STORY BY MANDY POMEROY

PHOTO BY KAREN BOSSICK

The Blaine County Board of County Commissioners has submitted a Letter of Intent to Idaho Governor Brad Little indicating the County's intent to participate in the Public Safety Payroll Proposal.

This program was developed to provide additional allocation of funds from the Coronavirus Relief Fund.

 The intent of this program is two-fold:

· Would allow Blaine County to cover the payroll costs of public health and public safety employees

· Pass on the resulting budget savings to Blaine County taxpayers in the form of one-time property tax relief.

Blaine County would be eligible to participate in this program by agreeing to not increase their annual property tax budget by any growth factor, except for the value shown on the new construction rolls and annexations.

The Letter of Intent does not bind Blaine County to participate in this program; rather it provides the opportunity for the Board and staff to fully explore their options. The County must decide if it is better to forgo the allowable 3 percent property tax increase in lieu of these funds from the Coronavirus Relief Fund.

The Board will continue to discuss this option as it proceeds through its Fiscal Year 2021 budget development process in July and August and wait to hear consideration about its legality. The County also needs assurance that the state will hold the County harmless in the event that the Treasury Department requires repayment of these funds.

The public should feel free to contact the Blaine County Commissioners with comments.