Mountain States Policy Center Vice President and Director of Research Jason Mercier issued the following statement on the legislative adoption today of HB 521 (relating to taxation):

“It is exciting to see Idaho lawmakers continue the state’s ongoing income tax rate reduction efforts to help improve regional economic competitiveness. With this change, Idaho is now in between our friends in Utah who just reduced their income tax rate to 4.55%, and Montana with its two rates of 4.7% and 5.9%.

The combined corporate and personal income tax relief adopted by HB 521 is estimated to be around $59.1 million for Fiscal Year 2025. According to the Tax Foundation, moving from a 5.8% to a 5.695% individual income tax rate will help improve Idaho’s ranking from 33 to 29 for all states and from 24 to 20 for those states where wage income is taxable."

Mountain States Policy Center President Chris Cargill issued the following statement on the Idaho House adopting HB 595 to focus education funding in Idaho on student outcomes:

"At the beginning of the legislative session, we recommended lawmakers require benchmarks and student results for increased education funding. Today, the Idaho adopted HB 595 to phase in outcomes-based funding.

Outcomes-based funding encourages districts to focus on student performance, and not just enrollment or attendance. In the effort to improve the student outcomes, it is a policy worth pursuing."

Mountain States Policy Center Vice President and Director of Research Jason Mercier issued the following statement on the vote in the Washington legislature to ban a state and local income tax (I-2111):

“With the adoption of I-2111, Washington has taken the first step to regain its status as a non-income tax state. The next step will be when voters consider I-2109 this November to repeal the capital gains income tax. With Washingtonians consistently and overwhelmingly rejecting income taxes, the legislature next year should consider placing the new state and local income tax ban directly into the state constitution.”

Mountain States Policy Center President Chris Cargill issued the following statement on the Wyoming House voting 44-18 to advance Education Savings Accounts (HB0166):

“It is exciting to see the Wyoming House act to advance more education choice options for families with approval of Education Savings Accounts (or ESAs). ESA's are one of the most popular forms of education choice. They give parents the power to use their children's state education dollars for a variety of educational purposes.

Education savings account programs create personal accounts that store a child’s state education dollars. With ESAs, parents can use education dollars to pay for school tuition and fees, textbooks, tutoring and special therapies and other approved expenses, so a child’s education is truly customizable. Participating families are able to choose the best education for their children through multiple providers.

It is important to remember that despite the claim from opponents, Education Savings Accounts are not vouchers. In the end, ESAs are made available to parents directly and vouchers are given to schools or a specific institution.”

Mountain States Policy Center Vice President and Director of Research Jason Mercier issued the following statement on the proposal in Washington (I-2111) to ban a state and local income tax:

"I-2111 would implement the clear and consistent intent of Washington voters to stop income taxes from being imposed. Although some believe the state constitution prohibits an income tax, government officials can currently impose up to a 1% tax if uniform. I-2111 would fully close this door and prohibit a state or local income tax of any kind, assuming of course the plain meaning of words is honored (unlike what occurred with the recent capital gains income tax).

For years, the state Department of Commerce advertised the lack of an income tax as being a ‘competitive advantage’ for Washington. To further protect this advantage, along with acting on I-2111, lawmakers should also take the next step and adopt this policy as a constitutional amendment. This is something that Texas and Tennessee recently did to signal to residents and businesses that an income tax is fully off the table. With Washington voters rejecting 10 straight ballot measures to impose an income tax and now qualifying I-2111, it is time for state officials to finally prohibit income taxes.”

Mountain States Policy Center President Chris Cargill issued the following statement on the Federal Trade Commission's decision to sue to block the merger of Albertsons and Kroger:

“The Federal Trade Commission’s decision today will limit competition and only serves to bolster the big three big box competitors in the supermarket industry. The decision is even more troubling considering Kroger’s commitment to not close stores, its plan to lower grocery prices by $500 million on day one of any merger, and its pledge to invest $1.3 billion in Albertson’s stores – an investment that would have directly benefited the Mountain States.”

