According to documents released today, Mike Bloomberg donated $200,000 in support of the Students Come First laws, which will be put to a vote next Tuesday.
We originally reported that Foster Friess donated $50,000 to Education Voters of Idaho. He gave $25,000.
Right now, the question in the mind of every Idaho journalist is: Why did New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg give $200,000 to a campaign supporting Idaho’s controversial Students Come First laws?
A working group appointed by the governor last week recommended that Idaho aim to have a state-based health insurance exchange up and running by 2014.
When Idaho Association of Commerce and Industry President Alex LaBeau made his ultimately successful motion that the Health Insurance Exchange Working Group should call for Idaho to implement a state-based exchange by 2014, he spoke in dramatic terms.
“What is in the best interest of the employers in the state of Idaho?” he asked. “How can we mitigate this massive increase in their costs that’s coming? The only way is to pursue a state-based exchange.”
Health insurance exchanges are a key component of the federal health care law. Essentially, they’re marketplaces that allow consumers to evaluate and purchase health insurance. Gov. C.L. “Butch” Otter convened his 13-member working group after the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the federal Affordable Care Act earlier this year, forcing states to decide what form of exchange to pursue. Continue Reading →
Idaho doesn’t cater to as many out-of-state hunters and fisherman as it once did. The Idaho Business Reviewreports that’s prompted the Fish and Game Department to step up marketing efforts.
Idaho Fish and Game’s Michael Pearson told the Idaho Business Review that the number of non-resident fishing and hunting licenses sold by the state fell by 13 and 26 percent respectively from 2007 to 2011.
Ads have been placed on outdoor recreation websites and in periodicals like California Sportsman, he said. For the first several months leading to fall, the ads tried to recruit hunters with its “I hunt Idaho” slogan. As fall approached, it switched over to promote the steelhead fishing that is prevalent in October and November. Continue Reading →
On November 6, voters in Idaho will decide if a trio of education laws should be repealed in whole or in part, or if they’ll remain intact. So, what happens if voters reject the laws?
The Students Come First laws do many things. The package of three laws would remain on the books if Propositions 1, 2 and 3 pass on November 6. If any of those propositions fail, the corresponding law would be repealed.
Republican Congressman Mike Simpson and Democratic state Senator Nicole LeFavour debated on Idaho Public Television Sunday night.
LeFavour, an eight-year veteran of the Idaho Legislature is trying to unseat Mike Simpson, who has represented Idaho’s 2nd Congressional District since 1998.
In case you missed it, here’s the hour-long debate:
Gov. Otter's insurance exchange working group met at the Capitol today.
Governor C.L. “Butch” Otter’s 13-member health insurance exchange working group says Idaho should pursue a state-based health insurance exchange for 2014. The panel arrived at that decision today, months after the Supreme Court upheld the federal Affordable Care Act, landing the issue back in the laps of state leaders.
Committee member Alex LaBeau, president of the Idaho Association of Commerce and Industry, made the impassioned argument that ultimately won out. “What is in the best interest of the employers in the state of Idaho?” he asked. “How can we mitigate this massive increase in their costs that’s coming? The only way is to pursue a state-based exchange.”
Two work group members — Rep. Lynn Luker (R-Boise) and the Idaho Freedom Foundation’s Wayne Hoffman – disagreed. Hoffman encouraged the committee to “keep the federal government from implementing this unconscionable law.” Luker wanted to put off the decision for a year. Continue Reading →
Hewlett-Packard set up shop in Boise decades ago, in 1973.
Idaho’s Students Come First laws are controversial for a lot of reasons. There are the limits the laws impose on teachers’ unions, and the effects on teachers’ job security.
This week, when Gov. C.L. “Butch” Otter announced that Hewlett-Packard has won a $180 million contract to provide computers, maintenance and technical support to every high school student and teacher in Idaho, a new consideration joined the fray: local tech jobs.
Any Boisean can tell you that HP has a long history in Idaho. This is the home of the HP LaserJet, an iconic printer, as printers go. By HP’s own estimates, the company employs as many as 4,000 people in the state. Lately, though, the company’s news hasn’t been good. Continue Reading →
If you tried to book a spring break direct flight from Boise to Portland on Southwest Airlines this week, you’d notice it’s no longer an option. Southwest released its April and May flight schedule this week, and that direct connection is absent.
“If you have a flight under two hours,” says Southwest spokesman Brad Hawkins, “the traffic is just not there anymore.” Hawkins says travelers can still get to Portland on his airline, you’ll just have to go through Las Vegas or Oakland first. Continue Reading →
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