ACHD maintains they remove snow on the road each spring and are just doing it a bit early this year to help out with the race because the Aldape Summit area is choked with snow.

When we chided them about doing work in Boise County with ACHD resources, we were assured it is “less than one quarter mile of road outside ada county.” Then we got a story about erosion control, that somehow it is safer and better for the road to have the snow removed in lieu of a natural slow melt off. Also, Boise County supposedly does a “pay back” by grading the roadway.

We were referred to Boise County’s road department where the top dog Bill Jones told us, “It is all for the race. After the snow is removed by Ada County we go in and run a blade over it to smooth things out.” He added Boise County probably wouldn’t do anything on their own given the cost of the project.

ACHD provided us with images of the snow clearing effort taken Tuesday and report that at least four pieces of heavy equipment (probably with at least 6 workers) will spend “a couple days” clearing the path for runners. They entered the area via Highway 21 some 25 plus miles from Boise.

The GUARDIAN has admittedly not visited the area, but the county line is at the top of the ridge and experience tells us there is always a bunch of snow on the Boise County side in the pines and on the higher elevation of the Robie Creek Road.

We were unable to determine if the ACHD board of commissioners authorized the use of the equipment for the project or the actual cost. The GUARDIAN estimates the cost is well in excess of $8,000 if nothing needs to be repaired.

WE ARE JUST THE MESSENGER ON THIS ONE. WE REPORT, YOU DECIDE.

Ferdinand reportedly told authorities he packs heat everywhere and forgot to leave the weapon out of his carry on bag.

There is a pretty fair chance the cops will have difficulty prosecuting Ferdinand because he is an “elected official.” In Idaho that means he can carry a concealed weapon without a permit or training.

Idaho Code 18-3302 reads, “(12) The requirement to secure a license to carry a concealed weapon under this section shall not apply to the following persons:
(a) Officials of a county, city, state of Idaho, the United States, peace officers, guards of any jail, court appointed attendants or any officer of any express company on duty.
(e) Any publicly elected Idaho official

We don’t know if Fed-X, UPS, and others qualify as “express companies,” but it would be interesting to define an “express officer.”

The GUARDIAN has it on good authority that judges, county commishes, prosecutors, and a bunch of other politicos (legislators) in this Wild West state are packing heat. They claim it is for “protection,” but we think there are a fair number of politicos who are just downright scared of the public.

The rail in question runs along the east end of Federal Way to the Union Pacific mainline in the desert near the Boise Stage Stop truck stop.

During the same time frame Boise councilors spent taxpayer funds to speculate on more than 200 acres of desert land near the Outlet Mall south of the airport. The land and the “Railroad to Nowhere” have been the source of a long political football game.

Sometimes the city is going to get out of the land speculation business and sell the land to fund libraries etc. Other times they are leasing land to avoid the laws requiring open bidding. No doubt about it, for better or worse they are aiming to attract more business and increase the population after using current taxes to fund improvements for new business interests.

The GUARDIAN obtained a CITY PRESENTATION on a potential freight train operation through the public information law. It was presented to the city council in June 2007. In September, according to TRAINS Magazine, the city of Boise filed for an application to operate freight trains on the 18 mile line. The city has quietly hired consultants and will be looking at improving the tracks at public expense. No telling who will get to drive the train.

If the tracks and industrial park were worthwhile, the Union Pacific would never have gotten rid of them. This looks like more of the obsession for trains.

It is an understatement to say we are disappointed with elected officials. They have demonstrated a profound inability to cope with the mess they have created through growth.

The current bus system is shameful and now they want to toss more money at it and then build trains. To save space and stimulate exchange of ideas here are some points to ponder:

–The ACHD commuter van pool does not operate within the city of Boise. They have about 80 vans in this good system, but they run to Nampa, Emmett, Mt. Home, Eagle etc.
We would urge immediate investment of $3 million to purchase 100 vans to operate within the city. Liberal rules and a mandate to offer rides to anyone needing a ride would move a lot of people.

–Preoccupation with light rail or trains is killing us. Trains can run only on tracks and it would cost billions to build and a lifetime of debt. Instead, for a fraction of the cost we could run 80 passenger articulated buses DIRECTLY to selected final destinations like the Capitol Mall, Micron, BSU, etc.

