Growth
County Outbids Citizen For Land
Jeff Wood lives in Hidden Springs and for years has dreamed of building his “dream home” atop a rugged bluff north of his current residence. He contacted the owner, only to learn the property was in the midst of a legal battle and subsequent foreclosure action. He followed the land dealings through the legal process [...]
Skeptics Take Dim View Of Dynamis Power Plant
While the GUARDIAN has always been skeptical about the proposed “trash to energy” project at the county dump, more folks are jumping on the trash truck seeking to short circuit the plan. A Thursday meeting called by residents in the Hidden Springs area adjacent to the landfill was attended by Ada Commish candidates and reps [...]
Big Brother Bieter’s Meters Monitored
Inquiring minds have asked the GUARDIAN about credit card security on the new parking meters being tested in the downtown area–thank goodness they haven’t put them on the Bench yet! Our sources tell us the credit card is swiped and the info goes via radio signal–like a cell phone–from each meter to a bank processing [...]
Busiest Intersection In Idaho Is Eagle & Fairview
Afa County Highway District has released its 2011 traffic counts, placing several intersections in a tight competition for busiest in the county–and in most cases probably the state.
Urban Renewal Put To Death In CA
Here’s a LA Times article on the California Legislatures move to shut down all 400 of the “redevelopment agencies” (Urban Renewal in Idaho) as of February 1, 2012. The legislation was upheld by a 6-1 vote in the California Supreme Court. A caretaker will be appointed to pay off all remaining debt of each agency and [...]
Williston, N. Dakota — Growthophobe Heaven
The following list has been circulating on the internet with several copies being directed to the GUARDIAN since it is prime fodder for our GROWTHOPHOBE philosophy and followers. We talked to a Williams County, ND Deputy who not only confirmed the accuracy of the data, but told us, “We have a fair number of people [...]
Draft Environmental Statement Paints Dark Picture For F-35 Fighters In Boise
Based on news from more than a year ago, it appeared the U.S. Air Force had abandoned plans to base the F-35 in Boise. Now, a report dated January 20 has surfaced along with a schedule for hearings in Boise this week. The EARLIER NEWS said Boise would possibly get Italian cargo planes rather than [...]
Idaho Power Adopts Growthophobe Philosophy
It reads like a chapter from the GROWHOPHOBE handbook. Idaho Power is happy to expand its transmission lines to take care of growth, but wants those who benefit and create the demand to pay for it, according to a new filing before the Idaho Public Utilities Commission. Under the proposal, Idaho Power seeks to charge [...]
ACHD Turns 40, Birthday Party Wednesday
Contrary to popular belief, the GUARDIAN is looking for examples of good governance and one of the best examples we can find on a local scale is the Ada County Highway District–ACHD. The agency turns 40 this week and–not surprising–had its genesis in bad government. They like to say the issue was potholes, but it [...]
Burning Issues And Libraries Maxed Out
Our GUARDIAN staff tax expert has alerted us to possible funding issues in 2012 for some fire districts and libraries. These taxing districts are limited in their legal ability to levy taxes and as property values declined, they have almost uniformly “gone to the max.” City and county governments can raise budgets up to 3% [...]
Idaho Power May Pull Plug To Hoku Plant
The Hoku solar panel plant struggling to get itself up and running in Pocatello can’t even pay its agreed upon electric bill to Idaho Power, it was revealed in a filing before the Idaho Public Utilities Commission Thursday. The Chinese backed company has been the beneficiary of all kinds of public largess including local urban [...]
Secret City Land Deals Explained On Map
The GUARDIAN has acquired numerous documents with regard to the land swaps involving the armory on Reserve Street and assorted Boise City-owned properties in the area of Eisenman Road and I-84. Based on the information provided by Boise City, coupled with their refusal to communicate with the GUARDIAN except as required by law, we offer [...]
Garden City To Eagle: “Go Peddle Your Pedal Plans Elsewhere”
When Jim Reynold’s, Eagle’s new mayor recently sent a letter to Garden City’s mayor asking for a joint city council meeting to discuss greenbelt bike path ideas, he was told not to peddle his pedal plans in Garden City by Mayor John Evans. The Committee for an Open Greenbelt has been fighting for years trying [...]
Boise Continues Land Speculation, Swaps Property To Avoid Bid Law
Boise City Council continued the long established pattern of secret land speculation and urban sprawl recently with a series of land swaps at a gateway freeway interchange southeast of town. GUARDIAN sources speculate part of the secret deal likely involves city acquisition of 200 acres northwest of Eagle. In summary, it appears the city has [...]
Chinese Electric Bus Factory, A High Voltage Route Or Short Circuit?
This guest post was submitted by a reader known to the GUARDIAN who is well versed in the bus transportation industry. By Jimmy D. Bus, Guardian Transportation Correspondent When it comes to electric buses in America, it appears Communist China’s Zonda Corp. attempted to establish a marketing beach head in the Treasure Valley six months [...]
Will Politicos Squelch China Demo Bus?
It will be interesting to see if Idaho politicos are as adamant about enforcing the “Buy America Act” when it comes to a demonstration electric bus for Camarillo, California as they were when Boston sought a waiver of the federal rules to get a demo locomotive in 2008. Zonda USA–which sounds a lot more like [...]
Hammer Flat Sale Appears A “Done Deal,” Hang Gliders To Be Grounded Forever
Boise’s City Council is about to consider the sale of the Hammer Flat land to the Idaho Fish and Game Department after acting as the “straw man” purchasing the parcel on behalf of F&G almost two years ago in a secret deal. In a Sunday editorial, the DAILY PAPER questioned deal, noting the city and [...]
Communist China Learns Capitalism From USA Government Subsidies
In this modern day of Communist China leading the world in capitalist business ventures funded by U.S. Government taxpayers, we are not surprised to learn of Chinese plans to seek cheap labor in Idaho. The latest scheme is an electric BUS FACTORY to be built in the Treasure Valley. GUARDIAN GROWTHOPHOBES caution the enthusiastic Chamber [...]
Big League Baseball Depends On Minor League Public Funds
The Better Boise Coalition is seeking extra innings in its game of “bulid a bigger Boise ballpark.” Every survey over the past few years predicts a homerun when it comes to building a new baseball park, but when it comes to financing they all strike out. The DAILY PAPER published a box score round up [...]
Yogurt Plant Represents A Different Culture
The announcement that a Greek company is building a yogurt processing plant in Twin Falls was greeted with understandable excitment in the Magic Valley–it means JOBS! The yogurt plant represents a different culture. One that knows how to milk taxpayers as well as the local cows. Magic Valley is one of the biggest dairy producing [...]
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