Commissioners okay $100k for .09 projects

Whitman County commissioners officially allocated $100,000 in .09 economic development funding for small town project proposals Monday.

The county’s Blue Ribbon Advisory Task Committee will hear applications and decide which projects should receive funding in April.

They had considered withholding the funds this year out of fear the legislature would hold the funds to try and balance the state’s mounting budget deficit.

Each year, the state distributes .09 percent of its portion of local sales tax revenues to be spent on projects to improve the local economy.

After reviewing the county’s pool of .09 dollars, commissioners decided they could send out a round of awards this year.

The county has saved just short of $1.5 million in .09 dollars. About $704,000 of that total is spoken for, $114,000 being held to reimburse previously awarded projects, and $590,000 pledged to guarantee a $2.7 million bond issued in 2002 to make improvements to the courthouse. Final payment on the courthouse bonds is due in 2015.

More has been set aside as a guarantee for the planned $9.1 million bond issue to finance construction of infrastructure for Hawkins Companies, Boise, long-proposed stateline strip mall.