Association of Idaho Cities to discuss revenue-sharing with mayors
Revenue-sharing between Idaho and its counties and municipalities will be part of the legislative update the Association of Idaho Cities will deliver to area mayors next week. Jerry Mason, attorney for the Association, said his November 5 report to the North Idaho Mayors Coalition said his report and discussion with mayors affects smaller towns not experiencing growth.
“The small communities not growing in North Idaho and around the state face some revenue realities,” Mason said. “Some of the larger cities like Coeur d’Alene get funding from tax revenues, but if you’re a small town and you’re not growing, the revenue basket won’t look quite as full. Keeping those communities informed—and keeping the bigger cities informed, so they know what smaller towns are dealing with—is always a key part to these coalition meetings.”
Revenue-sharing in Idaho often represents a noteworthy portion of a budget. Between April and June of 2019, for example, cities split a $15.5 million revenue fund that distributes a portion of the state’s sales tax. With five percent of Idaho’s market value and just over four percent of its population, Coeur d’Alene saw the fourth-highest slice of the pie from that fund, receiving $717,284. Post Falls received $436,724 in quarterly revenue. Hayden received $208,430, while Rathdrum received $99,844.
Revenue-sharing won’t be the only topic on the table for Mason, as the mechanisms that maintain growth will also be up for discussion.
“At this point, a lot of the topics will be holdovers from the last legislative session,” he said. “We’re going to talk about revenue-sharing, but we’re also going to talk about the annexation process and how growth is handled. There are some things we’ll get to discuss.”
The semi-yearly meetings allow mayors throughout North Idaho to network, brainstorm issues and flush out best practices for issues facing communities throughout the top half of the state. The November 5 closed-door conference will take place at the Innovation Den in Coeur d’Alene.
“It’s always a great opportunity to hear how the different towns are working to address some of their issues,” Mason said. “I get to listen to their challenges, and I get to hear how they’re problem-solving. It’s always a great experience.”