If a countywide highway district were established in Valley County, it would be funded through property, sales, and fuel taxes and forest funds and development fees.
There are 64 highway districts in Idaho that make improvement decisions on 12,000 miles of roads, said Scott Turlington, who works for Tamarack Resort on legislative affairs.
The district would plan, design, construct, maintain and map roads. County road department employees would then work for the district.
In order for the county to establish a highway district, a citizen's advisory committee is being created.
The advisory committee would determine if there is a need for a highway district, determine how to set up a district, work with the Idaho Association of Counties and the Local Highway Technical Assistance Council to understand the workings of a district and review the requirements for setting up a district.
This committee would then report to the county commissioners with recommendations. The commissioners would then decide if the district should be placed on a ballot for county voters to decide.
If voters chose to create a highway district, the district would maintain and construct bridges in the county, seek federal and state matching funds for projects, construct, improve and maintain secondary highways and provide maintenance of highways in emergencies.
The district would have the power to levy property taxes. A district could be created by a majority vote. If it fails, the measure could not come before voters again for six years.
The original highway district commissioners would be appointed by the governor. Three commissioners would be appointed.
