state politics: Idaho

Commerce Chief Thinks Micron Will Leave Idaho

By Sharon Fisher, 1-11-08

Director of the Idaho Department of Commerce Jim Ellick is apparently concerned that Micron’s manufacturing facility may leave Idaho within the next two years.

This came up during the Division of Financial Management’s report to the Joint Finance Appropriations Committee regarding the Governor’s prediction for state revenues for fiscal year 2009, starting in July.

After Mike Ferguson, the state’s chief economist, presented the Governor’s prediction to the committee, Representative Darrell Bolz (R-Caldwell) said that he had been talking with Ellick, who had told him he was concerned that Micron would be “out of the business,” except for research, “in the next year or two. Did you factor that in?”

Ferguson said the Governor disagreed with Ellick’s assessment, and that while the Governor did factor in “employment declines,” and did think it would be a while before Micron would see major improvements in its condition, “We don’t believe we’re on the verge of losing our largest private employer.” In fact, certain financial conditions, such as the fall of the dollar, are actually helping Micron by making the pricing of its products more competitive with those from overseas.

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