Category Archives: Idaho

Business/Economics, Idaho, U.S.

What Economic Recovery? One Idaho city wants to give itself a raise, taxpayers say Bull Crap! City does it anyway, increases property taxes!

The city of Chubbuck gave city employees a raise in salary and benefits, at the expense of property owners.  Property taxes were increased 2%.

Residents had told city officials no way!  Not when so many taxpayers have seen their incomes go down, and many don’t have health insurance.

One resident even suggested an end of year performance bonus for city employees.  But that fell on the deaf ears of the city council, they ended up voting to increase property taxes.

There are several abandoned homes in the area I live in, the city has taken over lawn care because everything was dying.  There are even more homes with ‘for sale’ and ‘for rent’ signs.  How can the city justify increasing the property tax?!?

Business/Economics, Idaho, Opinion, U.S.

What Economic Recovery? Dairy industry asking government for new industry “welfare” programs, as state governments slash and burns Food Stamps for families

The national average for a gallon of milk is about $4.00.  Many people in the dairy business say they’re losing money because people can’t afford to buy the product. They want the Federal government to create new industry welfare programs to bail them out.

In Idaho it’s estimated that Idaho dairymen lost $700 million in 2009.  Even Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson has jumped on the band wagon calling for more corporate welfare for dairymen.  But, you know what, I buy milk at the Pocatello, Idaho, Fred Meyer, and sometimes at the Chubbuck, Idaho, WalMart, and I’ve always paid less than $3.00 per gallon (usually no more than $2.50).

I have relatives in California who complain about the nearly $4.00 per gallon milk price there, but I haven’t seen that price in Idaho.  So why are Idaho Dairymen complaining?

The real reason dairy products, as well as other food products, are seeing a drop in sales is because the average consumer doesn’t have the money!

Maybe the Federal government should increase Food Stamps pay outs by greatly increasing the maximum income cutoff.  After all, the original purpose of Food Stamps was to subsidize the agriculture industry, by providing lower income people with money to buy food.  That’s right Food Stamps was originally created to support Farmers!

Instead it looks like individuals will get nothing, while “industries” get increased direct welfare!

 

 

Business/Economics, Idaho, U.S.

What Economic Recovery? Idaho slashes and burns social programs, yet can fork up $2.4 million for college bowl name?

The Idaho Potato Commission, a state taxpayer funded agency, has signed a $2.4 million deal, to rename the college football Humanitarian Bowl game.  It will now be known as the “Famous Idaho Potato” Bowl.

Commission officials say they need to spend that kind of money to promote Idaho grown potatoes: “The bottom line, is that we believe we have negotiated a very favorable contract when compared to other similar bowls with similar national media coverage.”-Frank Muir, IPC President

Idaho, U.S.

United Police States of America: Idaho man accuses Oregon cop with Road Rage, cop threatened him with a gun, cop gets reasigned to a more violent police position

Idaho State Police confirmed that an off duty Oregon cop threatened an Idaho man in a case of Road Rage.  The Portland, Oregon, police captain threatened the Idaho man with his gun.

Here’s the thing, ISP let the Oregon cop go!  The Portland police said they assigned the gun happy police captain to a new job; the drugs and vice division!

Business/Economics, Idaho, U.S.

What Economic Recovery? S & P’s downgrades Nevada & New Jersey, Idaho gets upgrade, more to come in November

“In our opinion, the longer-term deficit reduction framework adopted as part of the Budget Control Act of 2011 (BCA) could undermine the already fragile economic recovery and complicate aspects of state and local government fiscal management.”-Gabriel Petek, S&P’s

Standard & Poor’s has already downgraded the credit rating of Nevada, New Jersey and several U.S. counties, for 2011.

Many counties and cities got super downgrades, meaning credit rankings of triple B, or less.  S&P’s says many local governments are in very bad shape fiscally.

Six states were actually upgraded. They are Idaho, Nebraska, Wyoming, Oregon, South Dakota and Louisiana.  But only Wyoming and Nebraska made the triple A rating.

In a statement issued by S&P’s on August 18, they indicate more downgrades for state and local governments are coming.  It’s all based on state budget plans, and what happens with the Federal Debt Limit Deal (Budget Control Act of 2011).

