I've always found this annual survey of Idaho opinion on public policy done by Boise State University's Social Science Research Center to be thorough and well done. Occasionally I may quibble with the wording of a question (which means everything in a survey like this) but I think this year's results are instructive. Jim Weatherby, who has a lot of involvement in this survey, is a keen observer of Idaho's public policy.
Property taxes may be a major issue in high-growth areas like Coeur d'Alene and Kootenai County. But they don't seem to be trumping everything else, which doesn't bode well for reform and relief for places that need help from the legislature to modify how they assess needed impact fees for new development. No pressure on Southern Idaho legislative leaders means little change. The Governor showed that he doesn't care too much about property tax relief in last night's State of the State and Budget Addresses.
Let's hope this year's legislature spends more time on important economic and educational public policy issues than they do on far less important social issues put up simply to be divisive and political.
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