As follow up to my two last posts, Gov Otter didn't appoint Clive Strong to the Supreme Court. He appointed Warren Jones, an insurance defense lawyer. Of the four, I guess he'd be the most pro-business, which seems to fit with Otter's general philosophy.
Next Supreme Court Justice? The applicants aren't in, but I'd give it high odds that whoever is it will be female. White female, most likely, since there are so few minority females practicing law in Idaho. Whiteaho.
Regarding my post about government budgets increasing with all the tax revenue, the Ada County Commissioners have a Readers Opinion in the Statesman. They point out that they are limited by state law to a 3% increase per year, and seem to say that they'll simply reduce the levy to keep within the limit. Thus, even if your Ada County property was assessed 20% higher than last year, you would not see that much increase.
3 comments:
Appointing a Boise Lawyer to the Supreme Court in a Coeur d'Alene setting is recognized here as a totally empty gesture. Appointing a North Idaho Attorney would impress us if the appointment were announced here.
Unfortunately, no N Idaho attorneys applied.
Taxing district budgets can increase more than 3% per year if the assessed values increase. Taxing districts cannot increase their levy rate more than 3%, but if the assessed value increases, and levy rates stay the same, then taxes go up. Using your example of the Kuna Library, here is their property tax revenue since 2006
2006 $406,554
2007 $468,929 increase of 15.34%
2008 $511,354 increase of 9.05%
2009 $539,779 increase of 5.56%
2010 $566,926 increase of 5.03%
2011 $546,917 increase of -3.53%
2012 $536,180 increase of -1.96%
The reason they have a shrinking property tax revenue in 2011 and 2012 is because the board increased their levy rate to the maximum allowable 6 mills and the very high assessments prior to the real estate bubble collapse are still rolling off the 5 year assessment cycle.
It is also interesting to note that the Kuna Library has significantly reduced the funds spent on books while tax revenue increased. They spent a lot more money on wages, including giving the director two big raises (3% and 6%) per year during the great recession. It is also interesting that none of her raises have approvals and the board refuses to allow questions regarding those raises.
The Kuna Library also receives tax revenue other than property taxes.
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