Boise Guardian » CCDC

Bench Taxpayers Fund Boise’s Valley Projects

dave — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 19:06:20 +0000

When the proposed 30th Street Urban Renewal District came up at the Boise City Council meeting last week (a vote to create the district was postponed) it was noted by some that a total of nearly two square miles of Boise would be “off the tax rolls.”

Hint: 640 acres to a square mile and the new district would put a total of more than 1,100 acres within urban renweal jurisdiction. That means taxes on all improvements and appreciated value would go to the CCDC (Capital City Development Corp) NOT the city, county, school or highway district.

We looked at a map of the city and a shocking fact became obvious: The MAJORITY of property below the Depot Rim provides NO TAX REVENUE to the city.

Consider these tax exempt properties in addition to the 2 square miles soon to be under control of CCDC:

–BSU Campus and newly purchased residential areas
–Ann Morrison, Julia Davis, Albertson, Veterans, Municipal parks and Warm Springs Golf Course
–Military Reserve in the hills
–St. Luke’s Hospital and Elk’s Rehab complex
–V.A. Hospital and Federal building campus
–Capitol Bldg. and State office complex

While we certainly don’t advocate doing away with our wonderful riverside parks, hospitals or educational institutions, it should be noted those of us who live on the Bench are getting soaked for a huge tax burden with little direct benefit. No wonder the politicos keep annexing more areas to provide revenue for their pet projects.

Boise PD has special patrol squads for the downtown booze crowd, the fire department needs expensive ladder trucks and extra manpower for high rise responses–mostly funded by residents and businesses on the Bench. Rather than expand the controversial CCDC sphere of domination, we feel it would be wiser to seek alternative funding methods and leave as much property on the tax rolls as possible.
THE AREA WITHIN THE RED IS OR SOON WILL BE PRETTY MUCH A “TAX FREE ZONE.”

CCDC Seeks Expansion Despite Statewide Opposition

dave — Sun, 11 Jul 2010 15:15:53 +0000

Boise’s Urban Renewal Agency–CCDC– seeks to double the acres where property taxes are diverted away from City, County, ACHD, and Schools with a new District in the 30th Street area. They will have to hustle to get ahead of growing opposition. The Daily Paper has a DETAILED REPORT.

Most of these major downtown structures pay NO TAXES to city, county or schools.

Urban Renewal agencies throughout the state have come under fire for not following the Idaho Constitution when it comes to financing debt. Rexburg won a Supreme Court victory which touched off a move by UR opponents to seek legislative changes in the 2011 session. That Eastern Idaho city sought to spend about $11 million for an outdoor swimming pool and go into debt without voter approval.

Even the Republican Party has a plank to bring the UR agencies into line with a state constitutional requirement that local governments must seek voter approval for debt. Current law declares urban renewal agencies to be “independent bodies corporate and politic.”

Once a district is created–usually by a city council–all the taxes on improvements and appreciation are diverted from the coffers of cities, counties, school and highway districts. Meanwhile the rest of the taxpaying public living OUTSIDE the district has to make up the lost revenue.

Worst of all, urban renewal districts have NO OVERSIGHT of any elected governmental body and are totally apart from cities, counties or the State after they are created by a city council.

Nearly all the taxes are diverted from BoDo, the Grove Hotel, and all of the downtown towers built in the past 25 years. The widow on fixed income, families, and others are forced to make up the shortfall in taxes to pay for the police, fire, and municipal services to the area within the urban renewal district.

It may be a noble cause to “renew” blighted areas, but it should be done with assent of those of us who pay the bills and not serve to benefit a select number of developers as is often the case.

GUARDIAN Predicts “Rain Out” On Boise Ball Park

dave — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 00:08:36 +0000

The GUARDIAN and reader Dean Gunderson have teamed up to call the Hawks game between Boise and Meridian. Our preseason conclusion is while there may be just barely enough square feet for a park at the 2900 Fairview location on land owned by the city, it will take a ton of money to make it work.

Here’s how Gunderson did the graphics–something the Hawks’ consultant would charge big bucks for!

“The red dashed outline on the image of S.F. Giants AT&T Park is the scale outline for the Fairwiew site — so you can see a direct comparison. The light bluegreen dashed line is the outline of the existing Hawks Stadium’s fenced area — with an outfield adjusted to meet generic Major League standards.”

