Idaho Gov. Brad Little on the state’s jobs recovery and Democratic voters fleeing blue states.
Gov. Brad Little joined “Varney & Co.” Thursday to tout the “incredible, organic growth” that has propelled Idaho’s economy as the country grapples with the unanticipated economic disruptions from the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Republican governor tells FOX Business that the state’s “record tax relief and investments” has boosted Idaho’s popularity among businesses and those relocating to the state, notably from Washington, California and Oregon.
There are new businesses “moving in” and “expanding,” Gov. Little told host Stuart Varney.
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Black and tan horse on an Idaho farm with a wooden barn (iStock / iStock)
The GOP governor attributed the surging success to the expanding business landscape. He acknowledged the blossoming partnership between employers and employees, as well as new opportunities within the tech space that are available.
“Idaho was an agrarian state with agriculture, mining and the timber industry, and now we’re a high-tech state,” Gov. Little said.
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Idaho, like many other states, experienced low economic volume due to uncertainties related to the pandemic. Despite the turbulent past few years, though, the state saw a 12 percent job increase – smashing its pre-pandemic lows, according to Gov. Little.
Idaho’s current economic standing isn’t the only upside attracting new residents. It’s also known to be the least regulated in the nation, an eye-popping perk for businesses.
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“We’ve embedded in our state agencies and with the help of the legislature, a process to where we call it zero-based regulation and on a rolling basis: three, four or five years. We bring all the rules up and say, ‘do we need any of those?’” Gov. Little explained.
The uptick in growth is generating positive buzz around the state.
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However, the idea of Democratic politics following Idaho’s newest residents may pose as an unforeseen challenge for the Gem State.
“They always want us to change a little something here, a little something there. You know, it [Idaho] was pretty good when you got here,” Gov. Little told Varney.
