NAMPA, Idaho — Nampa City Council unanimously rejected a proposal to put a tax increase on the November ballot that would have helped fund the transfer of the Ford Idaho Center to the College of Western Idaho (CWI).
The council considered adjusting a levy that would have added about $6 in taxes for Nampa residents for every $1 million needed. CWI had assessed the needs of the Ford Idaho Center at $25 million.
"Tonight we're talking about a financial decision. What do we do? How do we fund this?" Mayor Debbie Kling said.
WATCH City Council discuss the Ford Idaho Center
"So is the override levy the answer? I don't think that it is," Councilman Victor Rodriguez said.
Throughout the public input process, several alternative revenue-generating ideas emerged. Councilmember Haverfield proposed converting a three-acre section of the parking lot into commercial space, which would require making one-quarter of the remaining parking compact spaces.
Councilmember Griffin's new idea: Increase user fees. Two dollars is currently added to every ticket sold, generating $300,000 a year.
"But let's say we add another $2," Mayor Kling says, "and we get another $300,000 a year [totaling $600,000]. It could be that that's just offsetting a deficit.
No date has been set for the city council to discuss and vote on transferring the Ford Idaho Center to CWI.
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