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Tax commission requests ongoing FAST maintenance, vehicles and IT upgrades; agency reports collection ROI
Summary
The Idaho State Tax Commission presented IT and vehicle replacement requests and said FAST modernization has exceeded projected returns; lawmakers asked for details on FAST maintenance costs and vehicle justifications.
Boise — The Idaho State Tax Commission presented its FY2026 budget to the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee on Feb. 18, requesting ongoing funding for FAST tax-management software maintenance, replacement vehicles and ITS security and infrastructure investments. Chairman Jeff McCray told the committee the FAST project has produced collections well in excess of the vendor's one-year return projection.
Christopher LaHozet, LSO budget analyst, summarized the commission's requests: ongoing operating additions for FAST maintenance, a commissioner compensation adjustment (which requires separate legislation), one-time vehicle replacements (a light-duty truck at field offices and nine additional vehicles), and ITS hardware and security investments totalling about $300,700 in the analyst's breakout. LaHozet noted the commission's FTP cap reduction from 448 to 440 over recent years and said if all requests are approved the total FY2026 increase would be about $1,143,100.
Chairman Jeff McCray, presenting for the commission, said FAST was delivered on time and that the commission reverted approximately $309,948 to the general fund at the close of FY2024; he said the commission has collected $34,287,416 since the FAST implementation, exceeding the earlier ROI estimate. McCray offered to provide the ROI documentation to the committee through the analyst.
Committee members asked for greater detail on two items: the rising recurring FAST maintenance and support costs and vehicle replacements. Senator Cook asked whether FAST was off-the-shelf or required customized work; McCray said FAST is a tax-specific package requiring ongoing licensing and development to keep pace with legislative changes and security needs. LaHozet said he had posted in the committee SharePoint an agency-provided breakout of vehicle mileage, model years and use cases, and explained the light-duty trucks are necessary in field offices where compliance staff seize and transport property held for auction to satisfy tax debts.
No formal votes were taken. The commission said it will provide the committee with FAST ROI documentation and the posted vehicle and ITS breakouts remain available in the legislative materials.
Ending: The commission asked for continued support for technology and personnel investments to sustain collections and handle increased workload; committee staff will review ROI and cost-breakout materials submitted to the SharePoint.
