Eaton letter: Legislators and taxes

I wonder if Idaho legislators read constituents’ letters to the editor while they are in session. If so, please ponder the following suggestions this term. First, regarding cutting income taxes for businesses using the existence of a state surplus as a justification for doing so is to ignore several facts. First, public education’s funding levels have yet to be restored to per-pupil levels of earlier years. Second, infrastructure repair costs, especially roads devastated by this winter’s ravages, surely will demand increased funding, too. Further, certain Idahoans who do not currently qualify for Medicaid or other subsidized health care assistance should not be forgotten for another year. How about using some of our surplus (and current income tax rates) for these needs? If legislators are bent upon altering taxes, how about eliminating the sales tax on groceries to make this tax less regressive! Food for thought?

If legislators are yet bent on altering taxes, how about shifting to property taxes. Since my property tax load jumped by 13 percent last year, following ballooning property tax assessments, while my Social Security climbed .3 percent, I recommend unfreezing the homeowner exemption to make it more affordable for seniors like me to own their homes.

This story was originally published March 1, 2017 at 5:01 PM with the headline "Eaton letter: Legislators and taxes."