Economist, labor officials optimistic about fall

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.theolympian.com/northwest/story/846796.html

The Associated Press • Published May 10, 2009

BOISE, Idaho – Local economists, state labor official and some Boise-region builders say they expect improvement in Idaho's economy by the end of the year.

Idaho Department of Labor spokesman Bob Fick says the department expects nonfarm job losses year-over-year to bottom out at the end of the summer. Fick says there's a good possibility for increases in nonfarm jobs in November, December or January, the Idaho Statesman reported

The real estate industry has shown a slight improvement. In April - for the first time since November - the number of foreclosure filings in the Treasure Valley fell compared to the previous month, according to Idaho Data Providers. And preliminary, unofficial data from the Intermountain Multiple Listing Service show home prices in Ada and Canyon counties rising slightly.

Last week, Gov. C.L. "Butch" Otter pointed to better-than-expected tax receipts from April. The receipts came in at an estimated $10 million short of projections, rather than the $50 million shortfall in payroll originally expected.

Still, Mike Ferguson, the state's chief economist, cautioned against reading too much into preliminary tax numbers. Ferguson says he expects Idaho's economic decline to be steeper than much of the nations, but says the state will likely bounce back quicker.

FULL story at link.