“They wouldn’t even look at or consider me unless I had a four-year degree.”
The Idaho Department of Labor estimates nearly 70,000 people in the state don’t have jobs. That doesn’t include thousands more who are either underemployed, or have stopped looking for work.
Justy Thomas is part of the statistic. She lost her job in the mortgage industry in 2007, just as the housing market started to show signs of crumbling. She was 34 years old then, and like so many in her situation, was at a crossroads. Continue Reading →
J.R. Simplot Company announced today that it will replace three of its existing potato processing plants with a new facility in Caldwell, resulting in a loss of at least 550 jobs. The plants slated for closure are in Caldwell, Nampa and Aberdeen. The company said it expects the new Caldwell facility to be up and running by the spring of 2014.
Francois Nascimbeni / AFP/Getty Images
In Aberdeen, a town of under 2,000 people where Simplot has been processing potatoes since 1973, the news is still sinking in. “It’s a really hard thing to swallow, that we’re losing a big plant like that,” said Mayor Morgan Anderson. The Aberdeen plant employs 290 people, and 111 of them live in the town. “If something doesn’t come into the plant, we lose all those people,” Anderson said. “That’s going to have a great impact on us, plus it’s going to change the local tax base.” Continue Reading →
A recent study published by the progressive think tank Demos paints a bleak picture for 20-somethings in the U.S. The report says almost all young people earn less than the previous generation at the same age. Plus, in today’s world, a college education is becoming a standard requirement in order for 20-somethings to advance up the job ladder.
During a news conference announcing the report, Aaron Smith, executive director of the Young Invincibles — a nonprofit that advocates on behalf of millenials — praised young people, who, he said, strive to make a mark for themselves despite steep economic obstacles.
“The potential of this generation is great,” Smith said. “We’re serving our country in Iraq and Afghanistan. We’re the most technologically savvy, diverse, and tolerant generation in history. And we continue to chase the American dream.” Continue Reading →
Debbie Kaylor is the director of Boise State University’s Career Center. She and her staff help students and alumni decide what kind of career path is right for them. The center also helps facilitate internships. It provides assistance with interview skills, building resumes and networking. I spoke with Kaylor to find out if university career advisers have changed they way the work with students given the high rate of unemployment and underemployment. Here is an edited portion of our conversation.Â
Q: Has the down economy changed how you work with students?
A: We’ve always encouraged students to get a jump on the job search. It used to be three to six month process, now it’s more six to nine, bordering on 12 months, really. It’s a tough, tough market out there. But we also try to make sure they understand it’s not impossible. You have to have a positive attitude out there, and you have to keep trying. The way you try has changed too. It’s not a matter of sending out 50 resumes to 50 different companies and hoping you get a call. You’re not going to get a call typically. Continue Reading →
In a move that surprised advocates for Idaho’s disadvantaged, Idaho Department of Labor Director Roger Madsen today urged state lawmakers and Idaho’s Congressional delegation to oppose the further extension of federal unemployment insurance benefits. Madsen said his aim is to bolster the program’s long-term strength. Â
In a letter addressed to Idaho U.S. Senator Mike Crapo and distributed to media outlets, Madsen acknowledged that many people in Idaho have survived the recession thanks in part to the unemployment insurance program — but he also said he believes further extension of benefits will undermine both the program and the nation’s economy.
In a phone interview this afternoon, Madsen said he has hosted business listening sessions, and the deterioration of support for the program has been “striking.” “Many consider it a very damaging program to their business,” he said. Continue Reading →
The Idaho Department of Labor estimates there are nearly 70,000 people in the state who don’t have jobs. Tens of thousands more are either underemployed or have stopped looking for work.
“The unemployment rate measures people who are actively looking for work or working. If you’re not actively looking for work than you’re listed in the category of frustrated worker or marginally attached worker. And then there are thousands of people who are working jobs that are part time jobs because they can’t find anything more. And then there are thousands of people on top of that even the federal government doesn’t track.” – Bob Fick, Idaho Department of Labor
Idaho is one of a handful of states where the unemployment rate has gone up since the recession officially ended in mid-2009. Idaho’s unemployment rate climbed to its peak of 9.7 percent in early 2011, nearly two years after the recession was declared over. It has since come down to 9.0 percent. Continue Reading →
The Division of Financial Management reports Idaho’s general fund balance was $1.6 million less than predicted for the month of October.
“This month’s shortage was caused by the sales tax that came in $4.1 million below its
target. This shortfall was partially offset by the remaining revenue categories that all
came in above their predicted amounts.” – Division of Financial Management
Individual income tax collections exceeded expectations by $1 million. Corporate income tax collections, product taxes and miscellaneous revenue were also higher than predicted.
In downtown Los Angeles this fall, a man waited for a soup kitchen meal.
The U.S. Census Bureau released a new and expanded measure of domestic poverty today. Unlike the official poverty line, which is calculated based on food costs, the Census Bureau’s Supplemental Poverty Measure takes into account things like geographic differences in the cost of living and the assistance received through public benefits like food stamps.
We were curious to see whether today’s report would reveal any information about regional poverty, and there is an interesting nugget. Under the new calculation, the number of people living in poverty in the West increased by four percent. That’s compared to a gain of less than two percent in the Northeast, and slight reductions in the estimated number of people living in poverty in the Midwest and South.
Census Bureau officials chalk up the gain to high housing costs in the western region. The agency has not released state-by-state calculations as part of this report, but says state-level tables will be included next year.
This week I’ve been looking at some of Idaho’s business tax credits. I spoke with a non-partisan expert, the state Department of Commerce, a state tax expert and a business owner. I wanted to better understand the kind of tradeoffs the state is willing to make in order to develop new industries and expand existing companies in Idaho. The one question I’ve found most difficult to answer is, do those tradeoff’s pay off? It will be an ongoing question here at StateImpact. For now, here is what we do know.
Idaho currently has nine different business tax credits on the books (not including tax exemptions). The most popular, by far, is a three percent investment tax credit. The Division of Financial Management estimates businesses will collect more than $33 million in investment tax credits this year. It’s popular because any company can receive a three percent credit on qualifying equipment purchases. Qualified purchases include machinery, elevators, greenhouses, milking barns, research facilities, and just about everything in between. What doesn’t qualify? Apartment buildings and horses. (You can see the full list here)Continue Reading →
These are the five stories that got the most clicks, comments and shares this week. In case you missed one, we put them together in this handy list. Just click the blue link to read more!
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