Legal-Courts
Cities Dislike Supreme Ruling
May 2, 2006 
Not content with a decision the Idaho Supreme Court spent a year deliberating, the Association of Idaho Cities has filed a motion for rehearing with the court.
The Association, whose members include cities from throughout Idaho, seeks to modify the language of the FRAZIER decision in an effort to exempt cities from abiding by a constitutional interpretation that voter approval must be obtained to enter into debt exceeding a single year’s revenues.
The association is primarily a lobbying group and is able to exert influence over legislative acts–something which is more difficult when it comes to judges operating under the rule of law. They are asking the court to modify a ruling that requires “ordinary and necessary” DEBT to be of an emergency nature effecting public health and safety.
They don’t seek to change the ruling on Boise’s airport parking garage having to go for a bond election, but they want to appear as a “friend of the court” due to the substantial public policy implications statewide.
Bottom line is the association doesn’t want cities forced to ask permission from voters to spend their money on long term debt.
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Comments & Discussion
Comments are closed for this post.
May 2, 2006, 6:21 pm
The real stink should be obvious to any Citizen of Idaho.The Association of Idaho cities ( made up of lobbyists who keep those politicians who do their biddding in office) is in reality an ” enemy of the Courts and of the People.” They want to spend the taxpayers money on their un-needed and wasteful building projects without giving the people a chance to vote on it.
These financial elitists are afraid of the People and the basis of representative government- A Vote by the People. Dave Frazier and the Guardian have shown us the way, now it’s up to The Citizens of Idaho to STOP the Economic elite that think they control our great state!!!
May 2, 2006, 9:52 pm
You should of seen this one coming Dave. If this fails, there will be other attempts.
There is just too much (of our) money and too many people making money on the spending decisions of those representing us to allow the Supreme Court decision to stand without further battle.
Now that the Supreme Court has made it ruling, you can bet there will be several attempts and much money spent to either get around the ruling and/or change the law. This is only the beginning.
EDITOR NOTE–We fear you are correct, did see it coming and hope folks can see their local governments do not want them to vote on debt. This truly is about money–big money.
May 3, 2006, 10:13 am
Too bad our city leaders simply have no regard for either the voters or now the courts. Sounds sorta like they want to rule their kingdoms without oversight or within the bounds of the law.
May 3, 2006, 3:58 pm
Why is anyone surprised? George Bush is running this country into the ground financially while his cronies get rich at the taxpayer trough. Idaho loves GW and we keep electing GW lovers to Idaho office. The Guardian just hasn’t figured out that debt is patriotic.
Guardian…why do you hate America?