Boise County Tax Impact Analysis for Budget Increase -

BOISE COUNTY
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS

May 1, 2012 

Submitted by Commissioner Jamie Anderson
Tax Impact Analysis for Budget Increase--YES 

Boise County Commissioners and Clerk discussed their first set of bond scenarios Monday to consider what participating in the Idaho Bond Bank would require. To date, $2.25 million has been paid on the $5.4 million awarded by a jury that heard Alamar’s case against Boise County. The balance owing is $3.15 million accruing interest at 5.5%. Boise County Commissioners and department heads have identified in the FY2012 budget another $500,000 to use as a down payment against the bond debt. Boise County will pursue an application to the Idaho Bond Bank to refinance the remaining Alamar debt.

The Idaho Bond Bank has been created to provide a low-cost financing option to local municipalities in Idaho and maintains a high investment grade rating which allows it to obtain lower interest rates than most local governmental entities can obtain independently. The Bond Bank’s high credit rating is a result of the strong credit that secures the program, which is primarily a function of the State’s sales tax pledge. In general, each borrower receiving a loan from the Idaho Bond Bank must demonstrate that their historic 3-year average of State shared revenues will cover the annual bond payment.

Looking at 5 year, 7 year and 10 year debt structure assumptions received from Zions Bank, Boise County’s State shared revenues could cover a 7 year annual bond payment. These shared revenues are not the money’s used to pay the annual bond payment, but the guarantee. Under the 7 year scenario, the required bond levy increase, assuming the County’s Taxable Value remains level during the next seven years, would be 0.00062422.

If the voters approve the budget increase this levy rate is far less than the maximum 0.001 allowed by the vote. And again, that levy increase is allowed only after the required subtractions are taken away from the annual bond payment first. Those required subtractions will come before the 0.00062422 rate is calculated annually. The County’s Taxable Value used in the table is from FY2011. The FY2012 numbers are expected to drop but have not been firmly established at this time.

Boise County Tax Impact Analysis

$3,245,000 GO Bond with $500,000 Equity Contribution

and Idaho Bond Bank AA1 Credit

Bond Debt Structure Assumptions:

Bond Size: $2,745,000

Term (Years Outstanding): 7 Year

Borrowing Rate (1): 1.40%

Annual Bond Payment: $414,408

Annual Tax Impact Calculation

Annual Bond Payment: $414,408

Net Taxable Value (2): $663,881,407

Required Bond Levy Increase (Payment/Tax. Value): 0.00062422 Tax Impact for Primary Homes
Full Taxable Value of Property	Net Taxable Value of Home (After Primary Homeowner Exemption) (3)	Annual Tax Increase	Monthly Tax Increase
$50,000	$25,000	$15.61	$1.30
$100,000	$50,000	$31.21	$2.60
$150,000	$75,000	$46.82	$3.90
$167,948	$83,974	$52.42	$4.37
$200,000	$116,026	$72.43	$6.04
$250,000	$166,026	$103.64	$8.64
$300,000	$216,026	$134.85	$11.24
$350,000	$266,026	$166.06	$13.84
$400,000	$316,026	$197.27	$16.44
$450,000	$366,026	$228.48	$19.04
$500,000	$416,026	$259.69	$21.64
Tax Impact for Businesses and Non-Primary Homes
Full Taxable Value of Property	Net Taxable Value of Property	Annual Tax Increase	Monthly Tax Increase
$100,000	$100,000	$62.42	$5.20

(1) Assumes the County issues through the Idaho Bond Bank Authority - Credit Rating of AA1

(2) Assumes the County's Taxable Value remains level during next 7 years

(3) Primary Home Owners are allowed to receive a 50% exemption on the taxable value of both their home and land (homestead) up to $83,974 in 2012

Prepared by: Zions Bank Public Finance

Keep checking the website www.boisecounty.us for information as it becomes available including multi-year scenarios. Commissioners invite questions and comments. Please contact: Bob Fry, 208 365-8705, fryrobert47@gmail.com ; Terry Day, 208 392-9505, tday@co.boise.id.us ; or Jamie Anderson, 208 462-3439, jamiea@frontiernet.net .

