Budget could boost ACHD’s share of your property taxes by double digits. What to know
The Ada County Highway District is proposing a significant increase in the property taxes the agency would collect in December’s tax bills.
The fiscal 2022 budget would boost the tax on a house assessed at $421,000 to $198.81, up from $171.53 this year, the agency said in a news release. That’s an increase of about $27, or nearly 16%.
The road agency seeks to claw back some property-tax increases it was allowed to impose, but did not, in prior years. The money is needed now for an array of spending needs, including $76 million in more than 100 capital program projects, the district said.
The agency proposes to increase its property tax collection by 7% plus new construction taxes. This is the breakdown: ACHD is allowed to raise the amount it collects by 3% every year, which in 2022 is enough to generate an estimated $1.2 million. It would increase taxes by another 4% by clawing back foregone taxes worth $1.6 million.
The agency is also expecting $1.2 million in taxes collected on new construction added to the tax rolls this year.
The proposed $151.8 million budget would increase safety and mobility through projects like pedestrian and bikeway improvements. Maintenance and operational costs will include work on roads, sidewalks, traffic signals, bike lanes and related infrastructure.
“This is a balancing act between the financial impact our residents see in the next year and the impact these decisions have on our transportation system for decades to come,” Commission President Kent Goldthorpe said in the release. He called the budget “conservative and thoughtful.”
The ACHD Commission has scheduled a public hearing on its 2022 budget at 6 p.m. Wednesday in the Michael L. Brokaw Auditorium at ACHD’s headquarters in Garden City. Space will be limited due to COVID-19 but people can watch or participate online. Comments can be submitted through achdidaho.org or mailed to 3775 Adams St., Garden City, ID 83714.
After the hearing, ACHD commissioners are expected to decide the final budget.
Sally Krutzig covers Treasure Valley growth and development. Have a story suggestion or a question? Email Krutzig at skrutzig@idahostatesman.com.
