Crowd Gather at Idaho Capital Debating Personal Property Tax Repeal

BOISE, Idaho (AP) — A big crowd gathered to scrutinize and weigh in on competing measures seeking to cut Idaho's business personal property tax. Tuesday's meeting in the House Revenue and Taxation Committee pitted a $120 million proposal from industry against a $20 million plan being floated by counties.

Association of Idaho Counties lobbyist Seth Grigg contended his group's plan eliminates the tax for about 90 percent of businesses, while being modest enough to replace with state sales tax revenue. Alex LaBeau, of the Idaho Association of Commerce and Industry, favors eliminating the tax for nearly all businesses through 2020, in yearly phases.

The counties had clearly mobilized: Of roughly 200 people gathered in the Capitol auditorium, many were representatives of school districts, cities and other taxing districts who favored the county's plan.