EXPANDING ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL
Unemployment Down to 5.3%: The unemployment rate in Idaho declined from 6.5% to 5.3% since 1993. 106,600 New Jobs: 106,600 new jobs have been created in Idaho since 1993 -- an average of 16,613 per year. 90,100 New Private Sector Jobs: Since 1993, 90,100 new private sector jobs have been created in Idaho-an average of 14,042 jobs per year. 59,000 Have Received a Raise: Approximately 22,000 Idaho workers benefited from an increase in the minimum wage-from $4.25 to $4.75 -- on October 1, 1996. They, along with about 37,000 more, received an additional raise-from $4.75 to $5.15 -- on September 1, 1997. 9,800 New Construction Jobs: 9,800 construction jobs have been created in Idaho since 1993 -- an average of 1,527 jobs per year. 251,300 Protected By Family & Medical Leave: Approximately 251,300 Idaho workers are covered by the Family & Medical Leave Law, which allows workers to take up to 12 weeks unpaid leave to care for a new baby or ailing relative. [1995 data] A $500 Child Tax Credit to Help Families Raising Children: To help make it easier for families to raise their children, the balanced budget included a $500 per-child tax credit for children under 17. Thanks to President Clinton, the balanced budget delivers a child tax credit to 116,000 families in Idaho. Home Building Up 2.0%: Home building in Idaho has increased by an average of 2.0% per year since 1993. Over $25,000 of Reduced Federal Debt for Every Family of Four: The national debt will be $1.7 trillion lower in FY99 than projected in 1993 -- that's $25,000 less debt for each family of four in Idaho this year. EXPANDING ACCESS TO EDUCATION
Over 2,200 Children in Head Start: Over 2,200 Idaho children were enrolled in Head Start in 1998. In FY99, Idaho will receive $13.8 million in Head Start funding, an increase of $5.5 million over 1993. More High-Quality Teachers With Smaller Classes for Idaho's Schools: Thanks to President Clinton, the final FY99 budget provides for the first year of the President's new initiative to hire 100,000 new, well-prepared teachers, to reduce class sizes in the early grades to a national average of 18. Idaho receives $5.6 million in 1999 to hire about 145 new public school teachers. And, under President's Clinton's proposal, Idaho would receive $7 million in FY00 to support a total of 178 teachers. $1.8 Million in Goals 2000 Funding: This year [FY99], Idaho receives $1.8 million in Goals 2000 funding. This money is used to raise academic achievement by raising academic standards, increasing parental and community involvement in education, expanding the use of computers and technology in classrooms, and supporting high-quality teacher professional development. Over $2 Million for Technology Literacy: This year [FY99], Idaho receives over $2 million-doubling its funding over FY97 -- for the Technology Literacy Challenge Fund which helps communities and the private sector ensure that every student is equipped with the computer literacy skills needed for the 21st century. Connecting Idaho's Schools and Libraries to the Internet: The E-rate program is part of the Administration's effort to connect every classroom and library to the information superhighway, giving every child access to the resources and knowledge available online. This program helps schools and libraries by providing discounts of 20 to 90 percent on telecommunications services, internal connections and Internet access - with the largest discounts going to the poorest urban and rural schools. In the first year of funding alone, Idaho received over $4.5 million in E-rate discounts. $21.9 Million for Students Most in Need: Idaho receives $21.9 million in Title I Grants (to Local Educational Agencies) providing extra help in the basics for students most in need, particularly communities and schools with high concentrations of children in low-income families. [FY99] 20,800 Students Will Receive Pell Grants This Year: This year [FY00], Idaho will receive $40.5 million in Pell Grants for low-income students going to college, benefiting a total of 20,800 Idaho students. Expanded Work-Study To Help More Students Work Their Way Through College: The FY99 budget includes a significant expansion of the Federal Work Study program. Idaho will receive $2.6 million in Work-Study funding in 1999 to help Idaho students work their way through college. Nearly 500 Have Served in Idaho through AmeriCorps: Since the National Service program began in 1993, 495 AmeriCorps participants have earned money for college while working in Idaho's schools, hospitals, neighborhoods or parks. [through 11/98] Tuition Tax Credits in Balanced Budget Open the Doors of College and Promote Lifelong Learning: The balanced budget included both President Clinton's $1,500 HOPE Scholarship to help make the first two years of college as universal as a high school diploma and a Lifetime Learning Tax Credit for college juniors, seniors, graduate students and working Americans pursuing lifelong learning to upgrade their skills. This 20% tax credit will be applied to the first $5,000 of tuition and fees through 2002 and to the first $10,000 thereafter. 