Mountain States Policy Center Vice President and Director of Research Jason Mercier issued the following statement on the practice in Idaho and Washington of including political messaging on taxpayer refund checks:

"Receiving a refund for overpaid taxes is good. Having those government checks include political messaging is not. Government officials should be commended for prioritizing tax refund checks when taxpayers overpay. The practice of including political messaging on refund checks, however, should be discontinued. Let the checks speak for themselves without turning them into a government-funded political advertisement."

Mountain States Policy Center Vice President and Director of Research Jason Mercier issued the following statement on the proposal for Idaho to provide a statewide voters' guide:

"Voting is one of the most important responsibilities and rights we have as citizens. It can be difficult at times, however, to find the needed information about those running for office who want to represent us. This is why several states authorize their Secretary of State to provide a statewide voters’ guide to help provide these important details.

Along with a traditional printed and online voters’ guide, another resource worth considering is a Video Voters’ Guide. This would allow voters to go to one place to see and hear candidates in their own words about why they are running for office."

Mountain States Policy Center President Chris Cargill issued the following statement on a proposal to focus education funding in Idaho on student outcomes:

"At the beginning of the legislative session, we recommended lawmakers require benchmarks and student results for increased education funding. Now, they will have that opportunity.

House Bill 557 phases-in outcomes-based funding in Idaho.

Outcomes-based funding encourages districts to focus on student performance, and not just enrollment or attendance. In the effort to improve the student outcomes, it is a policy worth pursuing."

Mountain States Policy Center Vice President and Director of Research Jason Mercier issued the following statement on the introduction of several Idaho Senate resolutions that call for attention on the national debt:

"Some have expressed concern that a convention of the states could lead to a runaway process that drastically alters the current U.S. Constitution. One important thing to keep in mind about this fear, any amendments advanced by this process would still have to be ratified by 3/4 of the states. It is doubtful that anything without broad public support would be enacted by 38 states with this safeguard.

It is clear that Congress is not capable of enacting the reforms needed to change the course of runaway federal spending. That duty now falls on the states to secure the nation’s economic outlook for our continued prosperity."

Mountain States Policy Center President Chris Cargill issued the following statement regarding the House passage of Washington HB 1893:

"This legislation – which would permit unemployment benefits for striking workers – provides all the wrong incentives to get employees back on the job as quickly as possible. And, because businesses pay unemployment taxes, they would be financially supplementing the work stoppages of their own employees.

According to Cornell University, Washington already ranks in the top five in the states that are home to the most strikes each year. This proposed law likely only increases the number of work stoppages in the future."

Mountain States Policy Center President Chris Cargill issued the following statement regarding the introduction of Wyoming HB 0116:

"Education Savings Accounts (ESAs) remain the favorite education choice policy of parents. More than a dozen other states have ESA's, which are successful in improving the educational outcomes of children.

It is inaccurate and misleading to call this program a voucher. ESA's are given directly to parents via a state fund, whereas vouchers are given to schools or a specific institution."

Mountain States Policy Center Vice President and Director of Research Jason Mercier issued the following statement on the introduction of Idaho Senate Joint Memorial 103:

"One of Mountain States Policy Center’s top recommendations for lawmakers this session is to oppose any breaching of the Snake River dams or efforts to reduce operational effectiveness. It is encouraging to see several House and Senate lawmakers come together to introduce SJM 103 to once again put Idaho strongly on the record supporting the clean and renewable baseload power provided by the Snake River dams."

Mountain States Policy Center Senior Policy Analyst Madilynne Clark issued the following statement on the passage of Idaho House Bill 444:

"HB 444 is an MSPC policy recommendation that prevents the egregious practice where the government is allowed to foreclose on a property through tax liens, sell the property, and keep all of the equity after the debts are paid.

We are grateful to see the Idaho House unanimously pass this important reform and look forward to seeing the Senate move it across the finish line."