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<p class="MsoNormal"><img width="624" height="147" style="width:6.5in;height:1.5312in" id="_x0000_i1025" src="cid:image001.png@01D685F1.2208C160"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans"">FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans"">September 8, 2020<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><u><span style="font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Open Sans"">Idaho ranks first among states for financial stability, August revenues come in millions ahead of forecast<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans"">Boise, Idaho – Idaho’s economic rebound continues to strengthen, with Idaho leading all 50 states for best financial shape, tax revenues beating the forecast by $37 million for the month of August and
Idaho’s employment rate better than 47 other states.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:"Open Sans"">“We’re far better off in Idaho than elsewhere, thanks to our handling of the pandemic and fiscal conservatism in state government – our management of the state budget and watchful eye on regulations.
We are well positioned to handle the ongoing impacts of COVID-19,”</span></b><span style="font-family:"Open Sans""> Governor Brad Little said.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans"">Financial magazine </span>
<a href="https://www.barrons.com/articles/is-your-state-in-financial-trouble-heres-how-all-50-stack-up-51598878298"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans"">Barron’s ranked Idaho first</span></a><span style="font-family:"Open Sans""> among states last week for
creditworthiness. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans"">The Division of Financial Management
</span><a href="https://dfm.idaho.gov/"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans"">released the August tax revenue report today</span></a><span style="font-family:"Open Sans""> showing Idahoans are getting back to work and engaging in the economy, with sales taxes
and income taxes coming in well above forecast.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans"">In addition, </span><a href="https://www.bls.gov/web/laus/laumstrk.htm"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans"">Idaho ranks third among states for lowest unemployment rate</span></a><span style="font-family:"Open Sans"">.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans"">Idaho has been able to lead the nation in financial solvency through conservative revenue forecasting, setting aside healthy reserves, limiting government spending, and rolling back state regulations.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans"">Idaho state agencies just submitted the lowest budget request in years – with just 1.68-percent growth for Fiscal Year 2022 starting next year. Under Governor Little’s direction, the “no frills” budget
reflects limited growth in state government.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans"">Thankfully, Idaho’s public-school system will be minimally impacted by COVID-19 in current and future years because of Idaho’s efforts to strategically leverage federal funds to offset planned reductions.
Fiscal conservativism elsewhere in the budget combined with the relief funds Idaho directed to K-12 mean teachers, students, and parents won’t feel as much of an impact in schools here like they will in other states.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans"">Idaho remains the least-regulated state in the nation after Governor Little and the Legislature achieved historic regulatory cuts last year. Seventy-five percent of regulations were cut or simplified
in a matter of months, and through </span><a href="https://gov.idaho.gov/pressrelease/governor-little-signs-two-executive-orders-further-cutting-government-red-tape/"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans"">Governor Little’s Zero-Based Regulation executive order</span></a><span style="font-family:"Open Sans"">
earlier this year, regulatory reductions will continue.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:"Open Sans"">“Our economy has been open for months and we have managed to do so without maxing out our healthcare system statewide – a testament to the people and businesses of Idaho. I appreciate Idahoans for
their strength and determination, and for the care they continue to show their neighbors. Let’s keep up our preventive actions so we can continue our economic rebound and so our kids can learn in their classrooms where they deserve to be,”</span></b><span style="font-family:"Open Sans"">
Governor Little said.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans""># # #<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans"">NEWS MEDIA CONTACT: Marissa Morrison Hyer, Press Secretary<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans"">208-943-1686 or </span>
<a href="mailto:marissa.morrison@gov.idaho.gov"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans"">marissa.morrison@gov.idaho.gov</span></a><span style="font-family:"Open Sans"">
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans"">--<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><a href="https://visitor.r20.constantcontact.com/manage/optin?v=001jPcDrZTUF2iffZAaFR5CaCO9D9OTNmcIrS9m2JnRBQLxSmCCDvAfzkhQC6WRNcW4O6931CUyPvAzTSP21AiJ4rioUvabaHbWJxzuwF2hEYM%3D"><i><span style="font-family:"Open Sans"">Sign up to receive
news from Governor Little</span></i></a><i><span style="font-family:"Open Sans""><o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><i><span style="font-family:"Open Sans"">Reply to this e-mail to unsubscribe</span></i><span style="font-family:"Open Sans""><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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