23,000 students in Idaho will receive a HOPE Scholarship tax credit of up to $1,500. 28,000 students in Idaho will receive the Lifetime Learning Tax Credit. [fully phased-in FY00 estimate] Expanded Job Training to Idaho's Dislocated Workers: Thanks to President Clinton, the FY99 budget includes a significant expansion in the dislocated worker program. Idaho will receive $4.4 million in 1999 to help 2,600 of Idaho's dislocated workers get the training and reemployment services they need to return to work as quickly as possible. FIGHTING CRIME AND VIOLENCE
Violent Crime Falls in Boise: Since 1992, murder has fallen 20% in Boise, with a 25% drop in rape and 8% drop in robbery. [1992 and 1997 Uniform Crime Reports] Juvenile Arrests Down in Idaho: Idaho's juvenile violent crime arrests have decreased 12% between 1992 and 1997. [FBI, Uniform Crime Report, 1992 and 1997] 282 More Police: The President's 1994 Crime Bill has funded 282 new police officers to date in communities across Idaho. [through 7/99] Reducing Crime with Drug Courts: Working to reduce drug-related crime in Idaho, the Clinton Administration has awarded a Drug Court grant to the community of Fort Hall. The Administration had previously awarded a grant to the Idaho community of Boise. Drug courts use the coercive power of the criminal justice system to combine drug testing, sanctions, supervision and treatment to push nonviolent, drug-abusing offenders to stop using drugs and committing crimes. Nearly $2.2 Million to Combat Domestic Violence: Through the Violence Against Women Act, Idaho received $2.18 million in federal funds in FY98 to establish more women's shelters and bolster law enforcement, prosecution and victims' services. $400,000 in Grants for Battered Women and Children: In FY98, Idaho received $400,000 in HHS's Family Violence Prevention Program grants to assist women and children fleeing domestic abuse. $2.2 Million to Keep Drugs & Violence Out of Idaho's Schools: Idaho receives $2.2 million in FY99 for the Safe & Drug Free Schools Program, which invests in school security and drug prevention programs. MOVING IDAHO RESIDENTS FROM WELFARE TO WORK
18,219 Fewer People on Welfare: There are 18,219 fewer people on welfare in Idaho now than there were at the beginning of 1993 -- a 86% decrease. [through 3/99] Child Support Collections Up 93%: Child support collections have increased by $26 million-or 93% -- in Idaho since FY92. [through FY98] Encouraging Responsible Choices-Preventing Teen Pregnancy in Idaho: Since 1993, President Clinton and Vice President Gore have supported innovative and promising teen pregnancy prevention strategies, with significant components of the strategy becoming law in the 1996 Personal Responsibility Act. The law requires unmarried minor parents to stay in school and live at home or in a supervised setting; encourages "second chance homes" to provide teen parents with the skills and support they need; and provides $50 million a year in new funding for state abstinence education activities. Efforts are making a difference, adolescent pregnancy rates and teen abortion rates are declining. And between 1992 and 1997, teen birth rates declined 16% in Idaho. INVESTING IN IDAHO'S HEALTH
Health Care for Uninsured Children: The balanced budget included the largest single investment in health care for children since the passage of Medicaid in 1965 -- an unprecedented $24 billion over five years to cover as many as five million children throughout the nation. This investment guarantees the full range of benefits-from checkups to surgery -- that children need to grow up strong and healthy. It ensures that prescription drugs, vision, hearing, and mental health coverage now offered at the state level are extended to millions of uninsured children. To expand health coverage to more uninsured children in Idaho the balanced budget provided $15.8 million in 1998. This compares to the 1995 Republican plan vetoed by President Clinton that would have denied health care coverage to 11,900 children in Idaho. Helping Over 31,000 Idaho Women and Children with WIC: The Clinton Administration is committed to full funding in the Special Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC). In FY98, Idaho received $17 million in total WIC grant funding, helping 31,600 women, infants and children in need receive health and food assistance. More Toddlers