Senate panel advances bill to let cities dissolve urban renewal districts, give fire districts opt-out

BOISE, Idaho — The Senate Local Government and Taxation Committee voted Wednesday to send House Bill 436 to the Senate floor with a do-pass recommendation after hearing competing testimony on changes to urban renewal law.

Representative James Monks, sponsor of House Bill 436, told the committee the bill would add an optional statutory process through which a city could dissolve an urban renewal agency or terminate a revenue allocation area. "They have to adopt a resolution indicating their intent to do so," Monks said, adding that the council would then meet with the urban renewal agency and prepare a plan before adopting a second resolution to effect dissolution.

The bill also would give fire and ambulance districts an option to remove their levies from existing urban renewal revenue allocation areas if there is no outstanding indebtedness or contractual obligation, and would require fire districts to opt in for new urban renewal areas, similar to current rules for road…