Team Dave will be encouraged that it is almost mandatory to have some sort of transit in operation. Parking is also an issue along with a good chance of “road hazards” from home runs and foul balls on Fairview and Main.

Our overall conclusion is: BUILD IT ANYWHERE YOU WISH. IF YOU WANT PUBLIC MONEY IT IS MANDATORY TO ALLOW THE CITIZENS TO VOTE ON THE FINANCING.

With regard to financing, here is how it boils down: A $20,000,000 bond at 5% for the maximum legal term of 24 years will cost just shy of $119,000 PER MONTH…or $1.44 MILLION a year for a total payout of $34.5 million. That’s also about $4,000 per day or for you minimalists $166 an hour 24/7 for 24 years–attorney wages.

Bottom line for us: there probably isn’t a revenue stream to support the investment given the competition from the MORRISON CENTER, CENTRE ON THE GROVE, FAIR GROUNDS, IDAHO CENTER, BSU PAVILION, new EAGLE AMPHITHEATER, and about a dozen high school fields.

Click MORE for FAIRVIEW SITE.

Meridian vs ACHD on Legislation

dave — Sun, 21 Mar 2010 23:59:16 +0000

While Boise’s urban renewal agency CCDC secretly wrote proposed legislation and denied the GUARDIAN access to the process, the Ada County Highway District was quietly doing the same thing and drawing the ire of Meridian officials.

Seems ACHD wanted to “opt out” of having taxes diverted to urban renewal projects without their approval. Urban Renewal agencies statewide are used to get around voters and various local governments. A bill before the legislature written by Boise’s CCDC lawyer failed to get out of committee when most of the testimony at a hearing opposed the bill.

Here is the SNARKY LETTER Meridian sent to the ACHD–a public record, but out of the public forum.10 Mar 17 Huber ACHD HB583 Apparently both units of government forgot to ask what the citizens thought. We don’t wish to argue the merits of any of the failed bills, just wanted to remind you we are here.

No Stopping a Runaway Train (Trolley) Enthusiast

dave — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 21:59:17 +0000

Team Dave is still pushing for a trolley, and can’t seem to understand the meaning of NO, despite public opinion and denial of U.S. Government funds.

Last week the Feds turned down Boise’s request for about $40 million in “TIGER” funds for the Desire Named Street Car (also affectionately known as the “Trolley Folly”). The Feds awarded grants to cities like Tucson where local government asked for and received permission from citizens to build a rapid transit system in 2006. Boise steadfastly refuses to allow a popular vote on funding for the Mayor’s dream.

Two professional surveys and literally thousands of opposition comments on radio, blogs, public open houses, and letters to the editor showed Boiseans overwhelmingly are against a trolley. Here is how Mayor Dave Bieter spun the denial of his request in his MEMO to citizens:

Federal officials have told us just how impressed they were with our application and how well it reflects the goal of using stimulus dollars to spur economic development.

Four other cities — Tucson, New Orleans, Portland, and Dallas — received a total of $160 million for their streetcar systems, a clear sign that streetcar projects are receiving significant support on the federal level. Idaho was one of only nine states to receive no TIGER grants whatsoever — including the $26 million that ValleyRide requested, and the City of Boise supported, for improved bus services.

We are going to continue to explore ways to finance and build up the Boise Valley’s transportation system, of which the streetcar is just one piece. One of the benefits of this week’s decision is that it gives us the opportunity to broaden the exploration of the streetcar to learn if a north/south route from downtown to Boise State University, which has been on the drawing boards for years, would be feasible for phase one.
(EDITOR NOTE–If it has been on the drawing board for years, why wasn’t the N-S route offered up first?)

The city will also continue to look for opportunities for federal assistance on the streetcar project. The Citizen Survey we conducted last year indicated that our residents’ top two priorities are the economy and public transportation. The Boise Streetcar System is one of several initiatives the City has proposed to address both of these important issues. (EDITOR NOTE–A more recent survey showed overwhelming opposition to a street car)

Attorney General Asked To Investigate Caldwell Urban Renewal

dave — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 21:45:01 +0000

Canyon County Prosecutor John Bujak announced Today he will petition the office of Idaho Attorney General to investigate information revealed yesterday by the Boise and Caldwell GUARDIAN news blogs.

