The budget cuts continue to be the center of discussion in the legislature. Writing a budget for a state government involves the most complicated and controversial issues in the legislature: how the publics money gets spent. Given the number and variety of interests and issues that have to be reconciled for a budget to be completed, the wonder is that the process moves along as smoothly as it does.
Because budgets have so many functions, the process of writing one is often conflict-ridden, unsatisfactory to the public and flawed in its outcomes. Budgets seem to increase rather than resolve partisan competition; they sometimes are late; they leave problems unresolved; they spend too much or too little; they may fail to include adequate program review, planning for the future, accounting for past expenses, or controls on planned spending. With the complexity of budgeting it is easy to see why there is so much tension in the legislature as programs are cut. For example, this is the first time that the State of Idaho has had to consider making cuts in education.
Also, rules for state agencies have been taking up much of the time in the legislature. Rules can be looked at as the “meat” that goes on the “bones” of laws that passed by the Legislature. Idaho is one of the few states in the nation that go through the process of making sure that approved rules from the previous legislative session are working properly. If they are not meeting the established goals, we will then go through the process of revising those rules and making sure that they are done correctly.
There is legislation proposed which House Bill 396 which sets up a commission to review sales tax exemptions and exclusions on an ongoing basis (potentially creating a sales tax on real estate commissions). We are opposing this legislation and continuing to protect the real estate industry from undue burden.
There have been a number of proposals regarding short sales and real estate license law. See the IREC website for details.
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