I guess I am both flabber and gasted. Governments are members of a private organization?

My tax monies are going to pay for my city and my county to belong to an organization which stands for only one sector of the whole of the community! I would think that organizations such as the Chamber would welcome the attendance at and participation in their activities and meetings by elected officials on a pro-bono basis, under the guise of “communication” or “education”.

Speaking of – does the School District also belong? If we’re building up the community and increasing the population I suspect the schools need to know about it, too.

You know, my mother used to say something about setting the fox to guard the hen-house and she wasn’t being all that approving when she said it.

It’s been going on for years….what do you think BUY IDAHO means? It does not say purchase products from Idaho, it says BUY IDAHO.

It’s not been hidden, the tax payers have just been foolishly watching TV, riding their bikes, and enjoying the foothills, their beers, and happy about getting so much money for their homes.

You really should get your facts straight before posting a supposedly “fact-based” article like this.

First of all, the Chamber is trying to attract companies, NOT PEOPLE, with higher paying jobs for skilled workers. Take a good look at the “Now Hiring” signs in town – they are all for low-paying service jobs. The Chamber is trying to attract JOBS, not more people. Site selection group move new divisions of companies into areas and bring JOBS – they don’t pay for all their workers to relocate! My son-in-law has a degree in electrical engineering and he’s working for $11 an hour at a job well beneath him.

This city needs better JOBS and that is what the Chamber is trying to attract. We need good jobs in this area NOW – look at how the cost of living continually goes up, but wages are stagnant. Boise needs companies who will pay higher wages and keep our skilled workers here.

Excellent article, Dave. It is disturbing to many members of the public that the Sun Valley seminar/retreat is so exclusive. As per your comments about the State of the County address, this should be held locally and free of charge, or should be a fundraiser for a worthy cause.

Why should anyone have to travel to Sun valley and pay money to discuss an Ada County issue? Add insult to injury that the City and County are using taxpayer money to promote growth these agencies already can’t handle.

Personally, I have trouble with the membership fee as well. Like Grumpy Guy above, I don’t understand the need (or the legality) for a public agency to be a member of a private club.

For those who think it is OK for the city or county to form bonds, financial or otherwise, with groups like the chamber, try to imagine what the response of the business community would be if the Ada County and Boise city were to be members of and spend tens of thousands of dollars each year on the Sierra Club, the Nature Conservancy, or other environment groups. The cacophony would be deafening.

I also have trouble with the Chamber’s April Sun Valley Leadership Conference on Planned Communities. Fred Tilman dodged at least one candidate forum on the excuse that he would be exposed to questions or and comments from citizens about a pending planned community on Hammer Flat. Fast forward to Sun Valley. The April conference is specifically focused on treasure valley planned communities. In fact, the noon luncheon focuses on at least one, perhaps two, specific planned communities that will come before the Ada County commissioners. The particulars of these communities will be presented by the owner/developers of these projects.

http://www.boisechamber.org/Images%202007/leadership%20conf%202007%20brochure%20WEB.pdf

Two of the Ada County Commissioners are currently scheduled to attend!

Will this constitute an illegal meeting of the commission related to these projects? If not, do we suppose, when the time comes, that both commissioners will recuse them from the hearing on the grouds of having received ex parte communications?

It would be so much more fair, simple, and legal, if the government would stick to governing, and leave business to the businesses.

Tony,
You sound so…LOGICAL! The common refrain on this issue is that the Chamber and Government is working together for good causes. It would seem LOGICAL that clean air and open space would be good causes as well.

Would love to hear what Wonk thinks about a $40,000 PR contract that can be extended to five years for a total of $200,000 with no bids or competition.

Chamber slurping at the public trough it would seem.

I have to agree with Jess on this one. Everyone complains that wages have not gone up with the rest of the country, but no one questions why, they only balk at prices. Then when someone does actually do something about it, such as advertise to out of state companies to bring their higher paying jobs here, we complain some more.

Then we complain when people from out of state move here to fill these jobs because no one around here is qualified. We complain even further because when all of these people move here it creates problems associated with growth.

Oh man, then what really makes us complain is when our elected officials go to conferences to learn how to better deal with growth and bring in out of state experts. Seems like a whole lot of complaining to me and not enough LOGICAL solutions presented by most of you.

And Mom, there will always be a help wanted sign when our unemployment rate is so low. Standard rule of supply and demand.

Oh yeah, since when is Kastera a who’s who. They have only been in business for a little over a year and haven’t really been that successful. I guess money makes you a who’s who in the Guardian’s eye.

If nothing else, why are the city and the county dropping money on a project that duplicates the Idaho State Department of Commerce’s activities?

The state already buys advertisements in publications around the country. And, while people may discount advertisements for what they are, advertisements are a good deal more honest than planted stories when the truth gets out. (The fact that we are talking about them means that the truth IS out.)

The state also does the targeted contacts, offers tax incentives, trains people, and offers other incentives. Following is a link to one of their publications. (Note to s, c, and jt, they are selling cheap business climate, not higher wages.)

http://cl.idaho.gov/publications/Idaho's_Incredible_Business_Incentives_Brochure.pdf

In my mind, the City and County’s continued spending at the Boise Chamber is one more missed opportunity to reduce their constituent’s tax bills.

Ackowledging growth is one thing; advertising for it is another. I have long believed that no government should spend public monies on advertisements to entice people to a place — and that includes recruiting businesses. Putting things in place that would attract business that would supply jobs at a living wage is another matter. This would include adequate infrastructure for business and residents, an educated workforce, a wide mix of housing, healthcare, open space, parks, arts, culture, and, oh yes, sports. That is what government should encourage and do its part to support.

But wait, did someone say it was all a plot to build a real convention center? If we had a real convention center, Antiques Roadshow would come to town. Something to think about.

Great sleuthing Tony! The only problem I see with putting more tax money back in tax payer pockets is Wal-Mart would loose customers as well as the dollar stores.

Hey Tony Jones!

I hear you have been hired as an economist/economic consultant for Kastera’s Shadow Valley Planned Community. Kastera is a sponsor of this event. Do not deny it because I know it is a fact.

Signed,

reporter of truth