Growth + Affordability
Have questions about Idaho Power’s 8.6% rate increase? Utilities commission to host workshops on proposal
The Idaho Public Utilities Commission is hosting virtual workshops Aug. 14 and 15 to share information about Idaho Power’s application to increase rates for electric services. If approved by the utilities commission, Idaho Power will increase its overall rates by 8.6 percent. The online workshops will be hosted by commission staff who will present an […]
A ‘she-cession’ no more: After COVID dip, women’s employment hits all-time high
After fears of a “she-cession” during the pandemic, women have returned to the workforce at unprecedented rates. Much of the gain reflects a boom in jobs traditionally held by women, including nursing and teaching. Many good-paying jobs in fields such as construction and tech management are still dominated by men, a continuing challenge for states […]
Idaho is planning transportation projects for the next seven years. You can weigh in.
Idahoans can weigh in on the state’s new plan to maintain and overhaul roads and other transportation infrastructure. The Idaho Transportation Department is requesting public comment by the end of this month on its seven year draft Idaho Transportation Investment Program plan — which includes more than 1,000 projects that add up to $4.85 billion. […]
Despite pandemic pay boost, low-wage workers still can’t afford basic needs
Employers grappling with a nationwide labor shortage gave low-wage workers the largest pay increases in most states between 2019 and last year. But even so, many of those workers — more than 40% of all U.S. households, by one estimate — are struggling to cover the inflated costs of basic expenses. In the past several […]
Economy adds more jobs in June even as hiring slows
Although hiring inched down in June, the U.S. labor market is still showing signs of strength, with unemployment falling and earnings continuing to rise, the latest jobs report from the U.S. Department of Labor showed. The economy added 209,000 jobs as the unemployment rate fell to 3.6% from 3.7% in May. “In excess of 200,000, […]
Idaho’s lack of child care has the potential to affect the state’s economy
Idaho is struggling to retain child care workers. That is causing the price of child care to increase, which makes it more difficult for parents to find child care, leading to people quitting their jobs to care for their children at home. According to a press release from Idaho Voices For Children regarding the latest […]
Want to buy a home in Caldwell? CHA hosts affordable housing opportunity for families
Para leer esta historia en español, haga clic aquí. The Caldwell Housing Authority is hosting a unique opportunity for first-time home buyers living in Caldwell to purchase a newly renovated home – an opportunity organizers hope developers will replicate throughout the state. The housing authority, a low-cost housing provider, is selling a newly remodeled three-bedroom, two-bathroom […]
States, cities turn to community organizations to battle wage theft
About five years ago, most of Minneapolis’ Subway, Little Caesars and McDonald’s franchise restaurants did not comply with city wage standards. Now workers at each of the locations that violated the law receive the required minimum wage and time off when they’re sick. This is all thanks to a co-enforcement program, where the city’s labor […]
Car insurance premiums based on job, education can ding low-wage workers
New Jersey resident Anna “Cuqui” Rivera, a high school graduate who works as a labor and civil rights activist and moonlights as a DJ, was paying almost $3,000 annually for auto insurance with one of the big companies. Now, she pays almost $2,000 less for coverage on her 2016 Jeep. The difference? Her new, smaller insurance company doesn’t take […]
Idaho nonprofit brings affordable housing to Caldwell — with more projects in the pipeline
In its grand opening Tuesday, the Housing Company and its community partners unveiled new affordable housing developments for Caldwell workers and families at Sunset Landing Apartments. The Housing Company, an Idaho nonprofit whose goal is to preserve affordable housing developments, partnered with the Idaho Housing and Finance to address the housing needs of Canyon County. […]
Working class roots to tourist central: See how North Idaho has changed in the past century
North Idaho has more than doubled in size since 1990, with many newcomers from Washington and California settling in Coeur d’Alene – the region’s biggest city. Coeur d’Alene grew from 24,500 residents in 1990 to 54,600 residents in 2020, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That population boom has given way to development and a […]
High housing costs could be reason why Boise lost (yes, lost) population last year
The latest U.S. Census Bureau estimates show the city of Boise lost nearly 1,400 residents from 2021 to 2022, while all of the other top 19 most populated Idaho cities gained residents. Overall, the state’s population is still growing, but the pace of that growth has slowed from recent years, according to a press release […]