| Property
Taxes: Restricting the 3-legged stool for taxes and less
reliance on property tax.
Water: It is the lifeblood of Idaho. We
must keep Idaho water in Idaho for the benefit of Idaho.
Water rights are a property right.
Property Rights: Prosperity and property rights
are inextricably linked. The importance of having
well-defined and strongly protected property rights
is should be widely recognized among policymakers.
Simply put property rights is the key to economic development
Property taxes are the major
funding source for local government. Until alternative
revenue resources are allowed property tax must be relied
upon.
More decision-making authority must be given to
our local elected officials.
The Constitution and statutes of the state of Idaho
declare all the waters of the state, when flowing in
their natural channels, including the waters of all natural
springs and lakes within the boundaries of the state,
and ground waters of the state, to be public waters.
When a private right to the use of public waters is established
by appropriation, a water right is established that is
a real property rights much like property rights in land.
The constitution and statutes of the state of Idaho protect
private property rights, including water rights. Consequently,
Idaho water should be managed for Idaho only within the
existing water structure. Provide a clear
definition of "property." In
providing such a statement, the first and most important
order of business is to give a clear definition of "property." In
every area of the law except the law of public takings,
as every first-year law student learns, "property" refers
not simply to the underlying estate but to all the uses
that can be made of that estate. James Madison put the
point well in his essay on property: "as a man is
said to have a right to his property, he may be equally
said to have a property in his rights."(5) Take
one of those rights--one of those sticks in the "bundle
of sticks" we call "property"--and you
take something that belongs to the owner. Under the Fifth
Amendment, compensation is due to that owner.
County governments are under some
pretty stringent rules and the state should
have to live by their own rules. Money for education
needs to be put in specific funds and not spent for anything
else. It is also very important to maintain
control of schools at the local level.
I believe
that a fetus is a human or baby, but do not feel that
morals can be legislated. Changing those must be in people's
upbringing.
Everyone ought to
be able to shoot a wolf because things have become so
out of proportion. I would like to see the state
manage wolves and come up with scientific controls.
If wolves are the problem with ungulates, they need to
be taken out, but it needs to be on a scientific
basis, not just emotion.
Continued access to public lands
is another issue in the legislature. People
need to be vigilant and not lose access. Forest plans
are coming out now with roads closed unless they are marked
open and roads are being closed for ease of management.
That is not the answer, though there are some scientific
reasons for closing roads.
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