Rep. Cliff Bayer, R-Boise, opening debate on HCR 25, the measure to freeze the grocery tax credit for the next year rather than have it rise by $10 as scheduled, told the House, "I want to state clearly that the grocery tax credit will not go backwards. This proposal is to keep it static for an additional tax year. Idahoans when they file will get the same amount in the 2011 tax year as they got in 2010. It is a delay of the increase."

idaho's grocery tax credit currently is $70 for the low-income and $50 for most Idahoans, with an additional $20 for seniors; without the resultion, it'd rise to $80 and $60 next year. It's meant to offset the 6 percent sales tax that Idaho charges on groceries.

Rep. Grant Burgoyne, D-Boise, said, "I won't be voting for this. It's a tax increase. In my view it is a tax increase of the worst kind in very bad economic times." He said, "We're asking them to pay more tax than they otherwise would on groceries," and said, "I think this is a particularly cruel tax. ... I don't think we shoudl be balancing this budget on the backs of the people who are least able to pay."

Rep. Shirley Ringo, D-Moscow, said there are many ways Idaho could be looking at raising additional revenue to balance its state budget, but, "We are limited on the floor to this one idea. ... I think that is really unfortunate." Instead, she said. "We should be discussing which one works best."

---

---