Idaho Legislators Grapple Over Extra Money

The legislative session is just a

bout to wrap up but lawmakers are grappling with an issue they haven’t dealt with in a few years, a budget surplus and how to disperse surplus state money. Republican Senator Dean Cameron, the Chairman of the Joint Finance Appropriations Committee says at the end of the session the state will have about $77 million dollars that they need to decide what to do with. As its proposed now, $35 million dollars would go back to education, $35 million to tax relief and the remaining into rainy day accounts. If the legislation passes, income taxes will be lowered next year to 7.4 percent. Currently, individuals pay 7.8 percent and corporations 7.6 percent.  Cameron says they hope to have a decision sometime this week.