A first-year legislator is pushing a new bill in the Idaho Legislature that would give local county commissions the authority to remove the property tax exemptions in place for hospitals. Rep. Josh Tanner, R-Eagle, also is sponsoring a second new ...
Read More »St. Luke’s cuts 2% of workforce as COVID relief wanes but costs remain high
St. Luke’s Health system announced Wednesday that it plans to cut its workforce by 2% by April. It has already eliminated about 150 jobs through attrition, but it will now lay off nearly 200 employees over the next two months. ...
Read More »$8,500 workforce training grant bill squeaks through Idaho House on close vote
Following the longest floor debate of the year on Monday, a divided Idaho House of Representatives narrowly passed a bill that would provide $8,500 workforce training grants to Idaho high school graduates to put toward career training. Legislators spent more ...
Read More »Idaho was second-fastest growing state in the US in 2022
Fueled still by an influx of people moving from other states, Idaho was the second-fastest growing state in the country in 2022, with a population that nearly reached 2 million people for the first time in July, according to the ...
Read More »Why St. Luke’s made its own HMO-style insurance plan for Idaho
St. Luke’s Health System grew rapidly over the past decade — acquiring and making deals with Idaho and Oregon medical practices and hospitals. As it grew, St. Luke’s executives described a master plan to curb the costs of health care ...
Read More »Idaho lawmakers head into 2023 with projected $1.5B surplus — and ideas on how to use it
Even with revenue collections coming in below forecasts, the state of Idaho is projected to end the 2023 fiscal year with a $1.54 billion budget surplus, according to the last budget and revenue update before the new legislative session starts ...
Read More »7 Idaho companies receive USDA loans to help expand services, create jobs
U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced Tuesday that the department has allocated $981 million for 242 projects to help create new and improved market opportunities and expanded essential services for rural communities and businesses across the country, according ...
Read More »Newly elected Idaho officials talk taxes, upcoming legislative session at annual conference
Concerns about the economy, budget outlooks, property taxes and other subjects were the focus of the 76th annual Associated Taxpayers of Idaho Conference on Wednesday, with legislators and newly elected officials in attendance about a month before the next legislative ...
Read More »Albertsons-Kroger mega-deal raises questions from lawmakers about higher food prices
Members of a U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee panel raised concerns during a Tuesday hearing that a proposed merger between two of the largest U.S. supermarket chains could mean a monopoly on groceries and lead to higher food prices for Americans. ...
Read More »Idaho’s take from opioid settlements is now over $26M
Idaho has received more than $26 million in opioid settlement funds, according to Idaho Attorney General Lawrence Wasden. The state last week received its final payment for this year. Wasden anticipates Idaho will receive a total of $128 million by ...
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