Idaho voters Tuesday approved three constitutional amendments that make it easier for governments and agencies to issue revenue bonds.
One measure restores the ability of public airports to issue revenue debt if there is no recourse to taxes, and another provides the same authorization for public hospitals. Another amendment confirmed the ability of municipal electric utilities to enter into long-term power contracts, and to issue revenue bonds for capital projects if they receive majority voter approval.
The amendments were placed on the ballot by state lawmakers, in response to a 2006 opinion by the state Supreme Court, which ruled that government enterprises could not issue long-term revenue bonds without a vote of the people in their jurisdiction.
Idaho voters also handily re-elected their Republican governor, Butch Otter, and added to overwhelming GOP majorities in the Legislature.
