2008 LEGISLATIVE POSITION STATEMENT
Prepared for the 2008 Idaho Chamber Alliance Legislative
Meetings By the Rexburg Area Chamber of Commerce
Legislative Committee
LOCAL PRIORITIES AND CONCERNS:
1.
Community Development Block Grant (CDBG)
The
Rexburg Area Chamber of Commerce supports efforts by the City of Rexburg to
obtain a downtown CD BG to improve traffic flow and pedestrian safety along
Main Street. We also support their efforts to secure a Public Facilities Grant from
the Department of Commerce for street improvements adjacent to Trejo Street
These requests are justified by the new jobs in the area. We are creating new
high paying jobs in Rexburg and it is important that we have funding for
necessary infrastructure to support this new employment.
2.
Transportation Enhancement Grant
The
Rexburg Area Chamber of Commerce supports the City of Rexburg in its request
for a Transportation Enhancement Grant from the Department of Transportation at
the end of January. The Enhancement Grant would be used to beautify the
entryways into Rexburg, including the South Interchange and the Main Street
Interchange. Improving these areas would invite tourists into our community and
would bring economic benefits to our local businesses.
3.
Local Library Bonding Authority
The
Rexburg Area Chamber of Commerce is very concerned that our public libraries
lack sufficient bonding authority to rebuild and expand existing facilities. As
a result, our libraries have become too small and inadequate for our growing
community. Appropriate amendments should be made to the law that will enable
library districts to bond in a way that puts them on an equal footing with
other taxing entities, like cities and school districts.
STATEWIDE
ISSUES:
1.
Tax Relief for Business: E1iminatinQ the Personal Property Tax
The
2006 Legislature s increase in the homeowners property
tax exemption was not really a property tax decrease, but actually a property
tax shift. Idaho businesses now pay a larger share of property taxes. The
Rexburg Area Chamber of Commerce believe s that an equitable an d fair
adjustment, to compensate businesses for this increased burden, would be to
eliminate personal property tax on business equipment, such as tools,
machinery, furnishings, computers, etc. Similar adjustments have been made for
farmers in the recent past, and it is time to extend the same benefit to other
businesses.
2.
Urban Renewal Districts (URDs)
The
Rexburg Area Chamber of Commerce joins with the City of Rexburg in opposing any
legislation which would alter the governance structure of URDs. We support the
Association of Idaho Cities position which opposes any changes that would
dismantle or unduly constrain the effectiveness of URDs.
3.
Ordinary and Necessary
The
Rexburg Area Chamber of Commerce favors amending the Idaho Constitution to
resolve the problems created by the Idaho Supreme Court s decision in Frazier
v. City of Boise. The amendment should eliminate the need for an emergency
situation to occur before a government entity can undertake any form of debt.
Local jurisdictions should have the freedom to carry a debt load pursuant to
long-term planning and contractual obligations necessary for effective
governance.
4. Sales
Tax on Food: Increasing the Grocery Tax Credit
The
Rexburg Area Chamber of Commerce believes the time has come to make an
adjustment in how the Idaho Sales Tax treats food purchases. We recognize that
two competing proposals by Governor Otter (an income-based exemption) and
Senator Hill (a flat exemption) could not be resolved before the end of the
2007 Session. We urge the Legislature and Governor to find some appropriate
middle ground so that relief from this unfair tax may be achieved this year.
5. Legislative
Redistricting
The
Rexburg Area Chamber of Commerce believes legislative and/or constitutional
action is required to adjust the States method of redistricting the Legislature
before 2012. The current system removed redistricting as a legislative
responsibility, and passed the responsibility to a six member, bipartisan
commission. In 2001-2002 this process resulted in an unfair plan that was
ultimately found unconstitutional. The revised plan now in effect was not much
better, resulting in over-
representation for Northern Idaho, and under-represented and awkwardly drawn
districts for Eastern Idaho. We continue to believe that the responsibility for
redistricting should be returned to the Legislature. However, in the
alternative, we believe a six member com miss ion is not large enough to
provide adequate geographic diversity for all of the states diverse regions.
6. Water
Law: Aquifer Management Issues
The
Rexburg Area Chamber of Commerce believes that the Legislature should be
prepared to take steps to ensure that Eastern Idaho farmers are not put out of
business in 2008. We urge the Legislature to consider purchasing certain water
rights which are creating a negative impact on the States
economy, while benefitting relatively few businesses.
