In addition to our bill, there are others that will be brought forward for consideration, and I will continue to keep you up to date with the developments surrounding this crucial issue.

Please be sure to keep in touch if you have any questions or concerns about this issue. I can be reached at wjaquet@house.idaho.gov or 800/626-0471. Thank you for the opportunity to serve you.

Rep. Jaquet: Legislative Report Week 5

What a hectic week. Friday was the last day to get bills submitted to afternoon committees. Combine that with the County Winter Conference which featured a speech from Speaker Newt Gingrich, a trip home to vote in the caucus, a presentation to the credit union association, a luncheon with the FFA students and a phone that was drowned by a leaky water bottle and now I’m hoping the roads are open to Ketchum to make it home this weekend.

I’ve had some ups and downs with legislation:

The counties approved, in concept, large generation facility siting legislation. The legislation applies only to merchant plants and creates the opportunity for informed decision making at the local level. This next week I’ll be presenting the concept/draft to the cooperative and municipal utilities that are exempt as are the investor owned utilities.

An attempt at introducing a bill to require renewal portfolio standards at 25% by 2025 will not get a hearing this year.

Affordable workforce home legislation has been dropped off with the House Revenue and Taxation Committee for introduction in the near future. The bills include adding affordable workforce housing as an eligible use for development impact fees, requiring developers to ensure the development of workforce housing or pay a fee in lieu of development, a voter approved proposed tax levy to home owners whose home is valued at $1 million plus and who don’t qualify for the homeowners exemption, and an expansion of county local option sales tax to include affordable workforce housing.

The residential sales price disclosure legislation that was drafted and introduced last year was re-introduced this week in the senate. The hearing should be within a week. A second piece of legislation brought by the Idaho Association of Realtors also addresses this situation in a different way. I would appreciate your comments on both of these. You can find them at www.legislature.idaho.gov, under the Legislation link. The bill numbers are SB1400 and SB1401.

Senator Langhorst re-introduced last year’s legislation to abolish the one mile restriction on who may testify in confined animal feeding operations public hearings. The goal is to get the bill through the House this year. I also have drafted a bill that would provide for mediation between cities and/or counties who have concerns about decisions that cross boundaries.

The grocery tax credit was defeated in committee this week. We’re hoping that a bipartisan solution to decreasing the sales tax on food at the cash register will come forth. Legislators are also working on a new credit bill.

A bill to allow highway districts to increase their levies with a vote of the people is before the House Revenue and Taxation committee. Revenues were frozen many years ago at an artificially low rate and districts are having a hard time keeping up with inflationary costs. The Emergency Communications Commission has asked for a 25 cent increase per month on phones to a maximum of $1.25 to provide grant funding for rural communities who don’t have the population to support the Enhanced 911 systems as well as the ongoing maintenance costs of those systems.

Also introduced for hearing is the Ranch, Farm and Forest Protection Act which would give a tax credit to owners of agricultural and forest land who voluntarily agree not to develop lands important to fish and wildlife. I am supporting all of these bills.

The Joint Finance and Appropriations Committee (JFAC) are scheduled to finish up state agency budget hearings on Wednesday, February 13. Budget setting will start on Monday, February 18 and should finish around March 7. Revenues have begun to slide due to the national recession (most now say we are in a recession!) and we’re anticipating some tough decision making.

Thank you for keeping in touch with me. Please contact me with any questions or concerns you may have.

Email: wjaquet@house.idaho.gov or Phone: 1/800/626-0471

Rep. Jaquet: Legislative Report Week 4

Thank you to so many of you who have touched base to check on Senator Clint Stennett. Clint is recuperating from his surgery at his Boise rental house and is planning to come back to work shortly. He gets to look forward to chemo/radiation, but he’s a tough guy and we know that he’ll be setting records for his recovery!

I’m hoping to see many of you at the Senator Barack Obama Rally on Saturday, February 2. The doors open at 7:00 am and I’m intending to be there between 7 and 7:30. I believe that Obama is our best chance for change. He has ignited young and old people around his candidacy. He represents a transformation regarding business as usual in Washington DC. I’m planning on attending my caucus in Blaine County, Tuesday, February 5. I’m carpooling with Jon Thorson, who is sitting in for Clint, and with Commissioners Schoen and Bowman who will be in Boise for a County conference.

Food tax: The Republicans introduced a complicated expansion of the grocery tax credit this week. I’m hoping that the Chairman of the Rev and Tax committee will allow us to introduce our bill which takes the sales tax off food over a six year period. There is also a Republican bill which has a similar approach. It’s so much easier to do it at the cash register!

School construction bond subsidy access: Several years ago a safe schools bond program was developed which was utilized by seven school districts including Wendell. Wendell had tried to pass a bond for a new middle school. Their old school had been condemned. The second time around with the subsidy it was successful. Now, Wendell would like to present a new request for voter consideration which includes an agriculture/technology and athletic expansion. We discovered that Wendell, because they had taken advantage of the first program, would not be able to access the new program which all districts now had the benefit of. Today I’m presenting legislation which will open this back up to the 7 districts including Wendell. The chair of the Revenue and Taxation Committee has asked to be a co-sponsor.