–A transit terminal in downtown Boise for $72 million is ill advised. Downtown is not the center of the universe. The center of the universe is along Eagle Road at Fairview or I-84.

–Someone is floating a trolley loop plan in downtown Boise which would have spurs east to Broadway, west (probably to the 30th St. dreamland) and to BSU. Little more than a two mile total. For the $72 million price tag of the terminal they could purchase 2,400 vans
and run 100 of them every minute 24 hours a day on that route.

–A free rubber tire trolley paid for at least in part by the Down Town merchants failed miserably.

–The big expense of a bus system is drivers and their benefits. Vans driven by volunteers would be much cheaper. If there are folks who want a vehicle that must stay in the city and are willing to share the ride–let’s make it easy for them to have it.

–Boise gave its bus fleet to Valley Ride under the guise of “regional transit.” We understand there is a “Boise Division” which has a fare structure different than the rest of the system and union drivers with no real mechanism to integrate it.

–The sudden interest in all these schemes is to justify a proposal before the legislature to allow cities to impose “local option” taxes earmarked for highways and transit. If the law is passed, locals still must get permission of the citizens for any of these “legacy” projects.

The GUARDIAN is aware that any public transit system will never pay its way. However, we need plans that will work, can be modified and are not intended to encourage growth. We feel there is a common thread among the politicos to increase the population in order to justify their dreams of a train. It becomes a never ending cycle with no resulting “progress.”.

We say build decent safe highways and fill them with buses. A $500,000 bus can replace 80 cars on the I-84 and 100 vans has the potential of replacing 1,000 cars in the city. Bus routes can also be changed or added at will. Try that with a light rail train!

The legislature needs to exercise plenty of caution on this one. The GUARDIAN posted a plan for an “above ground subway” system with a grid system of routes. GUARDIAN SOLVES BUS WOES .
We got absolutely no comment or interest from anyone in government, despite 17 mostly supportive comments.

Team Dave and others are consumed with their desire for a train. We think good roads with buses running on them will do a lot to ease traffic congestion. Before they get too carried away with mass transit plans, we offer this challenge: GIVE FREE BUS PASSES TO ALL CITY EMPLOYEES. There are several HUNDRED who drive taxpayer-owned vehicles to and from work daily. Let’s see you put half of them on the bus.

The personal car policy was to be evaluated a year ago, but no results have been announced. We simply fail to believe there are more than 200 employees who are so important to public safety they need a taxpayer funded personal car.

After a detective caused a traffic accident responding well after the fact to an officer involved shooting the chief officially put strict limits on the “code three” use of lights and sirens without authorization from commanders or dispatch.

Team Dave needs to set an example and cut down on use of city vehicles before they can try to implement a tax for mass transit that may never be used. An alternative to the bus routes we previously suggested would be commuter vans like those operated by ACHD.

The GUARDIAN “van plan” would put 100 brightly colored (hot PINK?) vans on the city streets for an initial investment of $3 million to be operated by anyone with a good driving record. Let them go to and from work, to the mall, whatever. Basic rules are they must be city residents and they MUST pick up anyone wishing to ride. Driver need not deviate more than a few blocks from his planned route. We had such a policy in Vietnam and it worked like a dream–any American GI could flag down any military vehicle for a ride regardless of rank of either driver or rider.

Why not allow people to ride in Boise City police cars, parks department, building department and public works vehicles etc.? Most city vehicles have a single occupant. The point is this: If you REALLY want to cut down on traffic and pollution try some “outside the box” ideas before strapping on eternal debt and taxes.

We could support the local option tax if it included versions of our proposals. We can NOT support light rail or trains which are limited to tracks and demand many many cars and locomotives to provide any frequency of service. In short, we don’t trust the judgement of local officials and doubt the legislature will either.

Even if the legislature passes a local option tax, we citizens have to approve whatever OPTION local government proposes. Since it will no doubt go toward long term debt, any proposal must get a 2/3 majority of the voters to approve it.

UPDATE–
City workers can indeed ride the bus for free. We have asked for any record or edtimate of how many actually take advantage of the perk. Our point as one commenter said is to stimulate thoughts on the subject and get the city to use the system they want citizens to use.