BOISE, Idaho — It's not over, maybe far from it, maybe close.
Idaho lawmakers are still working Tuesday evening, trying to end the year's legislative session.
In a whiplash day of ideas, debates and votes, lawmakers are still voting on big ideas then trying to come up with even bigger ones.
That includes property taxes, something Idahoans have called on lawmakers for years to do something about it.
The last 48 hours has seen a winding conversation about what to do on property taxes.
Idahoans have spoken loudly saying they can't keep up with rising property taxes that can be related to explosive growth. Leaders at the state level have voiced opinions that the property tax solutions need to be examined at the local level with limiting city budgets and whatnot.
Cities say they have to grow budgets to keep up with growth. On Monday, Governor Brad Little vetoed one property tax packaged lawmakers did agree on, which knocked down bonds and levies at the local level, which in turn aimed to decrease property taxes.
Lawmakers are against the clock to come up with new solutions to property tax, leaders at the Statehouse hoped to wrap up last Friday, March 24th.
There were two big options going into the day on property tax relief, override the veto of Gov. little or make a new pitch.
Monday, the Idaho Senate gutted a House bill and basically reformed a new property tax bill.
When that idea hit the house Tuesday, it was not met with excitement. Republican Rep. David Cannon was blunt in his reaction.
“So, the amendments gut the original bill and instead substitute in the body across the rotunda as quote unquote, fix for what they perceive to be a flawed House bill 292. Again, these are hostile amendments. I would ask unanimous consent that the House not that's not, not concur with the amendment on House Bill 198," Cannon said on the House floor.
So, what about the original idea, the one both houses approved, but Gov. Little saw issues with?
House Bill 292 now has a trailer bill to help clarify it, to help address Little's concerns. Although, Rep. Jason Monks maintained on the House floor that he believed the perceived issues are not reality.
The trailer bill, House Bill 376, clarifies the existing intent in HB 292 regarding sales tax distribution for state and local roads.
Specifically, according to bill sponsors, the trailer bill ensures that $80,000,000 is distributed to the transportation expansion and congestion mitigation, TECM fund, and any dollars over $80 million are sent to local units of government for local highway projects.
Little expressed concerns over it, the trailer bill looks to answer his questions on the funding.
Still though there is a ‘poison pill’ in the original legislation that Idaho Democrats continue to speak out on.
Getting rid of the March election date for school bonds and levies is alive as a compromise for those who say bonds and levies are out of control, and low attendance elections should not impact property taxes.
Democrats argued for weeks that losing the March election day handicaps school districts and makes it even harder for them to make sure facilities and budgets are maintained.
The trailer bill passed overwhelmingly in the Idaho House Tuesday afternoon, and the sponsor says it can stand on its own.
But it may not need to.
A short time ago the Idaho House successfully overrode Gov. Little's veto, 58-12.
So, the Idaho senate now takes on the veto effort.
If the Idaho Senate does vote successfully to override the veto, they will get the proposal installed in Idaho code. Still, the Idaho Senate has a long list of legislative tasks to complete before they can wrap up. Leaders in the Senate say they expect to work late, again, Tuesday night. The Idaho House was able to wrap up business for the day shortly after 4 p.m., Tuesday.
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