Symposium on property taxes in Idaho was very informative

A couple of weeks ago, I received an email from Debbie Moxley-Potter, the Washington County Assessor, informing and inviting me to a symposium regarding property taxes in Idaho. The symposium was sponsored by the Associated Taxpayers of Idaho in partnership with the Idaho Association of Counties and the Idaho Association of County Assessors. This looked very interesting and so I thanked Debbie and signed up for it. 

 The symposium could be attended virtually or in person at the Boise Centre in downtown Boise. I chose to attend in person. 

 The Associated Taxpayers of Idaho did an excellent job. They first presented a video about the tax cycle starting with the property valuation, which is done annually, through the budgeting process of the various taxing districts, to allocating taxes to each property, on to collection, and distribution – along with other steps and deadlines in the process. 

 We then listened to a panel discussion regarding Idaho’s property tax structure when compared to the ideals of keeping taxes:

 • Simple. 

 • Transparent.

 • Neutral – (Equitable to all involved).

 • Stable – (Consistent dependable funds).

 The panelists then went on to talk about the advantages of keeping property assessed values at market values each year, along with the pitfalls valuing the properties periodically, say every five years, or worse, once for as long as the property is owned by the same owner. 

 The last panel included two individuals who were associated with the Lincoln Institute for Land Policy who provided a national perspective to property taxes. 

 According to the Lincoln Institute, Idaho has the third best tax structure, based on the principles of simplicity, transparency, neutrality, and stability of all 50 states. (Pretty high praise for little old Idaho.) 

 They also pointed out that the average property tax in Idaho is $1,033 compared to the national average of $1,675 which if I have the numbers right makes Idaho’s taxes about 62 percent of what most people pay for their property taxes. 

 I can’t say that I came away from the symposium with an expert’s understanding of these taxes. There were some terms used that I will be looking up on my own. I still have questions. But I can say I learned a few things. 

 What I can say for certain, is that if you have questions about the City’s portion of your tax bill or if you have questions about the budget or expenses of the City, we are more than willing to answer your questions to the best of our abilities, or find the answers where possible. 

 Well, that’s it for this week. Stay warm out there and hope you have a good week!