If the commissioners are proposed by Boise’s Mayor and confirmed by the City Council, how does one go about submitting a suggestion for names of folks to serve, and when should such suggestions be made. For how long does each Commissioner serve? Is there a means of dismissal? Is the service for a set term of office, or at the pleasure of the Mayor.

Mayhap a little less grumpy, but still confused, and worried.

EDITOR NOTE–Property taxes are determined by a LEVY as a percentage against the ASSESSED VALUE of the parcel. Value is determined by the county assessor. The levies come from each city, county, ACHD, school etc. All levies are uniform throughout the disstirct and the appraisals use the same uniform formula. But the revenues on new buidings and appreciation go to CCDC.

Terms are 4 years and from the looks of the membership it is mostly insider trading. No housewives or worker bees from the bench serve.

I can’t believe the movers and shakers are still enamored of the Arid Club. The food isn’t all that wonderful and it doesn’t even have a golf course.

I do have a small issue with the editor’s last point that CCDC, “should be (a taxing district)”, an issue with which I think the Guardian will agree.

Before CCDC is given taxing capability, there needs to be an open, honest, public discussion about CCDCs role in the community. And, preceding the discussion, there needs to be an independent audit/analysis of CCDC’s activities. We need to determine whether or not the subsidies CCDC has granted, and continues to grant, to downtown businesses are providing a legitimate benefit to the area. For instance, are they providing a net benefit to area taxpayers, or are the subsidies just a transfer payment from area residents and businesses to CCDC’s recipients? Or worse, are the subsidies being paid to out of state developers with the result that Ada County tax payers are subsidizing businesses in other states?

Once we have the answer to those, and a host of related questions, we need a yes or no vote on whether or not CCDC should continue, or be terminated.

If we, the Ada County taxpayers, like the answers we get from such a discourse, and we vote to continue CCDC, then yes, they should be set up as a tax district with elected representatives.

EDITOR NOTE–I do indeed agree. My point was that if they have what amounts to taxing authority, they should play by the rules of elected taxing districts. As it is now they make their own rules.

It still puzzles me how that a taxing district can have an APPOINTED, rather than elected, Board of Commissioners. Cemetery, Mosquito, Weed, Hospital and Library districts (and all the others) elect their Commissioners, how did our (un)beloved Legislature ever allow this much “local control” over a tax-gathering district operation. But, I’m about to get myself started on a whole different can of worms if I allow myself to dwell on either the Legislature or Local Control.

thanks Dave, thanks Sharon.

Not much less grumpy, but thankful.

EDITOR NOTE–Our main problem with the taxing structure is that the CCDC is NOT a tyaxing district, but it SHOULD be. They get direct tax payments from the county treasurer, but are APPOINTED by the Mayor. Attempts to have the members ELECTED were quashed by Boise City lobbying efforts.

I think they got tired of it and reconstituted it as the CCDC and outsourced the oversight to the local businessmen and other influence peddlers like Reberger. Two council members draw the short straw and have to serve on the board to provide that varnish of credibility. With the Council checked out it’s not a surprise that a mentality would take over that public agency official should have his Arid Club dues comped.

When government officials and lobbyists have no one to watch them, and they play footsie with business, bad things like this happen. Or worse. University Place.

The CCDC was right to put a stop to it, but it does erode confidence in their claim of city oversight. The CCDC has done a lot of good work for this city and it’s unfortunate the CCDC, the city and auditors approved this improper expenditure year after year.

Makes you wonder what other local officials have memberships at public expense at local golf clubs or whatever.