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.
Here’s a look at the five stories getting the most clicks, comments and shares at StateImpact Idaho this week. In case you missed anything, we bundled them in one tidy package.
Northwest States Coping with Government Employee Layoffs: Across the Northwest, government agencies and schools have laid off thousands of workers. Just like corporate downsizing, those public sector job losses have a human and an economic impact. This story is a collaboration between reporters in Idaho, Oregon and Washington.
A Young Refugee Searches for a Place in Idaho’s Reshaped Economy: In the last few years, more than 4,000 refugees have found their way to Idaho. They’ve come from Africa, and from East and South Asia. Most came to Boise. For years, the city’s strong economy, good quality affordable housing and supportive community created an especially favorable environment for refugee resettlement. Now, the recession has shifted that picture. Continue Reading →
Idaho ranks 21st among states with a business friendly tax climate.
The Tax Foundation’s annual index of state business climate came out this week. It ranks Idaho’s business tax climate 21st, up a spot from last year. All of Idaho’s neighboring states ranked higher. Montana ranks 8th, Wyoming ranks 1st, Nevada ranks 3rd and Utah ranks 10th. So we started asking, what does this index mean?
Idaho Association of Commerce and Industry president Alex LaBeau says states tend to highlight these rankings when they’re ranked high and downplay them when they rank low. “Every ranking is somewhat subjective to the variables that the study considers,” LaBeau says. “Without further understanding of those variables the ranking lacks any real value.”
According to the Tax Foundation’s annual report on state business tax climate, Idaho ranks in the middle of the pack. The Foundation looks at corporate, individual income, sales, property and unemployment insurance tax rates to compare states. You can read more about the methodology here.
Click to enlarge / The Tax Foundation
Idaho ranks 21st among states with a business friendly tax climate.
Do you read the Idaho Statesman online or in print? We’re pleased to announce a developing partnership between the Statesman’s Business Insider and StateImpact Idaho. For now, some of our work will be featured in the weekly magazine, which arrives on doorsteps each Wednesday.
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Molly Messick's recent story about the rising cost of farmland is featured on page 12 of this week's Insider
Here’s is what the Idaho Statesman’s business editor David Staats wrote about the collaboration: Continue Reading →
This means lawmakers could be faced with choices. Governor Butch Otter laid out his budget priorities earlier this month. Topping the list: $60 million for state reserves, $41 million in one-time, merit-based bonuses for state employees (only if the state meets revenue targets) and $45 million in tax cuts. Plus Otter’s budget plan includes some increased funding for public schools and higher education. Continue Reading →
Lawmakers could have $33.3 million less to work with next year. A group of Idaho legislators voted to approve Governor C.L. “Butch” Otter’s revenue estimate for the remainder of this fiscal year, but decided to trim nearly $33.3 million from his 2013 recommendation.
The 18-member Economic Outlook and Revenue Assessment Committee (EORAC) approved these figures on a 15-3 vote. The three “no” votes were from Rep. Cliff Bayer (R-Boise), Sen. Shawn Keough (R-Sandpoint) and Sen. Curt McKenzie (R-Caldwell).
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The revenue estimating process still has another step, though. These numbers will now head to the Joint Finance Appropriations Committee (JFAC) for their stamp of approval. But there is a chance JFAC will select a different revenue estimate.
President Barack Obama will deliver his final State of the Union speech of his first term tonight before Congress and a nationally televised audience. It’s been widely reported the President’s speech will focus on the economy.
“The central challenge that we are facing right now is we came out of a steep recession, the worst since the Great Depression, and the American people want to know how are we going to continue to climb out of it,” Plouffe said. “And that’s what the president is going to lay out tonight: A very specific blueprint for how we build an America that’s durable and that works for as many people in this country as possible.”
Sandy Brown has worked at the Idaho Dept. of Health and Welfare for six years.
This story is a collaboration between StateImpact Idaho and Northwest News Network. Contributing reporters are Emilie Ritter Saunders, Chris Lehman and Austin Jenkins.
Across the Northwest, government agencies and schools have laid off thousands of workers. Just like corporate downsizing, those public sector job losses have a human and an economic impact.
The health and welfare office in Boise was unusually quiet on a recent Tuesday morning, thanks to the first major snowstorm of the year. Only a handful of people waited in line to sign up for food stamps, Medicaid or other programs. This office typically sees 100 people a day. Continue Reading →
Tuesday afternoon a group of lawmakers will pick a number that could have a big effect on Idahoans. The Economic Outlook and Revenue Assessment Committee (EORAC) will choose a revenue estimate. It’s the number that will determine how much money is available for public services.
Sure, it’s hard to work up a lot of enthusiasm about as dry a subject as revenue estimates, but before you move on to different story consider how lawmakers will choose this all-important number. One state lawmaker referred to the current system as the ‘crystal ball method’, and that’s basically on point.
Click on the map to see interactive county-by-county data
As we reported Friday, Idaho’s jobless rate ticked down one-tenth of a percent to 8.4 for the month of December. Because of last week’s snowstorm, the Idaho Department of Labor didn’t have county-by-county data immediately available, but now it’s here.
The department reports the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate dropped in 27 of Idaho’s 44 counties from November to December. Adams County continued to have the highest rate at 17 percent and Franklin County had the lowest at 5 percent.
Early next month StateImpact Idaho will be unveiling a new app that will allow readers to better understand the state’s jobless picture. It will include things like a visual map showing county jobless data over time, it will highlight our series Jobless in Idaho and it will let you share your stories about unemployment with us using Google Voice.
What would you like to see in this kind of an app? How will you use it?
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