7. Water
Law: Dams, Flow Augmentation and Endangered Species Issues
The Rexburg Area Chamber of Commerce opposes flow
augmentation by using water from the Upper Snake River Valley system until a
sound scientific basis exists for the practice. If required,
augmentation should only be approved on a willing buyer/willing seller basis
pursuant to state law. We also oppose dam breaching as an overly simplistic and
ill-conceived response to a complicated problem, especially in light of recent
Biological Opinions. We believe that oceanic environmental factors, predation
and over-fishing are posing the greatest threats to Salmon and Steelhead
recovery. We also favor recognition of hatchery fish, with identical genetic
composition to wild fish, in making determinations concerning listing or delisting species. We oppose
listings based on arbitrary distinctions, such as so-called "Evolutionary
Significant Units."
8. Pornography
The
Rexburg Area Chamber of Commerce believes that pornography is a plague that not
only destroys families, but it also drains dollars from business owners as employees waste time accessing it at work. Recent medical
research has documented the physical and developmental problems which occur
from this scourge. We ask the Idaho Legislature to pass a concurrent resolution
urging the United States Congress to review this issue and consider regulating
access to indecent and obscene materials via the Internet, within the
parameters of the First Amendment.
9. E-Commerce and Internet Sales Tax: We Support a
Simple, Fair and Uniform Tax System
The
Rexburg Area Chamber of Commerce strongly supports the State of Idaho in
participating in nationwide efforts to adopt a simple and uniform sales tax and
use tax system to facilitate adoption of a sales tax on Internet sales
("streamlined sales tax"). We believe that fair and reasonable
taxation of e-commerce is necessary to ensure that a level playing field is
maintained for our local businesses.
10.
Continued Strict Oversight of Highway Construction Through
GARVEE Bonding
The
Rexburg Area Chamber of Commerce recognizes that improving Idaho's
infrastructure, especially its highways, is essential for safety and continued
economic development statewide. However, we urge the Legislature to be cautious
about the ongoing use of the GARVEE bonding procedure. We are concerned that
worthy projects in Eastern Idaho have been delayed in order to accommodate
massive projects elsewhere. We support the Legislature in maintaining thorough
and diligent oversight of GARVEE spending to ensure that all of Idaho's needs
are met, rather than promoting projects that may benefit comparatively few.
11. Local Option Sales Tax for Roads and Transit
Improvements
The
Rexburg Area Chamber of Commerce recognizes that there is a strong difference
of opinion among the businesses we represent on the issue of local option
taxes. There are a variety of approaches to this issue which could make such a
tax more palatable to a majority of our board, such as making it a regional
sales tax or excluding big ticket items. Therefore, we await further details on
the specifics of any proposed legislation before taking a position for or
against such a bill.
12.
Fuel Tax Proposals to Fund Road Improvements
The
Rexburg Area Chamber of Commerce believes that a fuel tax increase alone is not
a good long-term solution for improving our roads, but we recognize that it
could be one of several tools the Legislature should consider. Such taxes may
place a disproportionate burden on local farmers and other businesses already
financially stressed due to rising fuel costs. We believe it is not wise to
adopt a significant increase in fuel taxes during a time of record oil prices.
13.
Anti-Methamphetamine Advertising Campaign
The
Rexburg Area Chamber of Commerce believes that the use of "meth" and
other illicit drugs are a scourge on our society and cause a major burden on
Idaho's financial resources. We recognize that efforts to prevent and eliminate
the use of such substances are good investments that will ultimately payoff by
reducing the cost of prisons and mental health programs. Therefore, we are in
favor Governor Otter's proposals for an aggressive anti-methamphetamine
campaign.
14.
Idaho National Laboratory
The
Rexburg Area Chamber of Commerce supports the Idaho National Laboratory and
encourages the Department of Energy to fund the Idaho National Laboratory’s
research and development missions as well as its cleanup obligation.
15.
Idaho International Dance and Music Festival
The
Rexburg Area Chamber of Commerce, as hosts of Idaho's greatest multi-cultural
festival, continues its strong support of this important event. We encourage
the Department of Commerce to continue its much appreciated support of the
Festival, which not only promotes tourism statewide, but also promotes culture,
international brotherhood, understanding and peace.
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