City Government
BoDoSo NotSo GoodSo
August 21, 2006 
What a difference objectivity makes! The IDAHO BUSINESS REVIEW, that weekly with nothing but business stories, just may be something worth checking out.
The daily paper gave us several days of hype and architects drawings last week promoting the BoDo developer’s plan for a six block development and a new library that nobody sought.
Reporter Lora Volkert churned out two good stories about the proposal in the current issue of the IBR. Some excerpts:
“Fair to poor.”
“That’s the rating Capital City Development Corporation gave to a project proposed by BoDo developer Mark Rivers.”
Turns out Rivers’ proposal came in dead last of four, but because of his BoDo experience the CCDC (Capitol City Development Corp.) bumped him up to third. At issue is a proposal to build residential units on urban renewal land behind the existing library. Rivers wants to sell the city a library in the process.
In her second piece Volkert starts off with: “A proposal to build condos, retail space and a new Boise library may be able to exploit a loophole in public bonding requirements.”
The GUARDIAN thinks otherwise and is willing to explain it to those who wish to keep voters from having a voice in how public money is spent.
She went on to explain how any improvements or appreciation on property within the CCDC District yields absolutely no revenues to the city of Boise. For the complete story you have to buy a paper or subscribe on-line.
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Comments & Discussion
Comments are closed for this post.
Aug 22, 2006, 9:26 am
The BoDo relationship with CCDC is a very clear example of how deals are done at City Hall. The connections between CCDC and the City are NOT independent and are cleary self serving from both sides.
Unless there is more heat and light put on this self-serving relationship it will continue to be under the table and closed to public control.
Aug 22, 2006, 10:08 am
Or, ironically, go down to the Library and read it for free.
Aug 22, 2006, 11:01 am
It seems that libraries have become the mayor’s “white whale”. This obsession with libraries is getting rather old. Bieter might as well give the devil a phone call, maybe he can get a deal there. Rent for two million? Are you kidding me? I think it’s probably a good thing that the elections are coming up soon, I suspect that we need to get a new administration in at city hall. And while we’re at it let’s get rid of council members Shealy and Clegg. Maybe then we’ll get some folks that will actually do what the people that they are supposed to represent want them to do. I can’t stand elected officials that are so arrogant that they feel a need to tell you what you how things should be.
Aug 22, 2006, 2:17 pm
Chester – we will have a chance to remove 3 City Council members and the Mayor in a year – – PLEASE get all your friends ready to vote!
Aug 23, 2006, 1:07 pm
Count us in with Chester and Greg!!
Aug 25, 2006, 8:44 pm
The Mayor and City Council seem to be there to serve the needs of the already well-off, at the expense of average citizens. Are the votes of the rich folks counted two or three times and my vote only counted once? Since that appears to be what happens at the national level, maybe they do it locally, too. How else could the minority of the wealthy get such a strangle-hold on government in this country. It’s rigged, the fix is in.
Aug 28, 2006, 6:07 pm
As much as I mock it, BoZo is supported by the dollars of this town. Stop shopping, eating, etc at BoZo, if ya don’t like it.