LIDS: Law needs to change

Notice to all property owners. Local Improvement Districts (LID) are becoming more common. A city can create an LID to widen roads, put in water and sewer lines, storm water drains, sidewalks, street lights, benches, trees, bike paths, etc., in front of your property and bill you for it. Look up Title 50 Chapter 17 of the Idaho Code for more information.

Open any mail from your city immediately. A city can set a hearing date 10 days from mailing a "NOTICE OF HEARING" for an LID. You must put in a written protest before the hearing. You need 60 percent of the property owners within the LID boundaries to defeat it so it is best to get to know your neighbors now because 10 days is just not enough time. You can request copies of each property owners' assessments within the LID from the city or engineer. This information will give you the number of property owners involved and their names and addresses.

Idaho code 50-1708 needs to be amended so that the property owners within an LID boundary is notified by certified mail and the 10 days now required for the notice should be extended to 30 days. This is outrageous. A person could be gone on vacation or be in the hospital for 10 days and upon their return get hit with this huge expense. Please write to your legislators to have this law changed.

KAREN GRAVELLE

Dalton Gardens