Pocatello taxpayers will soon be receiving their 2021 tax assessments, and missing from the statement will be the section showing Governor Brad Little’s one-time property tax reduction.
Last year, Governor Little offered federal coronavirus relief funds to cities and counties for fiscal year 2021 (October 1 through September 30). Through the program, Idaho cities and counties opted-in to “receive an additional allocation of funds from the Coronavirus Relief Fund to cover public safety personnel (Police, Fire, and Emergency Medical Services) salaries.” From there, cities and counties passed the resulting savings on to taxpayers in the form of one-time property tax relief.
The City of Pocatello was allocated $4.9 million and saved Pocatello taxpayers $214.54 per $100,000 of taxable value on their 2020 tax bill.
“We appreciate the Governor allowing the City to provide this one-time tax relief to citizens,” said Mayor Brian Blad. “Last year, we saw many residents experience hardships because of the pandemic, and using the funding this way helped to alleviate some of those financial burdens.”
If taxpayers have questions about how the ending of the program will impact their tax bill, they should contact the Bannock County Assessor’s Office or their mortgage lender.