“Based on the information presented and the check register of the agency, the case certainly merits further investigation,” said Bujak. He explained the case will start at the local level and logically get “conflicted” to another agency for investigation.

Once the AG is on the case they will have the resources of state agencies as well as the FBI to determine if there are grounds for criminal prosecutions and whether or not certain agreements entered into by the Caldwell Urban Renewal Agency are proper use of public money.

Urban Renewal agencies in Idaho operate without oversight of any elected body. They are not part of city, county, or other local or state government. Members are appointed by the city, but the agency is not an “alter ego” (another face) of the city. They report to no one.

The exclusive GUARDIAN story (see previous post) detailed a pattern of using public Urban Renewal money to fund private memberships at the Caldwell YMCA for the mayor and other officials. Also noted were a variety of “fishy sounding” fees paid to property owners over and above purchase prices for land acquired for urban renewal purposes.

GUARDIAN Editors Dave Frazier in Boise and Paul Alldredge in Caldwell said, “We are pleased with the rapid response of Mr. Bujak investigating this matter. On the face of it there are obvious incidents of inappropriate expenditures of public funds. Whether or not those incidents rise to the level of criminality will be decided by the investigators.”

Audit Of Caldwell Urban Renewal Imperative

dave — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 04:07:23 +0000

Caldwell GUARDIAN editor Paul Alldredge has been working tirelessly to shed light on the excesses and deceptive activities of urban renewal agencies in Canyon County. In his latest effort he obtained the check register of the Caldwell Urban Renewal Agency which reveals a pattern of abuse and deception. This report will draw attention of law enforcement authorities as well as lawmakers currently considering a “reform” of urban renewal law.

By PAUL ALLDREDGE, editor Caldwell GUARDIAN
With DAVID R. FRAZIER, editor Boise GUARDIAN

By any standard, we feel the personal use of public money by local officials is wrong, yet records show a repeated pattern of abuse of Caldwel urban renewal funds over the past five years. Some of the more egregious examples we found include:

–September 2005 payment to the YMCA for a family membership in the name of Mayor Garret Nancolas and his wife…$880.

–February 2007 payment to the YMCA for the membership of Leona Fouts, an urban renewal board member…$507

–January 2008 “half memberships” to the YMCA in the names of Mayor Nancolas, board chairman Eljay Waite (who is also Caldwell city finance director), and Fouts…$800

In addition to funding private personal memberships to the YMCA for the Urban Elite, the Caldwell agency has repeatedly paid for private memberships for J.R. Simplot employees, local government workers, and school district employees—all with tax money diverted from local governments. The total payments from the city to the YMCA is in the millions of dollars, including many tens of thousands of dollars in membership fees for select groups in the community.

Other examples of questionable use of funds include “relocation allowances” to businesses that never actually relocated. Our favorite example is payment of $20,000 to an “adult toy store” called SINSATIONS. The store never reopened or relocated. We have no word on the ultimate fate of the assorted dildos and “maritial aids,” but those things are apparently costly to move. A sheriff’s crime lab now sits on the land.

The owner of one downtown Caldwell property purchased by the Urban Renewal Agency was paid an additional $129,000 in add-on fees. The various checks were for “Business discontinuation, catalyst project site, liability release, relocation, and a site vacation fee”. It appears to the GUARDIANS these additional fees–used repeatedly under various guises–are nothing more than “bumps” to purchase prices over and above appraisals.

While educational funding is a question at the Idaho Legislature, it is apparently no problem in Caldwell. Urban Renewal in January 2008 ponied up $100,000 to Oregon’s Treasure Valley Community College in the form of an “expansion grant.”

A complete forensic audit is clearly in order, but there is NO ELECTED BODY to order it. Under current Idaho law, urban renewal agencies are “political orphans”…they are not part of the city, not part of the county, and not part of the state. In fact, urban renewal takes property taxes otherwise destined to local governments and schools with no appropriation of any elected officals and there is no oversight by any elected agency.

