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Idaho State Tax Commission seeks equipment and IT funding; chair says FAST system exceeded ROI
Summary
At a Feb. 18 Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee hearing, the Idaho State Tax Commission requested funding for vehicle replacements, IT security and infrastructure, and a commissioner compensation adjustment; the commission chair reported the FAST tax-collection system has already surpassed the projected return on investment.
The Idaho State Tax Commission presented its FY26 budget requests to the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee on Feb. 18, asking for vehicle replacements, information-technology security investments and ongoing funding tied to contract inflation and commissioner compensation.
Chair Jeff McCray presented the commission's requests and defended ongoing maintenance and security investments related to the agency's FAST tax-management software. "In order to keep up with security, in order to keep up with legislative changes ... there's a lot of development work that goes into keeping up with legislative changes," McCray told the committee.
The commission's FY26 enhancement package presented by Legislative Services analyst Christopher LaHozet included: $16,000 in ongoing operating expenditures for a five-year lease for certified-mail hardware and software at the Chinden campus; a $28,000.50 request for commissioner change-in-employee-compensation (based on the governor's 5% recommendation; any compensation change requires separate legislation); one-time replacement requests including $44,500 for a light-duty truck and $297,000 for nine vehicles; and $300,700 for IT security and infrastructure (171 laptops, 392 monitors, switches and servers). If approved as requested, the enhancements would total $1,143,100 for FY26.
LaHozet noted that light-duty trucks are used by the compliance program to seize and transport items (cars, trailers, ATVs and other assets) that can be auctioned to offset delinquent taxes.
Senators questioned the rising maintenance and support cost for the FAST system; McCray said FAST is a vendor-supplied tax-management package that requires ongoing licensing, development and security work and is specific to the tax commission. The commission reported that FAST exceeded its expected return on investment: McCray said the project came in on time, the agency reverted $309,948 back to the general fund at the close of FY24, and collections attributable to the FAST project totaled $34,287,416 to date.
Committee members asked for the commission's ROI documentation, and McCray said he would provide a report to the committee via staff. Lawmakers also requested vehicle lists and mileage data for the requested replacements; the analyst said such breakouts were placed in the committee's SharePoint folder.
No formal votes were taken. The commission asked the committee for continued support of funding to maintain technology, imaging systems and staffing levels necessary for the agency to meet statutory responsibilities under chapter 1, title 63 of Idaho Code.
