Grocery tax expansion may be delayed

BOISE (AP) - Lawmakers are taking up a plan to delay expansion of Idaho's grocery tax credit for one year to help balance the state budget in 2012, as recommended by Gov. Butch Otter.

The House Revenue and Taxation Committee introduced the legislation Tuesday, sending it to the full House for debate.

Lawmakers backing the measure say Idaho's dire budget outlook has made delaying the credit expansion unavoidable. The move is expected to save about $15 million in state general funds to help cover an estimated $92 million shortfall in next year's budget.

"We have known for some time that we were going to have to make hard choices, and this is really hard because everybody has to eat," said state Rep. Lenore Barrett, who was among lawmakers on the House committee who voted to advance the measure.

"Here we are, down to the basics," Barrett said. "I don't see that we have lot of choices."

Rep. Grant Burgoyne, D-Boise, was among critics of the legislation and argued that it amounted to a tax increase on some of Idaho's poorest families.