Energy Efficient State Energy Act: This week in the House Environment Affairs committee this bipartisan bill passed out of committee and it will now go to the House floor for a vote. The bill will require all major state buildings, and building renovations, to be designed, constructed and certified to a standard that achieves energy savings at least 30% greater than the current state approved energy code. I support this bill.

Next Monday is the deadline for draft requests for new legislation. That puts pressure on us to get our bills drafted, reviewed and into the committee chairs. Bills that are not drafted by then don’t have much of a chance to get across to the Senate for approval. I’m scrambling.

Good to hear from so many of you this week. It is always good to have the Representatives from the Association of Idaho Cities.

Let me hear from you: Phone: 1-800-626- 0471 email: wjaquet@house.idaho.gov

Names you will recognize...

UPDATED 2/2/08 8:40PM:
After the original posting, Gov. Cecil Andrus has added his support for Senator Obama. He introduced Obama at today's event... watch it here!

Larry Grant has also provided his endorsement for Senator Obama.

After I made my decision to support Barack Obama, I put forth even more effort to learn more about him. AFTER I decided to campaign for Obama, I found out who else in Idaho is publicly endorsing him.

I can't tell you if knowing this before hand would have hastened my own decision, but I can tell you that once I saw these names below... I knew I had made the right one. -drp

ENDORSEMENT
Jerry and Rickie Brady

Democrats have a host of qualified candidates who could win in November and be exceptional presidents. However the person best suited to our times is Barack Obama.

Why?

The next president must reverse the catastrophic decline in America's moral leadership in the world, a decline that has made us among the least admired nations in the world. Barack Obama can do that.

The next president must cut through the partisanship and divisiveness that have poisoned our public life for 30 years to achieve the unity craved by most Americans. Barack Obama can do that.

As a legislative assistant to Senator Frank Church in the l960's, I had a front row seat for the cascade of critical legislation that followed the death of John Kennedy. Something on the scale of Lyndon Johnson's accomplishments is needed today. If anyone could do that it would be Barack Obama.

The Bush Administration has placed America in a deep financial hole. Any responsible Democrat must reverse the catastrophic rise in the national debt piled on our children while mobilizing a national consensus for universal health care. Those who dug this hole and oppose health care for all will use the filibuster rule in the Senate to resist. In my judgment, Obama has the best chance to rally the nation to override this resistance and renew our country.

Some say Obama should have waited his turn. I say we cannot afford to wait. On many of our challenges, the hour is late and conditions dire. Obama offers the best hope for a breakthrough. Bush, Clinton, Bush and-once again-Clinton does not.

Rickie and I are packing our bags to work for Obama in Nevada come January. We hope Idaho Democrats will do all you can as well.

ENDORSEMENT
Boise City Mayor, Dave Bieter

Dear Obama for America in Idaho:

First, I want to thank the many Barack Obama supporters who turned out in numbers to help me be successful in my reelection as mayor of Boise. Your work made a big difference in my decision of whom to back for president.

But I admit that I took the time between my campaign and before the Iowa Caucus to decide between the candidates. After weeks of following each of them, and before any vote was cast in Iowa, I concluded that I will do whatever I can to ensure that Barack Obama be the next president of the United States.

This is a contentious and often bitter time in America. He is the only candidate who inspires us to push for a future that fulfills the promise our country has always had but too often has failed to fulfill.

Most of all, he is the only one with the courage to speak with hope in a cynical time. He is the right person at the right time for our country, our state and the City of Boise.

IDAHO STATE LAWMAKER ENDORSEMENTS:

State Senate Minority Leader Clint Stennett: Dist#25, Blaine, Camas, Gooding, Lincoln
State Senate Assistant Minority Leader David Langhorst: Dist 16, Ada
State Senator Diane Bilyeu: Dist.29, Bannock
State Senator Mike Burkett: Dist. #19, Ada,
State Senator Edgar Malepeai: Dist. # 30, Bannock
State Senator Elliot Werk: Dist.#17, Ada

House Minority Leader Wendy Jaquet: Dist.#25, Blaine, Camas, Gooding, Lincoln
House Assistant Minority Leader George Saylor: Dist.#4, Kootenai
House Minority Caucus Chair John Rusche: Dist.#7, Lewiston
State Representative Les Bock: Dist.# 16, Ada
State Representative Liz Chavez: Dist. #7, Nez Perce
State Representative Margaret Henbest: Dist.#16, Ada
State Representative Nicole LaFavour: Dist.#19, Ada
State Representative Anne Pasley-Stuart: Dist.#19, Ada
State Representative Donna Pence: Dist #25, Blaine, Camas, Gooding, Lincoln.
State Representative Shirley Ringo: Dist. #6, Latah
State Representative James Ruchti: Dist. #29, Bannock
State Representative Jerry Shively: Dist. #33, Bonneville

OTHER IDAHO ENDORSEMENTS:
· Paul Woods, Ada County Commissioner
· Jim Hansen, Former State Representative, Executive Director - United Vision for Idaho
· Gail Bray, Idaho's National Committeewoman - Super Delegate, Former State Senator
· Grant Burgoyne, Idaho's National Committeeman - Super Delegate, Private Attorney · Mike Kennedy, City Councilman - Coeur d'Alene
· Steve Scanlin, Former State Representative, Private Attorney
· Brian Cronin, Ada County Democrats Chair, 2004-2007