“Treasure Valley Hospital Charges Vary Widely, New Data Show”
- Source: Idahostatesman
Bottom Rung: Gov. Otter Touts Idaho’s Low Wages To Attract Gun Companies
Joe Jaszewski / Idaho Statesman
For the last two years, Gov. Otter has pushed for lower business taxes, a state-based health insurance exchange, and hiring tax credits.
Gov. C.L. “Butch” Otter is using Idaho’s low wages as a selling point. In a letter sent to out-of-state gun manufacturers last month to encourage them to relocate to Idaho, Otter touts the comparatively low cost of labor here.
This week we’re reporting on wages in Idaho. The governor portrays as an asset the wage trends we’ve been reporting on. Bureau of Labor Statistics data show Idaho has the largest percentage of minimum wage workers in the country; Idaho’s average per capita personal income is second from the bottom. Mississippi is the only state where personal income is less.
In the letter sent to 79 gun and ammunition makers in 28 states, the governor highlights Idaho’s low wages as a way for those companies to save money.
Bottom Rung: Migration By The Numbers
The latest driver’s license data suggests more 20-somethings are leaving Idaho than ever before. The net loss of Idahoans aged 21-30 last year was 149. The data show 11,530 young people moved to Idaho from other states in 2012, while 11,679 left.
Source: Idaho Department of Labor | Idaho Department of Transportation
The Idaho Department of Labor is keeping an eye on this unsettling trend; young people are leaving the state in search of higher-paying jobs while retirees from out-of-state are moving in faster than ever. Continue Reading
Bottom Rung: Why An Influx Of Retirees To Idaho Is Creating More Low-Wage Jobs
Emilie Ritter Saunders / StateImpact
Jordyn Skinner is a freshman at Boise State University. She also works part-time at Franco's Pizzeria.
There’s a brand new pizza joint in southeast Boise. It’s nestled in a mini-strip mall with a gas station, dry cleaner and hair salon.
On a recent Friday evening, Franco’s Pizzeria was just starting to pick up. It’s a tiny place. The cash register is only a few steps away from the industrial pizza ovens. There are a handful of tables and stools inside for someone who just wants a quick slice.
Two employees behind the register take turns answering the phone and taking orders. Two other workers are busy hand-tossing pizza dough, spreading sauce on the crust and layering the New York-style pies with toppings.
Save for the owners, everyone at Franco’s earns $7.50 an hour, that’s a quarter above minimum wage. Continue Reading
Idaho Tax Collections Come In Well Above April Forecast
In the largest unexpected increase of the fiscal year, Idaho state tax collections were up 13.2 percent above projections in April.
Division of Financial Management / State of Idaho
The Division of Financial Management reports tax collections totaled $483.9 million during the largest tax-collecting month of the year. DFM forecast April collections wouldn’t exceed $427.4 million. Continue Reading
Idaho Leaders Renew Their Pitch To Gun Makers
Emilie Ritter Saunders | Molly Messick / StateImpact Idaho
Click above for an interactive map of all gun and ammunition manufacturers in Idaho.
Idaho leaders are renewing their push to draw gun and ammunition makers to the Gem State.
Yesterday, Gov. C.L. “Butch” Otter declared May “2nd Amendment Protection Month.” And as new gun control laws go into effect in a handful of states, the Idaho Commerce Department says it’s “well-poised” to lure gun and ammunition companies to Idaho.
According to our August 2012 analysis, Idaho has at least 180 gun and ammunition manufacturers. Continue Reading
Bottom Rung: Expenses Are Tough To Pay On Idaho’s $7.25 Minimum Wage
One in 13 hourly workers in Idaho earned minimum wage last year. That’s $7.25 an hour.The share of Idaho workers making minimum wage has increased from 5 percent in 2011 to 7.7 percent of the hourly workforce in 2012.
That bump means Idaho has a larger share of minimum wage workers than any other state in the country.
Bottom Rung: Two Idaho Workers Talk About Life On Low Wages
Molly Messick / StateImpact Idaho
John was an IT director 10 years ago. Now he spends his workdays behind the register of a Boise store.
Wages are lower in Idaho than in nearly ever other state. That’s often chalked up to Idaho’s rural nature and low cost of living. But recently, the state has lost ground.
A federal Bureau of Labor Statistics report shows that Idaho has the largest share of workers earning minimum wage in the country. And that share — 7.7 percent — has grown rapidly.
All this week, we’ll explain the trends that are playing out at the bottom of Idaho’s wage scale. Today, we’re asking: What is it like to earn minimum wage or close to it in Idaho? Continue Reading
Company Nixes Idaho Cobalt Mine Amid Money Woes
- Source: Ap
Number Of Businesses In Idaho Are Still Well Below The Pre-Recession Peak
U.S. Census Bureau
Click on the map to explore the data.
The U.S. Census Bureau has taken a closer look at business on the state and county levels. The agency released this map today that shows where Idaho’s businesses are concentrated, their estimated number of employees and the estimated annual payroll.
The 2011 data from the American Community Survey shows there were 42,399 businesses in Idaho, employing 482,772 with an annual payroll of $16.8 billion. The statistics don’t include self-employed businesses, employees of private households, or government.
The data also show the vast majority of Idaho’s businesses, 40,944, employ fewer than 50 people. Continue Reading