S&P’s will make more credit rating decisions in November.

 

 

Business/Economics, Idaho, U.S.

Government & Corporate Incompetence: Idaho man discovers you can hack into medical implants

“There’s no security around the devices which are a very active part of keeping me alive.”-Jay Radcliffe

Idahoan, Jay Radcliffe, discovered you can hack into and remotely control a person’s medical implants.

He recently demonstrated to government officials by hacking into his own implanted insulin pump.

The problem is that wireless implants are supposed to be regulated to prevent such a thing.  The U.S. Food and Drug administration recently warned implant makers of a similar problem.

Federal lawmakers asked the Government Accountability Office to investigate the Federal Communications Commission.  The FCC is responsible for making sure all radio communication devices are in compliance with regulations.

 

 

 

Business/Economics, Idaho, Opinion, U.S.

What Economic Recovery? Idaho Poverty rates highest in the U.S., new report also insults single parents

“We need to really be concerned about the growing number of children in poverty. Our poverty rates are growing faster than the rest of the nation and that has long-term consequences.”-Lauren Necochea, Idaho Kids Count

The latest Kids Count survey found Idaho leading the country in poverty rates for children.  The national average is 18%, from 2000 to 2009.  During the same time period, Idaho’s poverty rate hit 29%!

To make things worse Idaho politicians are slashing and burning federally funded social programs.

Other bad news from the survey: Idaho teens who drop out of school, and are unemployed, are increasing year after year, 8% in 2008, 9% in 2009.

The Kids Count report also says teen deaths are on the increase.
Strangely the report considers single parent families to be a bad thing! It says single parent families are on the increase, but my own experience shows that is not a bad thing!  I’m a single parent and raised three children who were A/B students in grade school, now they’re all working adults, with two of them also taking part time college courses.  They have their own newer model cars, one is a homeowner, another is a landlord (on top of her job and going to college).  Tell me how being a single parent hurt my kids!

Business/Economics, Idaho, U.S.

What Economic Recovery? U.S. home construction down again, no recovery in sight

“This range leaves us at the lowest levels since the series began in 1959. While monthly volatility is likely to continue, no real recovery looks to be on the horizon.”-Jill Brown, Credit Suisse

August 16, the United States Census Bureau reports housing starts fell 1.5% in July, and permits to build new homes fell by 3.2%.

The biggest drop came in what’s called “groundbreakings” of single family homes, down by 4.9%.

The Census Bureau blames the declines on too many existing homes on the market, no thanks to the big banks foreclosing on so many home buyers.

Just last week, Idaho officials downgraded their economic forecast, with one factor being a decline in construction jobs.

Idaho, U.S.

What Economic Recovery? Idaho economic forecast good on one hand, bad on the other, and completely dependent on a U.S. economic recovery

The Idaho Division of Financial Management revised its projected economic outlook, no thanks to the recent U.S. debt limit debacle.

Officials still project increased tax revenues, but now think employment will be down.

Some reasons they hope tax revenues are up; previous tax collections were higher than predicted, and they expect personal income to increase (somehow).

The drop in employment is expected in the construction industry.

These latest revisions are assuming the U.S. economy actually grows for the rest of the year!  If the U.S. economy continues to go south, forget it.

Business/Economics, Idaho, U.S.

Government & Corporate Incompetence: Idaho punishes California’s Molina for screwing up Medicaid payments, some health care providers went out of business

Idaho is still trying to get back $10 million in overpayments, that Molina screwed up when they took over Idaho’s Medicaid payment system in 2010.

Idaho officials say they turned over the payment system to California based Molina Medicaid Solutions, to comply with Federal regulations.

The move cost taxpayers big time, and it shut down a few health care providers.

What happened was that at the beginning of Molina’s take over providers weren’t getting paid, for as long as two months!  Many providers came close to bankruptcy, and a few went out of business.

The state made emergency payments, then Molina went and finally responded by paying the original claims.  The result was double payments!

The state of Idaho is punishing Molina by reducing the amount of money they were originally to be paid.  Also, Idaho is trying to recoup the money from the double payments.

Molina has made improvements to their customer service, but as of this year they still have 10,000 claims pending, with just under 5% being more than a month old.  One northern Idaho mental health provider says her payment claims still get delayed for no reason.