Introduction to Idaho's Commerce Strategic Plan Analysis

Overview

The Idaho Department of Commerce FY2023-2026 Strategic Plan is a 18-page document detailing 10 main goals with accompanying objectives, measures, and benchmarks. This comprehensive document, produced by the state's leading economic development officials, serves as a damming indictment of Idaho's economic development strategy. Throughout its content, the guide consistently and unambiguously prioritizes the interests of large corporations over those of small businesses, which form the backbone of Idaho's economy and employ a significant portion of its workforce.

The plan's relentless focus on attracting large, out-of-state corporations and supporting the expansion of existing big businesses in Idaho stands in stark contrast to the complete absence of any meaningful discussion about small business development or support. This bias is particularly concerning given the economic reality of Idaho, where small businesses under 20 employees constitute 97.6% of all businesses in the state and account for approximately 54.9% of all private-sector employment.

Key Findings

• The mission statement aims to "foster a business-friendly environment," but lacks specific mention of small businesses.
• Core values and guiding principles reinforce big business focus with terms like "Strategic Business Attraction" and "Advance Technology Ecosystem."
• COVID-19 recovery emphasis primarily highlights actions benefiting larger entities.
• Language used implies a focus on businesses with significant resources and expansion plans.
• "Community Success" section lacks specific references to small business development.

Analysis

The following analysis of each of the 10 goals of the guide provides irrefutable evidence of this extreme bias. It demonstrates how the state's top leadership is setting a tone and direction for economic development in Idaho that prioritizes big business interests at the expense of small, local enterprises.

This bias is particularly striking given that businesses with fewer than 20 employees constitute 97.6% of all small businesses in Idaho, numbering 184,095, and account for approximately 54.9% of all private-sector employment in the state.

For a comprehensive understanding of how this bias impacts Idaho's economy, see our analysis of the FY2023 Dept of Commerce Annual Report.