No firm answer on property tax appeals

After consulting with the Idaho Association of County Assessors, the Kootenai County assessor still doesn't have a firm answer to a question about property tax appeals raised this year.

County officials were torn several months ago about whether individuals can appeal property taxes on land they don't own or have direct interest in.

"The (statutory) language is vague enough to be interpreted in a couple ways," said Assessor Mike McDowell.

There was no consensus at the last Idaho Association of Counties district meeting, he added, so McDowell took it to the assessors' group.

But members were divided there, too.

"The assessors came back with the same split, that it can be interpreted in two different ways," he said.

For now, McDowell said, he will report his findings at an Idaho Association of Counties meeting scheduled at the county Administration Building this Friday.

Otherwise, there's not much to be done, he said.

"I think (the appeals process) will continue at the status quo, until such time it percolates as an issue of significance for somebody else," he said.

The issue came up during the meeting of the Board of Equalization this year, when a Spirit Lake resident wanted to appeal an aspect of Silverwood Theme Park's property taxes.