Growth
G-BAD Boys Consider Demolishing Qwest Arena
If you don’t like driving on Capitol or Front at rush hour, just wait to see what the G-BAD boys have up their sleeves for future ideas. The Idaho Business Review broke a story Tuesday morning revealing plans to potentially demolish the Qwest Arena to make room for a convention center–despite untold failed attempts at [...]
Boise-Ada Taxpayers Suffer In State Land Deal
The Idaho Department of Lands sent us a well presented defense of their financials regarding the purchase of Affordable Self Storage in Boise–a state owned retail business. What it means is that Boise-Ada taxpayers get screwed out of tax revenues, but the schools get a boost. The IDL sent the details–and we agree with the [...]
Airport Seeks Public Financing Of Private Business Facilities
In a page one Saturday story by reporter Cynthia Sewell, the IDAHO STATESMAN ran a statement by Richard McConnell, Boise Airport’s director, which illustrates the need to oppose HJR5. “If a company says it wants to lease a cargo facility within the next 12 months for a 20-year period, the city would first have to [...]
Simplot JUMP Project Hits Design Review Snag
PHOTO: Susan Desko Architects The Simplot family’s proposed down JUMP development hit a snag with Boise officials last night when the Design Review Commission deadlocked in a 3-3 tie over approval of the proposed project to be located between 9th and11th Streets bordered by Front and Myrtle in downtown Boise. Simplot spokesman David Cuoio told [...]
G-BAD Boys Keep Trying To Expand
The Greater Boise Auditorium District board, known affectionately as the “G-BAD Boys,” are still in GROWTH mode and this time they seek to move up…literally. The DAILY PAPER has a piece by reporter Cynthia Sewell in Tuesday’s edition explaining yet another expansion plan which includes adding a story atop the existing structure. It is fraught [...]
Caution Advised On ANY Stadium Plans
Two GUARDIAN readers have sent us a NY TIMES LINK to a national story about stadium construction. It’s worth a read in light of the plans (apparently dormant) for a new HAWKS STADIUM in either Boise or Meridian and a major expansion of Boise State’s Football palace. It all boils down to money and no [...]
Wilderness Homes Seldom Pay Their Share For Fire Protection
The “big house on the hill” still hasn’t ponied up the $15 K the city of Boise claims they owe for fire fighting earlier this year. The mansion near Table Rock in the Wild Horse sub is outside the city and is in fact outside ANY fire protection districts–something insurance carriers for the 18 homes [...]
Ada Commishes Send Boise “Past Due” Message
Looks like the GUARDIAN isn’t the only one with whom Boise officials can’t get along. The STATESMAN ran an enlightening piece Saturday by reporter Cynthia Sewell about the ongoing rift between Boise City and Ada County over the issue of who pays to provide magistrate court facilities. Ada Commishes are backing out of various financial [...]
City Of Caldwell Agrees To Secret Deal With Developer
A confidential agreement stemming from a lawsuit filed against the City of Caldwell by the developers of Cirrus Pointe subdivision paints a picture of secrecy and ineptitude on the part of the City. The CALDWELL GUARDIAN obtained the settlement dated July 6 in an effort to reveal why no traffic signal was constructed at the [...]
Wildfire Shows Why NOT to Allow Foothills Homes
The terms are all too familiar…”structures are threatened…trying to get a handle on the fire…lightning caused…man caused…” tallies on the number of engines, tankers, retardant aircraft, helicopters, and hotshot crews from other locations. The reason for the massive response is all too familiar as well–lives and property are endangered because people move into areas subject [...]
Did Flawed Intel Lead To Council Support Of F-35?
A group calling itself SaveOurValleyNow is claiming the endorsement of Boise City Councilors in support of the F-35 fighter at Gowen Field is based on flawed information. Citing what they claim are conflicting statements from Deputy Airport Director Matt Petja regarding noise levels, the group is actually offering the Council a face-saving way to back [...]
Bieter Seeks To Abolish Citizen’s Right To Vote
Using an appearance before the Chamber of Commerce as a “bully pulpit,” Boise Mayor Dave Bieter urged citizens to approve a proposed constitutional amendment that would serve only to abolish rights citizens currently enjoy to approve bonds to pay for airport facilities. We find it ironic the good Mayor seeks to abolish the right of [...]
BSU Finance and Land Use Planning 101
This post was originally sent to the GUARDIAN as a comment from a reader. We felt it worthy of a full blown post. By DEAN GUNDERSON BSU has held an A1 Bond rating by Moody’s for its last few issuances. This puts it on a relative investment risk on par with the countries of South [...]
Agency Leery of BSU Private Building Scheme
As financial shenanigans on the part of public agencies have come to light on projects ranging from university housing to urban renewal projects, it becomes increasingly clear they depend on “flying under the radar” of public scrutiny. A report in the Saturday Daily Paper quotes BSU Prez Bob Kustra saying, Moody Investor Services, “Came along [...]
Could F-35s Limit Wind Power Production?
A story comes to us from TEXAS about the potential problems associated with wind power generation conflicting with radar used for both military purposes and weather predictions. Short version is spinning blades of giant windmills can create false radar readings or “shadows.” We are all used to seeing one of the many “chief meteorologists” explain [...]
No Government Paid Ads For Anti F-35
A group opposed to having 73 F-35 fighter jets stationed in Boise has set up a WEBSITE they call “Save Our Valley Now. They have some interesting maps and make claims you won’t see in any of those posters at the Airport or on the Idaho lottery ticket website. In what is just another battle [...]
GUARDIAN Predicts “Rain Out” On Boise Ball Park
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 [...]
Caldwell To Buy Furniture For Oregon School
Just when we thought it couldn’t get any worse, the Caldwell Urban Renewal folks came up with a plan to bail out Oregon’s Treasure Valley Community College with money to furnish a Caldwell rental property. CALDWELL GUARDIAN Paul Alldredge chased this one down in what has become a long line of spending that raises red [...]
Boise vs Meridian In “Screw Thy Neighbor”
We can’t help but chuckle at all the so-called “partnerships” and “regional planning” schemes put forth by local governments when their real goal is to screw their neighbor. Latest battle in what the GUARDIAN has dubbed ECONOMIC CIVIL WAR is Meridian’s quest to lure the Hawks baseball franchise away from Boise–even attempting to get the [...]
Economy Is Elephant In The Room
Spring is here, the legislature has mercifully left town, there is extra snow at the ski resorts, the Pope has the lowest approval rating in the history of the Catholic Church, Obama has signed a health care law, but the BIG ELEPHANT in the room remains the economy. A one-tenth percent decline in unemployment rates [...]
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