Business
No Income Tax For Major Ada Employers
October 16, 2012 
NOTE–Boise State Radio is part of a project called “StateImpact Idaho” which does some good non-partisan research.
A recent post at Boise State PUBLIC RADIO provides an interesting interactive map of Idaho counties which shows just how much government impact we have when it comes to jobs.
Of particular note was Ada County where the top 5 employers pay NO INCOME TAX. They are either schools, tax exempt hospitals, or the famous Micron non-profit which has lost money so often the firm will not pay taxes for many years to come.
Statewide 28 of the 44 counties show government agencies as the top employer. Also, MOST counties show more employees working for government than the private sector.
Demographics certainly plays a role, but take note of your neighbors and yourself and count how many work for city, county, state, or federal agencies including schools. You will be surprised.
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Comments & Discussion
Comments are closed for this post.
Oct 17, 2012, 3:36 am
Commies-R-Us! Gives new meaning to the term Red State.
BTW: We all pay taxes, lots and lots of taxes. Even that lucky employer who couldn’t lift a finger without government help pays huge taxes. What leger the taxes are paid into is the political/media shell game that is so popular these days.
Oct 17, 2012, 12:45 pm
Well if I wanted to open a brew pub in downtown Boise first I would need to negotiate my lease with the State of Idaho because everyone knows the State of Idaho is a major real estate investor in downtown Boise (for the kids for god sake). Next I would call the State of Idaho and purchase my Idaho Liquor License, then I’d have to buy my Ada county liquor license, next it would be a city of Boise liquor license. Then I would pay traffic impact fees to Ada County. Then tenant improvement fee’s to the City of Boise including sewage impact fees ranging into $50k range. Next there would be Ada County Health Dept. fees. Of course one can’t forget fees to the State of Idaho’s secretary of state office, then fee’s to the Idaho department of revenue. Once I hire employee’s I will be paying the Idaho State unemployment insurance tax. I haven’t even scratched the surface of the federal government. Just those simple steps and fee’s for the right to pay taxes to you guessed it… the government.
This is a snapshot for the barriers to entry in one industry. Many other industries are just as bad or worse. Many in the private sector have thrown their hands up and joined into the government machine because its just not worth it to stay in the private sector. The barriers to entry are too high and the government intervention too severe. Join the government and its weekends off, national holidays, full benefits, retire at 55, full pension, money for nothing and chicks for free…
Oct 17, 2012, 2:39 pm
Werner, I suggest you be a Idaho corporate farmer and get subsidies for all your fuel, idle land, and the highest commodity prices ever for your wheat, hay or corn. Subsidized water too. And you can hire undocumented cheap labor.
You forgot the state workmans comp insurance.
You might mention the Republican State liquor boss who doesen’t drink for religious reasons.
Republicans say they support small business but to them small business is 250 employees.
ACHD impact fees are insane for small business.
Oct 19, 2012, 9:36 am
We already have this to an extent when we pay sales, business equipment, and property taxes. We are very close to having it vastly expanded to everything we own.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wealth_tax
Oct 19, 2012, 12:56 pm
This explains why the drive to work is so nice on those “holidays” that all the government employees get!
Oct 20, 2012, 7:50 am
Inkeeping with all the new tracking technology being used to spy on the average citizen, bicycles will now be required to pay a yearly fee and display a licence plate. The tax money collected from bike fees will be used to pay for all the bike friendly roadwork.