Coronavirus: Millions in CARES Act funding to pay for Idaho’s public safety salaries
Idaho Gov. Brad Little announced Monday that the state will use federal coronavirus relief funds to pay salaries for police and other first responders, allowing cities and counties to give savings back to those who pay property taxes.
Up to $200 million in funds from the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act will go toward paying the salaries of police, fire and EMTs, according to a news release from the governor’s office. Little also tweeted about the move Monday morning.
The federal funds will go to local public safety agencies in the hopes that $200 million will be given back to property-owning Idaho residents via tax relief.
“Our focus is to support our communities and our police, fire and EMS personnel, and ensure there are no reductions in public safety during these unprecedented challenges,” Little said in the news release. “I appreciate the cities and counties working with us to ensure the resulting budget savings are given back to the people of Idaho in the form of property tax relief rather than backfilling local government budgets.”
The governor’s Coronavirus Financial Advisory Committee will finalize the move during a meeting on Wednesday, according to the release.
Idaho House Speaker Scott Bedke was among the state and local officials to praise the move.
“Meaningful property tax relief has been the acute focus of lawmakers for several years now,” Bedke said in the news release. “We will continue our efforts to find new ways to provide Idahoans ongoing relief from rising property taxes, but we have an opportunity now to help Idahoans in the short term.”
Idaho State Museum, Old Idaho Penitentiary to reopen this week
The Idaho State Historical Society announced Monday that it will reopen facilities starting Saturday, June 13.
Facilities being reopened include Boise’s Idaho State Museum and the Old Idaho Penitentiary, which will reopen as part of Stage 4 of Gov. Brad Little’s Idaho Rebounds plan — as long as he announces Thursday that the move into Stage 4 is happening.
With reopening come some changes to the museums to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus. At the state museum, there will be a limit of 30 visitors per hour and a limit of 60 people inside at a time. There will be a limit of 50 visitors per hour at the penitentiary. Both sites will require visitors to buy tickets online.
First responders, along with those in the health care field and service industries, will receive discounted tickets on June 20-21.
Also starting Saturday, all services will be available at the State Historic Preservation Office. The records center will have all essential services available. For the Idaho State Archives and Research Center, appointments are strongly encouraged, but on-site services will be available starting Saturday.
Idaho gas prices 8th highest in U.S.
Idaho’s average gasoline price is now $2.28 per gallon, the eighth highest in the country, AAA Idaho said Monday. The price is up 48 cents in the past month, though still 88 cents less a year ago.
“Because fuel demand was held down during stay-home orders, stock levels are about 24 million barrels higher across the country than last year, including 500,000 barrels more in the Rockies region,” AAA Idaho spokesman Matthew Conde said in a news release. “That large cushion could keep pump prices lower than last year until the 4th of July and possibly beyond.”
The Boise average is $2.39. The national average price is now $2.03 after 66 days below $2, AAA Idaho said.
COVID-19 cases among health care workers rise
Between Thursday and Saturday, nearly two dozen more health care workers were diagnosed with the coronavirus, which causes the COVID-19 respiratory disease.
According to statistics provided Saturday by the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, 341 health care workers have contracted the virus, up 23 from Thursday. The number of health care workers being monitored by public health officials is unknown.
Since May 27, 41 new cases of the coronavirus among health professionals have been reported by the the department. One of the metrics needed to move Idaho into Stage 4 of Gov. Brad Little’s Idaho Rebounds plan is to show a “downward trend over most recent reported 14-day period, OR less than two health care workers reported/day on average over same 14-day period.” As of Saturday, the current 14-day window (May 27-June 9) has seen an average of 3.7 new cases among health care workers per day.
On Saturday, 19 cases of the coronavirus were reported by health districts around the state. Ada, Bingham, Cassia and Kootenai were among the counties reporting new cases.
Nine new “probable cases” were added to the state’s totals on Saturday, bringing that number to 299, according to IDHW.
Coronavirus cases have been confirmed in the majority of Idaho counties: Ada 778, Adams 3, Bannock 43, Benewah 6, Bingham 22, Blaine 503, Bonner 6, Bonneville 41, Camas 1, Canyon 310, Caribou 3, Cassia 98, Custer 2, Elmore 31, Franklin 8, Fremont 3, Gem 13, Gooding 46, Idaho 3, Jefferson 7, Jerome 167, Kootenai 82, Latah 6, Lemhi 1, Lincoln 31, Madison 17, Minidoka 66, Nez Perce 74, Owyhee 8, Payette 22, Power 6, Teton 10, Twin Falls 370, Valley 2 and Washington 42.
Community spread has been found in 23 Idaho counties: Ada, Bannock, Benewah, Bingham, Blaine, Bonner, Bonneville, Canyon, Cassia, Elmore, Gem, Gooding, Jefferson, Jerome, Kootenai, Lemhi, Madison, Minidoka, Owyhee, Payette, Power, Teton and Twin Falls.
This story was originally published June 8, 2020 at 10:31 AM.
