Emilie Ritter Saunders was StateImpact Idaho's multimedia reporter until the project merged with the Boise State Public Radio site in July 2013. She previously worked as the Capitol Bureau Chief for Montana Public Radio and was a Senior Fellow with NPR's Economic Training Project from 2009 until 2010. She graduated from the University of Montana School of Journalism in 2007.
2012 was a good year, comparatively, for Idaho’s housing market.
RealtyTrac’s year-end foreclosure report was released this morning, and it shows Idaho’s foreclosure rate and rank among states continue to drop. The Gem State now ranks 14th, bumping Idaho out of the top 10 in the annual ranking for the first time in years. Continue Reading
Tim Boyle / Getty Images
Earlier this week Stateline wrote about signs of the construction industry turnaround. Their opening scene: downtown Boise.
“The corner of 8th and Main streets in downtown Boise, Idaho, was jokingly called “the hole” because it had been vacant since a 1987 fire there. No more. Construction began last summer on a new $60-million building that’s now the headquarters of Zions Bank. And a new $70-million convention center called Jack’s Urban Meeting Place is also on track to open in downtown Boise next year.” – Stateline
As Stateline reports, and we have too, Idaho’s construction industry took a nose dive during the recession. Idaho lost more than 40 percent of it’s construction jobs, and they have not been quick to rebound. Continue Reading
Robyn Beck / AFP/Getty Images
Idaho Veterans have new job opportunities with the retail giant Wal-Mart. Today, the company announced plans to hire any veteran in need of a job.
Nearly 7,000 Idahoans work for Wal-Mart, making the low-price superstore Idaho’s second largest private employer, right behind St. Luke’s. There are 22 Wal-Mart stores in Idaho.
Here’s what The New York Times wrote about the announcement:
Company officials said they believe the program, which will officially begin on Memorial Day — May 27 this year — will lead to the hiring of more than 100,000 people in the next five years, the length of the commitment. Continue Reading
Courtesy Dept. Health and Welfare
Dept. of Health and Welfare director Richard Armstrong.
After the recession years of cutting staff and budgets at the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, the department’s director says the agency is now “hanging on” and is asking lawmakers to fund 24.9 new full time positions.
Health and Welfare director Dick Armstrong approached the Legislature’s main budget panel yesterday with a different tone from years past. He suggested the budget cutting over the last few years has been good for the agency.
“We are not looking to restore any benefits that were reduced over the past few years,” Armstrong said to lawmakers. “We have to hold on to those savings, for many of them helped us focus on paying for value.” Continue Reading
Emilie Ritter Saunders / StateImpact
Before you head out for an adventure in the snow, take a look at our most-read stories from the week. (Photo taken near Idaho City, Idaho)
Joe Jaszewski / Idaho Statesman
Gov. Otter delivered his State of the State speech Monday, Jan. 7, 2013.
As we reported earlier this week, Gov. C.L. “Butch” Otter showed his support to Idaho’s medical educators and doctors by including money for additional access to med school.
Otter’s budget proposal includes funding for five additional seats at the University of Washington Medical School, the WWAMI program. That would expand the opportunity for Idaho med school students from 20 slots to 25. Otter’s proposal also includes $109,000 for Boise’s internal medical residency. Continue Reading
Screenshot from Idaho Public Television
Lawmakers on the Economic Outlook and Revenue Assessment Committee (EORAC) have agreed to move the state budget process forward with a vote of confidence in Gov. C.L. “Butch” Otter’s revenue estimate.
Gov. Otter unveiled his annual budget plan Monday. It assumes state revenue will increase 5.3 percent in fiscal year 2014 over fiscal year 2013. The budget proposal would spend $84 million more in general fund money next year compared to the current budget year.
Senate President Pro-Tem Brent Hill made the motion to approve the governor’s forecast, with the caveat that lawmakers have discretion to change that number if state tax projections begin to falter. House Speaker Scott Bedke agreed.
“At this point in time, I don’t see anything wrong with the governor’s more optimistic number,” Bedke said. Still, he added, he sees no problem with the Legislature adjusting that estimate as the session unfolds, and as tax collections peak later this year. Continue Reading
State Controllers Office / State of Idaho
Transparency.Idaho.gov
In an effort to become more transparent, the state of Idaho has launched a new website that details state spending and revenue. Transparent.Idaho.gov was created by the state controller’s office, after the state continually received failing grades on its openness.
Last year during ‘sunshine week,’ StateImpact Idaho reported on two separate transparency report cards — one gave Idaho an “F“, the other a “D-“.
Then state controller’s office Chief of Staff Brandon Woolf said a transparency website had been a goal of the agency for the last six or more years. Woolf is now State Controller, and he says those report cards were a bit of a breaking point in pushing for a transparency website. Continue Reading
The investment group Cerberus Capital Management LP will buy Albertsons stores from Supervalu for $3.3 billion according to The New York Times and the Wall Street Journal.
Here’s more from the Times’ DealBook blog:
The Cerberus-led group will also buy up to 30 percent of Supervalu itself, paying $4 a share in a tender offer. That represents a 50 percent premium to the grocery chain operator’s 30-day average closing price and nearly 32 percent higher to Wednesday’s closing price.
At a minimum, the investor consortium will own at least 19.9 percent of Supervalu. – NYTimes.com Continue Reading
Idaho had 327 more state employees at the start of this year than last. The state Controller’s office released its annual Legislative Handbook, formerly known as the Rainbow Report, last week.
The chart shows the total number of state employees at the start of each calendar year, going back to 2004. As the effects of the recession hit, and Idaho began cutting state agency budgets, the number of state workers declined.
As StateImpact Idaho reported last year, the state had laid off nearly 1,000 employees since 2007. The total number of state workers at the beginning of this year is above 2006 levels. Continue Reading
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