Do you realize that several of the city departments you are criticizing require NO taxes to operate? Do you realize projects like the Boise River Recreation Park will generate revenues sufficient to pay the project off in less than three years – after that it continues to generate income, improves run-down areas in Boise and Garden City greatly and fixes a badly broken stretch of the river in the process!

It’s also interesting that you criticize the lack of use of the Depot then criticize moving the locomotive to the Depot – one small step that will make the Depot’s use more viable in financial terms. Seems like you want your cake and eat it too!

If I remember correctly, they pay for themselves in two years and keep on paying the initial investment every two years into the future.

Our Parks & Recreation Chief came from Golden Colorado where he oversaw construction of one of these in the same capacity.

They benefit: kayakers, canoeists, tubers, boogy boarders, fisherman (it creates habitat and pools), strollers, and all the people who stop to watch the action.

Rodeos and out of town kayaker visits hugely benefit local businesses. It also gives benefits in air quality for the very large amount of trips that do not end up going up to the Payette River to kayak, but stay in town.

The whitewater at that location now is caused by a dangerous pile of concrete that was dumped into the river to back the water up for a cheap/crude canal diversion.

These have been built all over the country and you will not find a town that does not just LOVE their (white)water park.

Just because the city has money to spend from increased property valuations doesn’t mean they should spend it all. How about helping out on property taxes by actually reducing some mill levies for a change?

No room for the citizens to actually USE the libraries? Who would expect any thing different?

Calling it a “kayak park” and leaving out the “rest of the story” is disingenuous at best and probably bordering on dishonest.

You can read the rest-of-the-story in my comment in the Mayor’s hotline thread.

All the monies spent on promoting this area could be spent better taking care of those who are already here first!

Regarding the City Hall west. I don’t know why it will take $4+ million to renovate and furnish. All these people who will work there already work someplace else. One would think they have furniture. It may not be brand new but I bet it’s functional. Use that and save a little money for the taxpayers on the mill levy.

I wish there was someone on the Council who could say – stop spending so much. Hey maybe Tibbs might want to take that on – ya think?

I’m also worried about traffic around the Ustick site, too. I haven’t driven there lately but I seem to remember it as congested with left-turns not the easiest things in the world to execute.

I’m sorry that our “powers that be” are offering these small (cramped?) areas which don’t appear to be anywhere near full-service sites and calling them library service. They really look a lot more like stationary book mobiles than a place to attract reading, contemplation, research, or even comfortable user spaces.

Due to it’s horrible location, the only ways to access that area are from Emerald (east or west) or Mitchell (north to Fairview). Now imagine the traffic nighmare that will result when you have marked police cars coming and going at shift change and throughout the day, unmarked police cars doing the same, civilian police employee cars, fire administration employee cars, and those of however many other City services end up out there. If I lived in that area – and thankfully, I don’t – I would be outraged.

Trust me, you will not want to go anywhere near that general area during daytime hours, lest you be caught in one gigantic traffic jam. The whole scenario with this building is the epitome of the old “lipstick on a pig” analogy.

Nobody in a leadership position at City Hall has been able to do this right, so they simply make do with the “least worst” option. I only hope the voters will see through what a sham this is.