© 2024 Boise State Public Radio
NPR in Idaho
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
As it is in many U.S. states, income in Idaho is on an upward trend. Idaho lost ground in per capita personal income from 2009-2011 as it recovered from the Great Recession. But what’s also growing is the gap between personal income in Idaho and in the national as a whole.Data from the Bureau of Economic Analysis show Idahoans earned less in 2012 than residents of almost every other state in the country.A closer look at hourly wages reveals half of Idaho’s workforce earned $14.58 an hour or less in 2012. The hourly wage in Idaho, on average, is $18.48.Idaho also had a larger share of hourly workers earning minimum wage in 2012 than ever before. The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates 31,000 Idahoans made $7.25 an hour or less in 2012. That’s a 63 percent increase from 2011.

Idaho House Panel OKs Then Kills Revised Teacher Pay Bill

This story was updated at 5:30 p.m.

The latest revision of a bill to boost teacher pay in Idaho over the next five years showed promise of passing early Wednesday morning, but the legislation was killed just eight hours later.

The House Education Committee is now slated to vote on introducing a third amended version of the legislation Thursday.

The proposal presented Wednesday would have bumped beginning teacher pay from $31,750 to $32,700 a year. But Republican Rep. Ryan Kerby from New Plymouth balked at the way pay bonuses were structured.

Vice-Chairwoman Julie VanOrden from Pingree says Kerby's concerns caused them to pull back the amended proposal.

However, VanOrden says it's doubtful a new version will be introduced if more concerns are raised Thursday.

This story was originally posted at 1:23 p.m.

A newly revised proposal designated to increase beginning teacher pay in Idaho has received a tentative stamp of approval from a House panel.

The House Education Committee agreed to introduce the $211 million proposal Wednesday. A similar proposal died last week after lawmakers and teachers raised objections over the bill's structure.

Under the bill, rookie teacher pay would bump up from $31,750 a year to $32,700 a year. Teacher pay would slowly increase over five years to $37,000 a year.

The key piece of legislation is the largest hurdle Idaho lawmakers face from being able to adjourn this legislative session. Legislative budget writers have delayed setting the public schools budget, the state's largest fund, until some sort of teacher pay bill passes at least through one chamber.

You make stories like this possible.

The biggest portion of Boise State Public Radio's funding comes from readers like you who value fact-based journalism and trustworthy information.

Your donation today helps make our local reporting free for our entire community.