BOISE, Idaho — Utah's legislators are about to do something that has caught the attention of Idaho House Speaker Mike Moyle (R), and he's none too happy about it.
"This is Idaho. We play fair in the sandbox with Utah for years. We've always considered [Utahns] good partners, and to do this is bull manure in my humble opinion, but we'll see," said Speaker Moyle.
Speaker Moyle is reacting to a proposal in the Utah State Legislature that would cut the amount of tax Utah residents pay to fill up their vehicles by 50%. Instead, refineries would make up the difference, paying added taxes after decades of state-sponsored tax breaks and development.
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That change in tax dynamics could raise costs for Idaho drivers, something Moyle strongly opposes. "I think it's important that Idahoans know that Utah is about to stick you with a 25-cent increase in your fuel [price], and it's not right."
Moyle and Idaho lawmakers drafted what's known as House Joint Memorial, which is like a resolution or an official statement, directed to the Utah Legislature.
That Memorial declares Idaho's opposition and says in part that "the [Idaho] Legislature opposes the neighboring state of Utah imposing an export tax on transportation fuels and urges Utah to reconsider such tax."
WATCH: Speaker Mike Moyle discusses what Idaho might do in response to what some call a Utah "export tax" on gasoline
Scripps News reporter Ben Winslow covers the Utah Legislature for Idaho News 6's sister station, Fox 13 Utah. Winslow spoke with the bill's sponsor, Republican Representative Cal Roberts, at the Utah Capitol building on Thursday
Roberts claimed that statements from Idaho House Speaker Mike Moyle are simply political theater and rhetoric.
"Here's what I'd say: We are trying to fight to make sure that Utah families get a fair deal at the pump. That's what this is about. We represent Utahans. We don't represent Idaho," said Roberts. "And I find it interesting that they're responding to a bill that doesn't exist yet. They call it an export tax. I don't know what they're, they can call it what they want. It's not an export tax. It's a refinery tax, and it's making sure that our residents get a fair deal at the pump."
Speaker Moyle replied by saying, "The Speaker in Utah would like to raise the fuel tax by about 25 cents at the refinery. Well, a good portion of the fuel that comes to Idaho comes from refineries in Salt Lake from a pipeline, and that pipeline comes up to Pocatello, Burley, and Boise."
Moyle says the oil companies would likely pass any increase in fuel tax on to consumers in Idaho. The speaker added that Idaho can't stop Utah lawmakers but says this potential border war is far from over.
Besides taking legal action, Moyle says maybe Utah lawmakers should be more concerned about their Great Salt Lake drying up.
"One of the things I would like to see us do, we have a lot of water that goes to the Great Salt Lake; let's keep it in Idaho," said Speaker Moyle. "We've got a drought going on anyway. When you open these cans of worms where you're going to try to force us to pay your fuel tax, we're going to look at ways to make you pay up, also, right?"
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