House Dems unveil their own tax proposal

The Idaho Press reports that a day after a major tax-cut bill backed by House GOP leaders was introduced, House Democrats unveiled their own “Idaho Working Families Agenda” that instead calls for property tax relief for homeowners and seniors; an increase in the child tax credit and more.

The plan also includes:

more school funding to allow optional full-day kindergarten statewide
one-time funding boosts to schools to deal with the fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic
a new state earned income tax credit

“The Idaho Working Families Agenda is fiscally responsible and sustainable,” said Rep. Lauren Necochea, D-Boise, who announced the package in a virtual news conference on Wednesday. “It fits within the governor’s budget framework and doesn’t use one-time dollars for ongoing commitments. It is a plan that balances overdue tax benefits for working families and the school investments our children need.”

The Democrats’ plan calls for shifting all money now in a “Tax Relief Fund” to the state general fund, as opposed to the GOP bill, HB 199, which would tap that fund each year to partially offset income and sales tax rate cuts. Lawmakers created that fund in 2019 and routed all proceeds from sales taxes on online transactions there, where it’s simply sat awaiting future decisions. The Democratic plan would do away with the fund.

 

Written and posted by the Idaho Press