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Idaho State Tax Commission defends FAST software spend, requests vehicle and IT replacements
Summary
At a Feb. 18 budget hearing the Idaho State Tax Commission told lawmakers FAST tax-management software has exceeded its expected return on investment and requested funds for vehicle replacements, ongoing contract inflation, and IT infrastructure. The agency reported $34.29 million in collections tied to the FAST project and proposed enhancements
The Idaho State Tax Commission told the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee on Feb. 18 that its FAST tax-management system has yielded collections above the projected return on investment and that the commission seeks funding for vehicle replacements and IT security and infrastructure upgrades.
Chairman Jeff McCray told the committee the FAST project delivered a return greater than the target and that the commission had reverted $309,948 to the general fund at the close of fiscal 2024. McCray said the commission has collected $34,287,416 attributable to the FAST effort to date, figures he said exceed the project’s one-year return projection.
Analyst Christopher LaHozet outlined the commission’s enhancement requests for fiscal 2026: a $16,000 ongoing operating cost for certified-mail hardware and software (five-year lease with Quadient), compensation changes for commissioners calculated on a 5% governor recommendation (legislative action required to change commissioner pay), one-time vehicle replacements (a light-duty truck priced at about $44,500 and nine vehicles at about $297,000 total), and approximately $300,700 for ITS security and infrastructure investments (laptops, monitors, switches, servers). LaHozet reported that if all enhancements are approved the total appropriation increase would be $1,143,100.
Commission officials said the FAST system requires ongoing licensing, development and security work to remain current with legislative changes and to ensure proper tax administration. Senator Cook asked for a breakdown of maintenance and support costs; McCray and analyst LaHozet said much of the spending reflects ongoing licensing and development needed to implement legislative changes, security updates and system refinements that enable collections and compliance work.
LaHozet also noted personnel and staffing trends: the commission’s FTP cap had been reduced from 448 to 440 over recent years, and the agency has seen overall base appropriations grow since 2021. LaHozet placed vehicle and IT replacement details, mileage and justification documents in the committee’s SharePoint for lawmakers’ review.
Closing: McCray thanked staff and reiterated the commission’s request that the committee support limited enhancements to maintain technology and operational capacity. He emphasized the commission’s work in collections and said the FAST project has delivered measurable returns.
