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.
Bundles of newly printed 20 dollar bills prepare for distribution.
If fewer Idahoans have jobs, that means the state doesn’t collect as much revenue. That in turn can determine how much money is available for schools, road repair and health services.
So we took notice last week when the governor’s budget office revised down its estimate of revenue coming into the state’s bank accounts.
The Division of Financial Management typically evaluates its forecast for the coming fiscal year in August and again in January.
In past years, a downward revision in August has meant hold-backs — that’s when the state cuts agency budgets midway through the fiscal year. But legislative budget and policy analyst Keith Bybee doesn’t anticipate hold-backs this time around. Continue Reading →
If you’re hungry for raw economic statistics, the U.S. Census Bureau has launched its first mobile app.
The app is available for Android users now. Apple users will have to wait a few weeks.
The Census app promises info on 16 key economic indicators including; wholesale and retail trade, unemployment, construction and personal income.
The Census Bureau plans to unveil three apps for mobile phones and tablets over the next several weeks in an effort to give people “faster and easier access” to the government-collected statistics.
RealtyTrac data released today illustrates a mixed picture of Idaho’s housing market.
The foreclosure tracker looks at two things each month: annual changes, and month-to-month changes. In Idaho, the annual trends are positive. It’s the month-to-month data that tends to be more volatile.
Idaho’s foreclosure rate ticked up slightly by just under one percentage point from June to July according to RealtyTrac. Continue Reading →
Chobani will open its Twin Falls facility later this year. The company has been approved for $3.3 million in training grants.
The Idaho Department of Labor has approved another round of workforce development training grants for eight companies, totaling $4.8 million dollars.
The biggest chunk of that goes to three businesses, Chobani, Central Garden and Pet, and ATK.
New York-based Greek yogurt maker Chobani is currently building its Twin Falls, Idaho manufacturing facility. It’s already started training managers, and the company is eligible for reimbursements of up to $3.3 million from the Idaho Department of Labor. The Department estimates Chobani will train 583 people, costing on average $5,700 per person. Continue Reading →
Las Vegas-based Allegiant Air to add Boise flights.
Allegiant Air, known for its low cost direct flights, will now fly out of Boise. The airline announced new flights from Boise to Las Vegas starting in October and Boise to Honolulu beginning in February.
Here’s the press release from Allegiant:
Allegiant (NASDAQ: ALGT) announces new, nonstop jet service between Boise, Idaho and Honolulu beginning February 10, 2013, and Las Vegas beginning October 26, 2012. To celebrate, the carrier will offer introductory fares to Honolulu for as low as $180.00* one way and fares to Las Vegas as low as $62.00* one way, including taxes and fees. Flights and vacation packages are available for booking through April 16, 2013. Continue Reading →
The governor's panel on Medicaid expansion met for the first time this week. The group will submit its recommendation to the governor late this fall.
More than 236,000 Idahoans are currently enrolled in Medicaid. That’s the federal-state funded health care program for low-income adults and children. If the state chooses to expand eligibility in Idaho to 138 percent of poverty, 100,000 people could join the rolls.
Utah-based consulting firm Leavitt Partners presented that data to Idaho Governor C.L. “Butch” Otter’s work group on Medicaid expansion Monday. The state hired the firm to study how expanding the low-income health care program could affect Idahoans, and the state budget. Continue Reading →
Laura Summers of consulting group Leavitt Partners presents preliminary information to working group members.
The first meeting of Gov. C.L. “Butch” Otter’s Medicaid expansion working group is underway. The group is charged with providing input to the governor as he weighs whether the state should expand its Medicaid program, as prescribed under President Obama’s health care law.
The biggest news out of today’s meeting so far: an additional 90,000 to 100,000 Idahoans will be eligible to receive Medicaid, if the state expands eligibility to 138 percent of the poverty line. That’s according to preliminary information from Leavitt Partners, the Utah-based consulting group the state has hired to evaluate the Medicaid expansion. Continue Reading →
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