City Government
Council Bullys Eat GUARDIAN’S Lunch
September 30, 2008 
The Councilors and Mayor looked down from their perch at the GUARDIAN editor as he tried to finish a sentence about the insider trade they made with citizen-owned commercial land on Fairview. Three minutes to the second and it was time to “sit down and shut up.”
They even bragged about “making a profit” on the deal, despite the fact the so-called profit was in the form of an inflated value on rock strewn desert land off Gowen Road for which there is no public purpose.
When the appraiser from the Ada County Assessor’s office told them the REAL value was little more than half the inflated price they were accepting in trade, Councilors immediately began challenging the validity of his process in an effort to discredit him. Never mind this is the same County Department upon which the city relies to establish the property values they use to tax the citizens!
We got our butts kicked and it wasn’t pleasant. The players in this deal would be right at home in Washington and Wall Street deciding the fate of everyone else’s assets.
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Comments & Discussion
Comments are closed for this post.
Sep 30, 2008, 8:38 pm
They can’t beat you in court, but they can beat you up.
You know, of course, that the only reason they held this “meeting” was to get their pound of flesh out of you for pointing out the absurdity of their act.
Having crossed the Ts and dotted the Is, they were then free to bludgeon you.
It is not fun but, sometimes, doing the right thing is irritating and painful. Good on’ya for doing it. More people should.
Sep 30, 2008, 10:15 pm
Alan Shealy recused himself publicly, citing a conflict of interest since he has a business relationship with one of the principals in the group dealing in the land swap.
LOGICALLY he should have recused himself two weeks ago when he joined the rest of the councilors approving the deal and at every stage of the proceedings in the past. Did he do that, or only for show at the public hearing?
Sep 30, 2008, 11:52 pm
What did you expect Guardian? I don’t mean to tell stories out of school, but 5 of those 7 people up there DON’T LIKE YOU! You sir, are the pain in their backside that they wish would just fade away.
Those 5 people sat up there and “sneered” at anyone who questioned them. Coucilman Eberle stated, on the record, when asked if there was any guarantee that the LLC trading for the property at 25th. and fairview actually be used for a hospital, responded with I paraphrase here “we live in a capitalistic society and property owners have a right to do with their property without inteferance from government.”
The bottom line here. The wholw thing was a sham to let them cover their butts. I did, however learn one thing. If you are going to trade property with the city, actually OWNING the property being traded is not an important part of the negotiations!
Oct 1, 2008, 1:13 am
Whether or not minds were changed, somebody got under their skin for brief moment. That itch is not going away soon. Too bad they still feel good about themselves.
That being said. It will nice to see that area of Main/Fairview get some attention. It does go to show that some renewal may take place without the help of CCDC. Unless Team Dave expands CCDC to help the doctors.
Oct 1, 2008, 6:44 am
I defer to the Guardian’s greater knowledge of the machinations of local government when I ask:
Can we codify, at the city level, greater accountability and transparency?
i.e. Source the toughest applicable law / code / ordinance in the nation (if not the world) and start a drive to have it placed on a referendum?
Enough is enough!
Oct 1, 2008, 7:41 am
Regarding picayunee’s comment, I suggest this book; “I Ain’t Got Time To Bleed” by Jesse Ventura.
Most know him as the former pro wrestler who became guv of Minnesota. Did you also know he was a Navy Seal? He was also Mayor of Brooklyn Park before becoming gov.
The chapters covering his time in Minneapolis suburb Brooklyn Park are very interesting. It’s been a long time since I read it, but iirc, he put all meetings in Brooklyn Park on TV.
With the internet and digital video, the same could be done for the city of Boise, for relatively small amount of $. Relevant clips could be cropped out and posted right on this site, or youtube or even in the MSM.
EDITOR NOTE–Boise already has live video on Cable Channel 98 I believe. TVCC–or whatever the latest name is. We simply don’t have the time to view, edit, etc. Sad part of our deal is they simply didn’t want to hear the message. Cut me off, bullied the assessor, and crowed about making a profit and having more land to play with in the future. As another commenter noted, they don’t have the same control in court.
Oct 1, 2008, 8:45 am
…or maybe you were just wrong.
Oct 1, 2008, 9:50 am
Councilmembers don’t get it. And they don’t really need to. If they are the incumbent the chances are they win reelection if they run.
But this is no different than the rest of the world- our corporate leaders do whatever they want, regardless of the shareholders best interest. Our local leaders are the same- they are in it for themselves.
Oct 1, 2008, 3:53 pm
Guardian, I guess you’re either with them or against them. Join the ranks of “terrorist” citizen.
Sounds to me like they share Republican family values.
Oct 1, 2008, 4:05 pm
Eberle says people can use their property in any way they want? Perhaps we can close the department of planning and zoning and save a bunch of money.
Perhaps someone will buy up that property between 27th and the Boise River and start farming it.
Oct 1, 2008, 4:13 pm
64.07% = 8.9% [conservatively]
Furthermore…
How could it be wrong to ask that our elected officials adhere to the spirit of the law, and provide for the utmost transparency.
Does the ends justify the means?
And what does it say about the status quo that laws are even needed to assure said transparency?
Oct 1, 2008, 10:23 pm
Dave, you are part of the un-washed masses. The only thing the bully boys understand is decisions rendered by a judge.
We have all been cut out of just about all of the capital budget decisions via urban renewal, over taxation (think Meridian City Hall), public private “partnerships” and all the other crap served up as what will be good for us.
Just pay your property taxes this December and be a nice boy and quit making noise.
The boards, committees, councils etc are all stacked with “yes people”. No debate or discussion is needed on anything for any reason by anyone not in the loop.
Oct 2, 2008, 6:40 am
Paul left out the critical part, Catch-22, when he said, “No debate or discussion is needed on anything for any reason by anyone not in the loop.”
The trick is, they won’t let you into the loop.
Oct 2, 2008, 7:54 am
From The Idaho Statesman comes this bit of in depth, hard hitting reporting on the issue…
“Edition Date: 10/02/08
The Boise City Council approved on Tuesday a land swap to get a new shooting range for the police department.
The deal swaps a city-owned parcel at 25th and Fairview for two other parcels, a shooting range on Mountain Cove Road in the Boise Foothills and another industrial site on Citation Place near Gowen Road.
The land deal is with a surgeons’ group planning the private Riverside Medical Center at 27th Street and Fairview Avenue.
The transaction is expected to close some time before Oct. 23.”
—
One wonder’s why they even expended the ink!
Oct 2, 2008, 1:33 pm
And if the good Doc’s are still having problems gaining financing for this deal, let me be the first to introduce the citizens of Boise to the brand, spanking new, “Hole In The Ground West”!! Many thanks to the mayor and 5 membetrs of the council for sheperding this through the system!