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CHUBBUCK
1 A A H A
Memo
To: Honorable Mayor and City Council
From: Kami Berger, Municipal Services Director
Date: October 12, 2026
Re: Circuit Breaker Policy Revisions
Municipal Services Department
290 E. Linden Ave., Chubbuck, ID 83202
208.237.2430 — Fax 208.237.2409
www.CityofChubbuck.us
This memo is to outline the City's current Circuit Breaker Policy and address issues that have been
identified with current protocol.
Current Process
The City of Chubbuck currently relies on Bannock County's Property Tax Reduction Program ("Circuit
Breaker") to determine eligibility for utility bill reductions. The County program allows qualifying
homeowners—primarily seniors, individuals with disabilities, and widow(er)s—to reduce their property
taxes by $250—$1,500. To qualify, applicants must be Idaho residents who own and occupy their home,
fall under the income limit set annually (currently $39,130 after allowable medical deductions), and
meet at least one of the qualifying criteria as of January 1, 2025 (e.g., age 65+, blind, disabled, etc.).
Applications must be submitted annually between January 1 and April 15.
If approved by the County, applicants in Chubbuck automatically receive a reduction on their water,
sewer, and sanitation charges, as allowed by City Code 13.04.025. The City receives an eligibility list
directly from the County.
Issues with the Current Process
Because some qualifying individuals live in apartments, trailer courts, duplexes, or similar housing where
utilities are billed to a landlord or a master account, the discount is often applied to a single combined
account instead of to the eligible individual. As a result, the benefit may go to the property owner rather
than the qualifying resident.
Additionally, there are inconsistencies between the County's program requirements and the City's
ordinance. For example, the County's income threshold is $39,130, while City ordinance still lists
$28,000. The ordinance also states that relief applies only to a person's residence, yet discounts are
sometimes applied to accounts billed as a group. The County program also explicitly excludes fees such
as solid waste, while the City currently discounts sanitation services.
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Recommendation
To resolve these inconsistencies, staff recommends continuing to rely on the County's program and
updating the City ordinance to reflect the County's eligibility criteria. The ordinance would also clarify
that discounts apply only to utility accounts billed directly to eligible residents. This approach would
maintain a consistent process while avoiding the additional administrative demands associated with
establishing a separate City program. Approximately 238 residents currently receive Circuit Breaker
reductions; this number may decrease modestly if discounts are no longer applied to group -billed
accounts.
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