Women, wages and work to be done

Just the other day, Windermere Coeur d’Alene Realty owners, managers and agents celebrated a successful 2019. But in that high-spirited, team-oriented atmosphere, a common concern was served up right along with the bacon and eggs.

It’s this: As part of the equation of having too little inventory for so many people seeking homes, rapidly rising housing prices are keeping many hardworking locals outside the American Dream.

There’s perhaps no greater barrier to buying a home than income. And if you’re a woman in Idaho or anywhere else in America, chances are that barrier is a little higher and a little thicker than it is for males.

This issue of The Business Journal of North Idaho puts a spotlight on a new report showing the disparity in wages between Idaho women and men. Spoiler alert: Gem State women earn on average 79 cents for every dollar the dudes take home.

Granted, those numbers don’t take into consideration important details, like level of education, training, experience and other critical employment factors. But they do show an overall outpoint that, addressed and improved, will have a powerful, positive effect on countless families and strengthen communities.

Now, who could possibly object to that?