Legislation would limit Idaho urban renewal agency authority
“Idaho urban renewal agencies would need city or county approval to use eminent domain or incur long-term debt under two bills pending before the House Local Government Committee.
House Bill 18 removes eminent domain authority from urban renewal agencies; a local governing body may exercise eminent domain on behalf of an urban renewal agency. Rep. Steve Harris, R-Meridian, and Sen. Steve Vick, R-Dalton Gardens, sponsored the bill.
House Bill 19 prohibits urban renewal agencies from issuing bonds or incurring debt more than one year in duration without the approval of the local governing body. Rep. Steve Harris, R-Meridian, and Sen. Cliff Bayer, R-Meridian, sponsored the bill.
Under state law, urban renewal agencies do not need voter approval to take on long-term debt or issue bonds.
Urban renewal agencies pay for public improvements by capturing the increase in property taxes that improvements generate within a designated urban renewal area.”
Sewell, Cynthia. Idaho Statesman 26 January 2015.