Idaho is one of just five states that doesn’t have an official residence for the governor. In lieu of a house, the state pays the executive a housing stipend. This week, lawmakers voted to pay Brad Little, the incoming Republican governor, more for accommodations.
Governor-elect Brad Little calls Emmett home but rents a condo in Boise so he can be close to the capitol. When Little takes the oath of office in January, he’ll receive his salary as governor plus $54,600 a year to put toward housing.
The group of lawmakers who decide how much that stipend should be, the Governor’s Housing Committee, voted along party lines to up that amount by $51 a month. Three Republicans supported the increase and two Democrats voted against it. Starting in January, Little will collect $4,551 for housing monthly.
While that may seem like an oddly specific number, it stems from a study conducted by the state’s Department of Administration. The agency looked at the cost of owning a 2,500-square-foot house in north Boise and concluded running a home in the area would cost a little under $3,200. Since the governor’s housing stipend is considered taxable income, the specific 4,551 amount perfectly covers the expense of running a home.
Boise Democrat Melissa Wintrow, who voted against the increased stipend, tells the Idaho Press it makes more sense to cover relocation costs of an incoming governor. She says she’s looking forward to a broader conversation about the future of the housing fund in the future.
The state’s last official governor’s mansion to be occupied was in Boise’s North End. After being the official state residence of the executive since 1947, it was sold in 1990.
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