Change to Idaho Tax Notice Mailings Could be Made Permanent

BOISE, Idaho (AP) — The Idaho State Tax  Commission won House approval to continue sending notices to taxpayers via first class mail, something allowed last year to help save the agency more than $100,000 annually. With Friday's 58-9 vote, the measure now goes to the Senate.

In 2012, the Idaho Legislature changed the law requiring the Tax Commission to send certain notices to taxpayers via certified mail. But the law allowing the notices to go out first class was just a one-year trial run.

Democratic Rep. Mat Erpelding of Boise said no problems emerged, so he urged the chamber to make the cheaper mailings permanent. The agency argues the change results in more taxpayers getting their notices, since under the old system about a third of the certified mailings were returned unclaimed.