Are Being Immunized: As a result of the President's 1993 Childhood Immunization Initiative, childhood immunization rates have reached an historic high. According to the CDC, by 1996, 90% or more of America's toddlers received the most critical doses of each of the routinely recommended vaccines-surpassing the President's 1993 goal. In Idaho in 1997, 92% of two-year olds received the vaccines for diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis; 89% received the vaccine for polio; 89% received the vaccine for measles, and 88% received the vaccine for Haemophilus influenzae B, the bacteria causing a form of meningitis. Increased Funding for Ryan White by $1.8 Million: Between 1993 and 1998, Idaho communities received $1.8 million in Ryan White formula and other HIV/AIDS program funds. This funding provides people living with HIV and AIDS medical and support services, including the AIDS Drug Assistance Program which helps those without insurance obtain much needed prescription drugs. [HHS, Health Resources and Services Administration, 12/98] Tobacco Plan Will Cut Smoking and Premature Deaths by 41% in Idaho: The Clinton Administration's tobacco proposal, combined with the recently enacted state tobacco settlements, will cut youth smoking and resulting premature deaths 41% in Idaho by 2004. Between 2000 and 2004, 14,600 of Idaho's youth will be kept from smoking and 4,700 will be spared a premature tobacco-related death. [Treasury Dept., 2/99] 500,000 Americans in Idaho Cannot Be Assured They Have Patient Protections: Even if Idaho enacted all the protections in the Patients' Bill of Rights, 500,000 people in Idaho cannot be assured they have the comprehensive patient protections recommended by the President's Advisory Commission. This is because the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) may preempt state-enacted protections. That is why the President has called on Congress to pass a federally enforceable patients' bill of rights so that everyone enrolled in managed care may have a basic set of protections. Notably, 240,000 Idaho women are in ERISA health plans and are therefore not necessarily protected. Women are particularly vulnerable without these protections because they are greater users of health care services, they make three-quarters of the health care decisions for their families, and they have specific health care needs addressed by a patients' bill of rights. PROTECTING THE ENVIRONMENT
$8.5 Million in Safe Drinking Water Funding: This year [FY99], thanks to President Clinton, Idaho will receive $7.4 million for the Drinking Water State Revolving Funds to provide low-interest loans to municipalities to build, improve, and prevent pollution of drinking water systems. In addition, Idaho will receive $1 million in Public Water Supply Supervision grants to help monitor drinking water quality and enforce health standards. Three Superfund Clean-up Sites: Since 1993, the EPA has completed three toxic waste site cleanups in Idaho. The sites are in Pocatello (2) and Mountain Home. [through 6/99] Revitalizing Brownfields in the Panhandle Health District: As part of the Clinton-Gore Administration's efforts to clean up Brownfields, the EPA has awarded grants to the Panhandle Health District in Idaho for environmental clean-up and economic revitalization. This project is intended to jump-start local clean-up efforts by providing funds to return unproductive, abandoned, contaminated urban properties to productive use. SPEARHEADING RURAL AND URBAN RENEWAL EFFORTS
Helping Rural Idaho Families: Since 1993, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has invested more than $382 million in Idaho for rural economic development efforts including rural water and sewer, housing and business assistance.[through FY98] PROVIDING DISASTER RELIEF
$60 Million in Federal Emergency Assistance: Since 1993, Idaho has received $60 million in disaster relief. [FEMA, 12/98] EXPANDING FUNDS FOR TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT
Over $768 Million in Federal Highway Aid: Since 1993, Idaho has received over $768 million in federal highway aid. Included in this funding is $49.5 million for emergency relief in response to natural disasters and $904,932 for scenic byways. These funds have helped generate 32,358 jobs. [through FY98] Over $69 Million in Aviation Funds: From FY93-FY98 Idaho received over $69 million in Airport Improvement Program funds to help build and renovate airports, and, when necessary, to provide funds for noise abatement to improve the quality of life for residents who live near airports. Over $29 Million in Transit Funds: Since 1993, Idaho received over $29 million in Federal Transit Funding.
Last Updated August 1999
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