City Government

G-BAD Boys Sneaky As Ever

Somehow coming up with a figure of $24,500 which is just under the mandatory bid threshold of $25,000, the new Greater Boise Auditorium Board (G-BAD) restored funding to the Boise Visitor and Convention Bureau.

The BVCB is nothing more than a non-profit ad agency that had its funding taken away by the G-BAD boys after a court case in Pocatello determined it was improper to use room taxes dedicated to auditorium districts for the purpose of funding outside advertising for anything other than the auditorium district.

KLOC


The GUARDIAN had high hopes for Hy Kloc who told us REPEATEDLY he opposed funding the BVCB. He favored paying them a “commission” for business they brought. Nonetheless, at the very first meeting Kloc voted for the motion–which was an obvious skirting of the Idaho bid law–to restore funding.

After the meeting vote he told us it was a temporary measure aimed at not letting a grant from the state travel council slip away from BVCB as it was the only entity qualified to receive state funds for promoting Boise.

Here is what he told us prior to the election, along with a message to the Idaho Business Review:

“Here’s what I sent to the IBR right after we talked and their response…hang in there with me till the first meeting when restoring the budget comes up. See how fast I vote no! I told you I do favor paying them a commission for any business they bring to the center, as I would any marketing firm that would do the same thing.”

To the IBR:

Jay,
“I have to clarify something, I do not favor reinstating the BVCB budget by GBAD. That would not be legal. I am in favor of trying to work with them on a commission basis for any convention business they bring to the center. But, again, I do not favor restoring the budget.”

George Prentice at the Boise Weekly covered the meeting and has a good report.

Comments & Discussion

Comments are closed for this post.

  1. Is there nothing in this city that is not permeated with self serving, arrogant elected officials. Mr. Kloc, you lied to the public in order to get elected. I would say shame on you and yours, but then I realize that you obviously have no shame. Most liers don’t!!! So let’s go really old school and simply state A POX ON YOU AND YOUR HOUSE!!!

  2. If govt. can toss around $24,500 like it is no big deal then govt. is way too big and they are taking too much of our money to fund this kind of foolishness.

    Parsimony is not something people in government are familiar with in the present economy. I think a 10% across the board cut at every level from every taxing agency is in order.

  3. idahocrystal
    Jun 22, 2011, 11:05 am

    My initial reaction to this was, “I don’t understand why a politician back-pedaling on his stance is newsworthy.” But I wanted to be fair and I stopped to consider that perhaps Mr. Kloc did not have all the facts or became aware of some new facts since he was elected. (Rather like Obama and his completely transparent gov’t agenda?) But then I read it again and I see that the matching money grant that G-BAD is trying to help BVCB preserve was also State money from the travel council.
    INMO, these types of State grants should have been the first to go back to the general fund to cover shortfalls in other, more widely utilized state-wide programs, even if they were already budgeted, but still unawarded. But then again, I’m not entirely sure the G-BAD is a necessary entity any longer…

  4. Let’s face it Boise is not a tourist destination. Sun Valley and perhaps McCall on the other hand are a tourist destinations. It’s nice to run the visiting relatives to various places of interest here in the valley but I can’t imagine people actually planning to make Boise a vacation destination.

    Save all that money and lower our taxes please.

  5. Anyone remember the guy who said, “No new taxes”?

    At least Reagan was honest enough to tell us this nation didn’t need to make stuff anymore.

    Rather obvious Mr Kloc’s lips were moving.

  6. KLOC is simply a liar that cannot keep his word…typical politician…did not take him long to show his true self.

  7. It’s the politician/ceo required kool-aid they have to drink!

  8. In Mr. Kloc’s case he is not drinking just kool-aid.

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