May at the Senior Center

The Garden Valley Senior Center is pleased to announce that starting next week,  Dinners will be served on Wednesdays & Fridays, from 6:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. And we now have a new cook!!! Mitch Ignatich has accepted our offer of employment and as of Thursday, April 26, 2012, he is officially our Dinner Cook and not just our Awesome Volunteer!!! 
PLEASE COME HELP WELCOME HIM TO OUR CENTER!

Breakfast will continue to be prepared for you by Marcie Pyorre, coordinator, and Donna Landauer, Volunteer Extraordinaire, and served on Thursdays, from 9:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.

Our Free Fit & Fall Proof Exercise Class will now be on Wednesdays & Fridays, led by Ione and sponsored by Central District Health Department, at 4 p.m.

Granny’s Closet will be open now Wednesdays before dinner from 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m., Fridays, from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. (until dinner), Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and whenever you see the open flag outside Granny’s Closet otherwise.

The Quilt Guild will still be here the 2^nd and 4^th Wednesday of each month (until June 13^th), from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. At which time, they take a break until September.

The Garden Valley Senior Center Board Meetings will still be on the 2^nd Tuesday of each month until our by-laws are changed.

For May, our Board Meeting will be on Tuesday, May 8^th at 3 p.m. Volunteers from the Crouch Ambulance will be here at 4 p.m. We  will have some training on how to use our AED machine and the training is open for anyone who would like to attend. There is no charge.

AARP will be holding their semi-annual Driver Safety Class on Thursday, May 10^th, from 10am to 1pm and on Friday, May 11^th, from 9am to 12pm. Cost is $12 for AARP members or $14 for non-members. You must be able to attend both days to receive your certificate of completion.

The Cub Scouts Leadership Meetings will continue to be on the 2^nd Thursday of each month at 7 p.m.

Friday, May 18^th, from 11am to 1pm, attend our FREE Senior Fraud Prevention and Detection Workshop. Drinks and snacks will be served. Pre-registration is appreciated but not required.

Saturday, May 19^th, from 10am to 12pm, Valley Hi will be holding its annual Subdivision meeting.

The Annual Memorial Day Yard Sale, our fundraiser for our general fund, will be on Saturday, May 26^th from 9am to 5pm. We will be having BBQ Hot Dogs &Hamburgers on the deck from 12pm to 3pm for a fundraiser for our ever struggling nutritional fund. Your donations for our yard sale are welcome at anytime!!!

Our Monthly Menu Selection Committee will now be meeting on the last Wednesday of each month at 11am. Please come share your input on our dinner and breakfast selections.

The Translator’s Board Meeting will still be held on the last Thursday of each month at 7pm.

OUR NEW OFFICE HOURS ARE AS FOLLOWS:

Monday – 10am to 12:30pm
Wednesday – 11:30am to 7:30pm
Thursdays – 7:30am to 12:30pm
Fridays - 11:30am to 7:30pm

We are striving to help our local seniors and our local community. Thank all of you for your support.

Thank you,

Marcie Pyorre, Coordinator

Garden Valley Senior Center
261 S. Middlefork Road
Garden Valley, ID 83622
E-mail: gvseniors@frontiernet.netPhone/Fax: (208) 462-3943

Antique Cell Phones

By

Rich Smith

A couple of months ago I failed to empty my pants pockets before placing them in the wash and my cell phone went through the washer. It came out clean as a whistle but totally dead.  Somehow laundry soap, hot water, and electronics are incompatible. 

I went to the Verizon store to buy another one and asked the salesman for a simple, no frills phone, just like the one Jitterbug offers. “I don’t want a glowing pink phone that is as thin as a credit card, has pin-head-sized keys, and a screen that I have to wear my glasses to read. I don’t want to text, download games or quirky apps, read my e-mail, take or send photographs, play annoying ring tones, or download TV shows.  I just want a telephone, you know like the device that Alexander Graham Bell invented, and one that has simple menus, keys that fit my thumb and a screen that doesn’t need a magnifier to read in bright light.” 

