04/13/06 Legislative session ends after 93 days

93 days; that's how long the Idaho Legislature was in session this year. It all ended with a property tax bill and an agreement on aquifer recharge. Canyon County state representative Darrell Bolz says agriculture will be on the losing end of the property tax relief bill that increases the homeowner's exemption from 50 thousand to 75 thousand dollars. BOLZ "I think a lot of people are going to be somewhat disappointed in terms of what they actually see in terms of tax reduction but it really is a tax shift. It's going to be a shift to business and agriculture and such." Governor Kempthorne has indicated that he will sign the tax relief bill. Just before adjournment Idaho Power and state struck a deal on aquifer recharge. Two thousand cubic feet of water per second from the Snake River will be diverted to the aquifer as long as Idaho Power can maintain a minimum water right. BOLZ "I'm not opposed to going to more efficient systems but when you go to drip irrigation or you go to a sprinkler system you basically do not get enough water on the surface of the ground that actually goes down and gets down into the aquifer." Legislation to require ethanol to be added to gasoline sold in the state was defeated. Lawmakers turned down a farmworker safety bill too. Voice of Idaho Agriculture Bill Scott