Nampa council rejects levy override to cover Ford Idaho Center shortfalls

The Nampa City Council voted unanimously Monday to deny putting a property-tax levy override on the November ballot to address deferred maintenance and operating shortfalls at the Ford Idaho Center. The action follows hours of public comment and more than an hour of council debate over whether to ask voters to fund repairs and ongoing operations.

Council and staff framed the options: council legal counsel reviewed Idaho law for levy overrides, and the city’s CFO presented sample tax calculations for different levy amounts. A levy override could be placed on the ballot as a temporary two‑year measure, which requires a simple majority (50% plus one), or as a permanent measure that would trigger a higher approval threshold (60%) depending on the levy rate. Legal counsel reminded the council that Idaho code requires a stated purpose for any override and identified an August 29 filing deadline for resolutions related to a November election.

Why it matters: The Ford Idaho Center is a large city-owned…