The young man looked baffled, like he was talking to someone who just got off a 19^th century banana boat.  “But they all come with these features,” he explained.  “What you really want is this brand new vibrant green wiz bang gizmo that talks to you, will perform your spoken commands, has a 10 mega pixel screen, can take National Geographic quality photographs, search the internet to find the nearest gas station, answer your prosaic questions, and tell you where you are at any time.  And all this can be yours for only $246 plus our two year irrevocable contract.”  “I don’t want those features,” I groused, “and by the way I know where I am.  I’m a store that doesn’t sell what I want.  I think I’ll go over to Wal-Mart.”

Another much older and wiser clerk overheard our conversation, and said to wait while he went in the back.  He emerged a few minutes later with a dust covered box.  “Here is a 2009 version cell phone that we no longer sell or service, but I can offer it to you for only $52 if you extend your two year irrevocable contract (ever try to get out of one of these contracts?).

The ancient device was a beautiful flip phone housed in a black plastic case with a large easy to read screen and big keys. It didn’t have any of the useless features I didn’t want. It rang just like a real telephone and only needed to be flipped open to answer an incoming call. I immediately fell in love with it, but the phone came with a ominous warning: “There is no warrantee implied or otherwise with this phone.” The salesman added the following caveat. “Replacement batteries are not available, so if the battery dies you will be out of luck.” 

 I can only hope that the battery lasts longer than the irrevocable two year contract that I signed.

Commissioners Analyze Ballot Question

BOISE COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS RELEASE – April 24, 2012

IDAHO CITY– Boise County Commissioners have entered into an agreement with Zions Bank to provide financial advisor services. The Board is committed to achieving a solution to paying the Alamar debt. To date, $2.25 million has been paid. The balance owing is $3.15 million accruing interest at 5.5%.

On April 5 ~63-1305A became law allowing Boise County voters to decide whether to allow Boise County a restricted revenue stream which would allow a loan through the municipal bond market to pay off the judgment. Additionally the Commissioners have found in the 2012 budget another $500,000 to buy down the Alamar debt.

Budget Increase – YES

• Allows using a bond to refinance Alamar debt • Alamar debt paid in full • Current 5.5% interest = $713K Potential Bond 2.5% interest = $286K. Potential savings of $427K in interest • Budget Increase in place only until Alamar "bond" is paid • Mandates all budget increases to pay Alamar debt is returned to FY2012 Property Tax level ($3.4 million)

• Forces County to have level or reduced budgets

• Forces County to follow a strict repayment schedule  Use the 3%  Use surplus fund balances  THEN calculate up to maximum .001 levy rate for the annual payment

•Creates level of certainty for residents and future investments in Boise County

Budget Increase – NO

•Alamar debt - $3.15 million at 5.5% interest is still DUE

•Boise County provides annual income to Alamar at 5.5% interest

•Starts lawsuit against Idaho Tax Commission

•Taxpayers will bear the cost of additional attorney fees

•Boise County will end up paying to resolve the conflict between the State Constitution and State Statutes
It is essential for Boise County to achieve certainty for its residents and move beyond the Alamar devastation. Keep checking the website www.boisecounty.us for information as it becomes available. Commissioners invite questions and comments. Please contact: Bob Fry, 208 365-8705, fryrobert47@gmail.com ; Terry Day, 208 392-9505, tday@co.boise.id.us ; or Jamie Anderson, 208 462-3439, jamiea@frontiernet.net .

