HCR 46: Supporting state land acquisition — 2024

Rep. Brent Crane (R-Nampa) introduced House Concurrent Resolution 46 in the House State Affairs Committee. The Resolution voices the Legislature’s support for acquiring state land needed to support our growing population. It appears that HCR 46 may be connected to a significant land sale by the Wilks brothers, who are among the largest landholders in the country, and who are currently selling large tracts in Idaho, totaling 94 square miles, with an asking price of $150 million. However, even if the resolution passed, it would not obligate the Idaho Department of Lands or the Idaho Land Board to acquire the lands.

The Idaho Department of Lands manages about 2.5 million acres of lands across the state at the direction of the Idaho Land Board to generate funds for public schools, the University of Idaho, state prisons, and other public beneficiaries. If the Land Board (comprised of the Governor, Attorney General, Controller, Secretary of State, and Superintendent of Public Schools) decides to sell any lands, proceeds are placed into the “Land Bank” and are available to purchase new lands. After 5 years, any unspent funds are transferred into the state’s stock market portfolio, known as the Permanent Fund. Currently there are $81 million in the Land Bank, with $23 million obligated for the University of Idaho’s CAFE Center in Rupert.

For decades, the Land Board has struggled with how and when to acquire or dispose of its lands. Some county commissioners in North Idaho, where trees grow more quickly and returns are higher, have opposed state efforts to acquire lands in their counties. Unlike federal lands, state lands do not share any revenue to offset the loss of property taxes. In addition, the controversy surrounding Cottage Site Leases on Priest and Payette Lakes ultimately led to the sale of high value properties surrounding the lakes. That generated large balances in the Land Bank, and over $100 million has already been transferred to the Permanent Fund, meaning that we’re literally losing ground. At the same time, IDL has been actively seeking lands to purchase, and we’ve seen large acquisitions of land in North Idaho over the last several years.

While any land purchase would have to be fully appraised, and there aren’t sufficient funds in the Land Bank to meet the Wilks’ asking price, the resolution from Rep. Brent Crane shows that there is broad and growing support for the acquisition and retention of public lands, something ICL wholeheartedly supports.

For more on the history of Idaho state land sales, read here.