Based on what we have discovered, which is only the proverbial “tip of the iceberg,” we are calling on the Canyon County Prosecutor to investigate the Caldwell Urban Renewal Agency expenditures (mostly to the YMCA). Some expenditures are outside the “public purpose doctrine” of common law. We also realize the statute of limitations will preclude some prosecutions. Nonetheless, an audit is needed.

Rather than consider passing legislation proposed by these out of control UR agencies, the Idaho Legislature should pass a bill allowing citizens to directly elect UR board members or declare the agencies to be part of city government. Without such a move, citizens throughout the state are subject to TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION by agencies that consider themselves immune from Constitutional restraints otherwise placed on government.

The complete 26 page Urban Renewal Check Registers 2005-2009

Update On Desire Named Street Car

dave — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 16:00:02 +0000

The DAILY PAPER has joined the long list of opponents to Team Dave’s “Desire Named Street Car” with a HUGE EDITORIAL in Sunday’s edition. They didn’t go soa as advocating a massive increase in the bus system, but it is clear (to us) the Statesman has come over to the GUARDIAN side.

Reporter Cynthia Sewell continues her informed coverage in TODAY’s EDITION with a status report on the funding. She tells us requests for Fed money total about 50 times what is available with 1,388 apps asking for $57.5 billion from a pot of just $1.5 billion. Boise wants $40 million from the feds for a $60 million downtown novelty ride that will go in a 2.3 mile circle.

City officials refuse to allow citizens a vote on the funding. Instead, they are jostling around plans to charge owners of property along the route a Local Improvement District (LID) tax imposed by as few as three counselors and the mayor. Despite overwhelming public opinion AGAINST the project, Team Dave continues to push a street car. Latest idea they are floating is a run from BSU to Downtown along Capitol Blvd.

Meanwhile, GUARDIAN reader Bill Goodnight reports from Tucson on the proper way to get a trolley:
“I am currently wintering in Tucson, Arizona. This city has requested $75 million in
Federal matching (stimulus) money to complete an ongoing streetcar project.

If you were in charge of disbursing stimulus money, which project would you think
was more deserving–a proposal from a city of 214,000 wanting to build a streetcar system where most of its citizens oppose the project, or a proposal for a streetcar system from a city of 544,000, sixty percent of whom approved the project in a citizen initiative?”

WEDNESDAY UPDATE FROM A READER–
Headline news: no TIGER funds for Boise streetcar. Will the city continue to pursue the project without federal backing?
As predicted Tucson got a good chunk and so did the Portland Poster child.

Better Buses Buttress Baltimore Business

dave — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 00:07:14 +0000

Just in case you still hadn’t had enough on the Desire Named Street Car, a GUARDIAN reader sends us an interesting link about using–would you believe– BUSES to serve downtown Baltimore.

Before any money is pumped into a Boise trolley, we think some buses would be much wiser. Apparently the folks in Baltimore, Bolivia, and Grand Rapids all support the GUARDIAN view based on news reports we have seen.

Boise Fire Goes After EMS Business

Politicos Prefer Secrets Over Public Scrutiny

dave — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 23:17:07 +0000

Dan Popkey reports in the DAILY PAPER that Idaho Democratic legislators are taking the lead from their Republican opponents and holding secret caucus meetings for the first time in 9 years.

They justify it, saying if the opposition knows what is planned, they could lose their chance to win on important issues.

Unfortunately this is nothing new in Idaho and is perhaps a growing trend to keep the citizens in the dark. Team Dave does it with the trolley folly (Desire named Street Car), Urban Renewal agencies bent on increasing their power and reach refused to allow the GUARDIAN into a meeting to craft legislation.

Cities routinely meet in secret to purchase real estate–Boise recently rushed to buy Stack Rock and Canyon County ag land owned by a former city fire marshall. It is legal to do it, but hardly mandatory. We would like to have seen a simple line in the purchase of the farm land for “natural filtering” of phosphorous that made the purchase “contingent upon EPA approval of the plan.” No way to even know about it until the deal was done.

A revision of the URBAN RENEWAL LAW being proposed to the legislature would eliminate without question any rights of citizens to vote on debt. Urban Renewal (CCDC in Boise) has no oversight whatsoever for spending the tax money it collects–none of the members are elected to the boards.

Even the video of the “strip hockey” was kept secret by the city on grounds of national security-type rationale. A judge will soon decide that issue.