Thankfully ACHD Votes To Make GROWTH Pay for Itself!

How do you describe life in Idaho? Perhaps you moved here during the pandemic, hoping to find the perfect place to raise your family, retire, or live in peace and tranquility? Other states in our region, California, Oregon, and Washington, promote draconian policies such as excessive taxes and progressive taxation.

Idaho's state government prides itself on being pro-business and frequently reminds us that the Gem State is less heavily regulated than other states. The state's lack of regulation has attracted major employers such as Chobani, Amazon, Facebook, and others to Idaho. The more businesses move in, the more people they bring with them.

Idaho's rapid population growth has significantly strained the limited infrastructure, leading to a boom in development and replacing many family farms with subdivisions, schools, and retail outlets. Roads, however, have not kept pace with this expansion, highlighting ongoing infrastructure challenges.

Congestion is now a significant problem in the Treasure Valley. One government organization has decided it's time to reform the current system, aiming to ensure growth benefits everyone and that our infrastructure can support future needs.

The Ada County High Commission voted 4-1 to revise impact fees on developers who build in Ada County. The plan aims to raise $1.2 billion to fund roads and other necessary infrastructure projects, encouraging community growth that benefits all residents. The fees will rise as much as 66% for some projects, reports the Idaho Statesman.

Obviously, influential realtors and developers protested the move but were denied. ACHD Commissioner Kent Goldthorpe told us exclusively:

"It's gonna increase the amount of impact fees by at least 20 million per year. The builders told us the ordinance would be illegal. The fees shouldn't be used to build entire roads. It went okay, and we have a lot more revenue coming in from impact fees."

The goal is to force development growth to pay for itself. We'll continue to monitor this story as it develops.