Potential Budget Savings Identified by Department Heads and Elected Officials

The table below is a preliminary estimate of funds that might be available after the ballot measure passes to pay down the principal amount remaining of the Alamar judgment debt prior to bonding. All of the amounts are based on the assumption that "nothing unexpected happens". The table is an example of savings that may be available, although the sources might be different. No reduction of county salaries is contemplated, but vacancies might go unfilled temporarily to save payroll costs. The Board of Commissioners is committed to minimizing the effect of this debt on the taxpayers of Boise County and will find ways to accomplish that goal. Department	Possible Budget Savings		Sources of Reductions
Clerk/Auditor	$3,000		Unexpended supply budget, defer computer purchase
Assessor	$1,800		Defer capital outlay, 20% salary savings for one position
Treasurer	$11,550		Cut staff training, defer computer purchase, cut elected official training, reduced warrant expense
Commissioners	$3,440		Cut telephone expense, reduce travel
Coroner	$950		Reduce Supplies, defer vehicle maintenance, reduce supplies
Emergency Management	$ 16,769		Retirement benefits not used, reduced health insurance cost, 2 months unpaid leave, reduced field expense, reduce training
General Reserve Account	$60,000		Unexpended this Fiscal Year, will need to be replenished for next Fiscal Year
General Operations	$ 4,500		Reduced Heating costs due to high efficiency heating system, defer replacement of building maintenance vehicle
Planning and Zoning	$ 28,000		Salary savings from holding position open, using part-time temporary employee
Capital Improvements	$ 30,000		Delay planned move of Prosecutors' office into old library building
Sherriff	$14,500		Reduce Bailiff costs, reduce training, reduce inmate medical, reduce inmate housing costs
General Operations, Justice	$400		Reduced snow removal costs
Prosecutor	$5,056		Reduce Field Expense, telephone, expert witness, travel, defer capital expenditure
District Court	$16,000		Reduce Professional Services, Felony L&L, defer capital equipment
Community Justice	$2,000		Position held open temporarily
Junior College Tuition	$75,000		Possible surplus to be moved at end of year, dependent on numbers of students
Litigation Expense	$ 275,000		Will not need as much as anticipated due to avoiding suit with Tax Commission
TOTAL		$547,965

~ Commissioner Anderson Will Be At Spring Fling 
To Answer Any Questions You May Have ~

GV Chamber Update!

Don’t forget…

 · Friday morning marketing meeting, 9:00 at Wild Bill’s.

 · Sign up for Spring Fling Chamber Booth this Saturday (4/28) from 10:00-4,
 Downtown Crouch (our booth will be outside the Community Hall.

       · Come on down to Spring Fling and support your community; remember this is our (the Chamber’s) big fund raiser for scholarships for the 2 deserving High School Seniors.
       · We will once again have a jail (I don’t know what happened to the one we had years ago). Anyway, you can have someone arrested for $5.00; they can bail themselves out for another $5.00 or sit in Chamber jail for 20 minutes. Ben Roeber will be our guest “Sheriff” for an hour, so come on down and watch the fun and support the local members and shops!

The handmade flags (made by our local quilters) are beautiful and some are almost ready to be purchased, after the grommets are attached to hold them in place. Please contact me if you are interested in purchasing one for the front of your business (just like the holiday flags). They will be available to Chamber members only. (We will figure out a price on Friday at the Marketing meeting; it will probably be around $20.00 each.)

If anyone would like to have a booth at the Exergy tour, we have been given permission to set up our own since they will be leaving from here and going to Idaho City. The booth place is still being determined, but will be outside. The spaces will be free to Chamber members, non-chamber members will be charged a minimum fee of $25.

~ A message from one of our members, Deb Drake, RN & President of the GVFD Auxiliary…

I am helping the organizers with the North Fork Championship Kayak Race on June 8 & 9. On Saturday, June 9 from 8 – 4, there will be a Whitewater Festival in the park. There will be some sporting vendors from Boise, food and arts/crafts. We would like to offer any local vendors a complimentary booth this year.

If you are interested, please let me know. Deb Drake drakedeb@msn.com

Notes From GGVChamber of Commerce

April 19 Meeting

SELECTED DELEGATIONS

Clean Up Day

·         May 19^th @ 10am – meet downtown Crouch – all community members invited to help clean up around town and down the Middlefork Rd. to the Hwy.

