County
Commishes and School In Bidding War
March 4, 2008 
Seems that local governments in Idaho have a lot in common when it comes to money management. This piece is from our sister blog the CALDWELL GUARDIAN.
By CALDWELL GUARDIAN
THE GUARDIAN has determined the Canyon Commishes earnest money offer and announced purchase of the state Job Service building out by Larry Miller Ford is the result of a bidding war. The purchaseon the property has not been completed for this property nor has the illegally purchased Jerome farm property sold.
The other suitor for State property appears to be the Vallivue School District. The County Deciders have upped their offer on the Job Service Building to who knows how much more than the original $1 million. So, if the deal ever gets done we as taxpayers will be in this one for well over $2 million by the Grand Opening Day.
Nice set of circumstances for the taxpayers…a state owned property subject of a frenzy of offers and counter offers by two taxpayer supported government entities. The real estate folks have to love this deal. More of your property tax dollars get spent no matter what happens when this bidding war is over.
THE CALDWELL GUARDIAN would like to think the County Deciders would back off and let the school district have the site. The real need for license offices is in downtown Caldwell and Nampa–given the long lines at the current location serving the entire county. However, it looks like the “bully boys” at 1115 Albany are going to all let us have it their way.
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Comments & Discussion
Comments are closed for this post.
Mar 5, 2008, 8:42 pm
The basic difference between the county and Vallivue School District..
The county overtaxed us and got no authorization to spend this money.
The school district raised their money via a bond election and super majority voter approval.
These guys have got to go at the primary election May 27th!
Mar 7, 2008, 9:38 am
I know that the state has a law that prohibits state divisions from buying land for any dollar amount above a third-party apprasial. I would think the cities and counties would have a similar ordinace, thus prohibting a bidding war that would increase the purchase price beyond the valuation.
Mar 7, 2008, 11:13 pm
JJ, if the state desires to purchase a property it only obligates itself to having an independant appraisal conducted — there’s no rule that limits the purchase price to the appraised value.
Most local governments have similar rules (or lack thereof, depending on your take).
If the property being purchased (via condemnation) has an on-going business located upon it, the owner is also entitled to additional payments, to compensate for verifiable loss of business revenue — which can be well above the appraised value.
Minus various administrative costs, which might be dependent on the final sale price, the “bidding war” between two tax-supported agencies for a surplused state-owned property “simply” (in quotations, since it’s never really simple) shifts local tax money to state coffers — which in turn will be spent on state programs. There’s really not a real estate sales commission, since the State Land Board will be handeling the sale of the land — they’ll probably hire a title company to prepare the documents, and they might have outside legal counsel (maybe).
If the property was surplused in the conventional way, the State Land Board will transfer the proceeds of the sale to the State Job Service.
Mar 8, 2008, 10:05 pm
So either way our taxes go up…..nice move elected officials. We are not at all surprised.
Mar 21, 2008, 9:20 pm
Well at least it’s a better site than the last one they chose. I don’t like where the new one is at right now. Who’s hairbrained idea was that anyway?
Mar 24, 2008, 8:04 pm
Never mind, I found out for myself. It took a few days but after determined searching, I found a article posted by FORMER SHERIFF GEORGE NOURSE that it was his brainchild to move the canyon county drivers license office out onto the Nampa-Caldwell Boulevard at it’s current location.
After reading his site, I could not believe he had the gall to blame the current sheriff for something he started! The more I read his postings, the more I find he is the source of the problem.
Good job George ! Way to post your political rag formerly known as the “Shining Star” which you claim was an employee newsletter. You just proved again you are misrepresenting the facts and trying to blame the current sheriff for what you did!
You disgust me! You are lying to the taxpayers, playing a game of blameshifting and apparantley have no integrity. OWN UP FOR WHAT YOU DID!
Mar 24, 2008, 8:55 pm
I like to backup my comments with facts. Check the link below. I call this “In Georges own Words”
http://canyoncounty.org/sheriff/Shining%20Star/8-98.pdf