Dry port bill fails

A bill that would have allowed voters to decide on creating dry port districts for freight-handling facilities was denied by the Legislature's House Revenue and Taxation Committee on Monday.

"The conservative House objected to a simple majority to establish a district that could levy a property tax, even though it would have been very small," said Sen. John Goedde, R-Coeur d'Alene, who carried the bill.

Any taxing authority by the district, if established, would have taken a two-thirds vote.

The bill was intended to create jobs and attract businesses and allow for dry ports to be created like in other Northwest states.