Idaho ranks No. 6 in the nation for fiscal health

A new report on the financial condition of all 50 states ranked Idaho as the sixth best state in the country, trailing only Alaska, North Dakota, Wyoming, Utah and South Dakota.

The analysis by Truth in Accounting, a non-profit government finance watchdog group, found Idaho has a $1.3 billion available to pay future bills. This surplus equates to $2,700 for each state taxpayer.

According to the watchdog’s annual Financial State of the States report, Idaho has $2.6 billion in bills and roughly $3.9 billion in available assets to pay those bills after capital and restricted assets were excluded. This results in a $1.3 billion in excess and a $2,700 Taxpayer Surplus™, which is each taxpayer's share of state surplus after its available assets have been tapped. TIA's Taxpayer Surplus indicator incorporates both assets and liabilities, not just pension debt. The Land of Potatoes’ Taxpayer Surplus has increased by $5,300 since 2010, when taxpayers were on the hook for -$2,600.

Idaho’s change from a Taxpayer Burden in 2010 to a Taxpayer Surplus in 2017 largely can be contributed to a steady decline in the state’s long-term liabilities. State bond bills have decreased by more than $1 billion, and unfunded pension benefits have decreased by more $1.4 billion during that time.

The bottom line is that Idaho hypothetically could write a check for $2,700 to each of its taxpayers after paying all of its bills, which is why it received an "B" grade for its fiscal health.

You can read the full report here