Idaho launches new website

COEUR d'ALENE - Move over, Oregon. Watch out, Washington. Pull to the curb, California.

Little old Idaho is tooting its horn, and the state is after your tax base.

In response to Oregon and Washington raising taxes on their businesses and as part of Governor Butch Otter's Project 60 initiative, Idaho has launched an aggressive campaign to lure companies from states that have chosen to raise taxes on business. A new website, Justmaketheshift.com, invites companies to think about expanding or relocating to Idaho.

The site features cost comparisons between Idaho, Washington, Oregon and California; testimonials from companies that have made the shift to Idaho; news and a fun section on how to not only survive the shift but to thrive. A Facebook account also has been started, inviting those who have made the shift to share their thoughts and experiences about moving to Idaho.

The new site informs businesses that Idaho's state government believes that the best way to support business is to maintain a stable, predictable tax and regulatory environment, then simply get out of the way. It highlights Idaho's business-friendly climate that leads to a lower cost of doing business than some of Idaho's neighbors.

"State governments across the country are dealing with the continuing national recession in different ways," Gov. Otter said. "In Idaho, our focus is on stability. Predictable tax and regulatory policies are what our employers need in order to maintain their operations through this rough patch and create new career-path employment opportunities, and it's what employers elsewhere are looking for when they consider expanding or relocating."

To learn more about making the shift, contact the Idaho Department of Commerce at (800) 842.5858, or by e-mail at justmaketheshift@commerce.idaho.gov.