·         Toni Palmiotto announced that Young Life “Bags for Bucks” will be cleaning up the Middlefork Rd. north as far as they can go on May 4^th as a fund raiser for camp.  Any donations to them are helpful.  If you see the kids on the side of the road, stop and make a donation.

·         Spring Fling Update – Carol Scharf:  Spring Fling is next Saturday, April 28^th.  There is one booth space left.  If anyone would like to set up a booth, contact Carol.  There will be a raffle as a fund raiser if anyone would like to donate an item for the raffle.

No update on the T-shirts as Lorraine Bollinger is out of town.  However, Diane did talk about the vests that are available for purchase for $29.95 to members.  Diane sent out an email to members with the information, so if you did not get it, let her know.

Rich Smith, local author of Powerless, gave a brief synopsis of the book.  Books were available to purchase for $20 and he was available to sign them.

Laurel Judy, Advertising Director for Idaho Business Review, gave a presentation on the different types of advertising and what you should look for when advertising.  She discussed radio, TV, and print. 

NEW MEMBER UPDATES

Kathleen Wilson – Syringa Floral & Gift 

New floral & gift shop - where Dahlia’s used to be.

Anna Ross – Raven’s Nest

Art, Crystals, Teas, Essential Oils – where the book store used to  

 Also, Please welcome our newest members:

Jackie Gainer, an Individual member

Miller Enterprises, HSB

Rajun Cajun Bed & Breakfast

Diane Caughlin, President

Garden Valley Chamber of Commerce
PO Box 10
Garden Valley, Idaho 83622
208-462-5003 info@gvchamber.org

Garden Valley Market Update: Spring Fling, Deals and More!

We hope to see many of you at Spring Fling this Saturday from 10am – 4pm. It’s the town’s opportunity to welcome back our Snowbirds, welcome new neighbors and welcome new businesses (Syringa Floral and Gifts and Ravens Nest). This year there will be a small petting zoo for the kids, a town jail where with a donation, you can place someone in jail and another donation will get them out. Many of the local businesses will have new items and specials on display. There will also be an all day arts and crafts fair at the Community Hall!

~
At the Market, you can take advantage of our Spring Fling sales starting with fresh produce. You’ll find Cucumbers 2 for $1, Cluster tomatoes 99 cents lb , Celery 89 cents bunch, Dole Shredded lettuce 99 cents and much more. In our meat department, we’ll have selected grilling meats 10% off all day Saturday and Sunday.

There’s great pricing on many other items throughout the store all week long. It’s the end of our April 30 day deals, so come on down while supplies last.

 We received more of our Summer inventory this week such as:

 ~ Heirloom Organic tomato plant starter seeds

~ A colorful selection of Summer hats from baseball caps to sun hats

~ Garden Benches

~ Patio Umbrellas

Don’t forget two important items – Voting ends May 2^nd for Carolyn Arnold – our GV finalist in the Hometown Grocer Essay contest. You can read her essay and the other 19 finalist’s essays at www.yourhometowngrocer.com

The other reminder is for our customers over the age of 60! Every Thursday they will receive 10% off their purchases with the use of their 60 Plus card. Please pick one up at our Customer Service desk.

We look forward to your next visit!

Greg and Gerold
Garden Valley Market
208 462-3817
greg@gardenvalley-market.com

Rocky Canyon Burning Tues, April 24

The burn is west of Hardscrabble Campground

Rocky Canyon Underburn on the Emmett District

Looks like a window for Tuesday afternoon. Temps are coming down and the prescription is lining up.

Burn Boss-Tam Cook

Duty Officer- Josh Erickson

Contingency-Engine 461-Helicopter with Bucket

Target acres approx. 2000 give or take-Priority drainage is Bell Creek-Burn Block 2 of the Rocky Canyon Project. Lat/Long 44.22N by -115.92W. River runs along bottom of unit and snow is surrounding burn block. At least for awhile.

Briefing at GV 10:30 with a start time of 1300.

Poorman showed no smoke through the heat this weekend. This was a good test.