Comments on: Drying Paint More Exciting Than Council Race

By: Eric T

Eric T — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 03:47:18 +0000

I perused the Wunderlich B.’s “issues” list. Didn’t they teach you to show your work at Cornell? Where is the supporting documentation for your “issues” claims?

What is the Foothills open space environmental catastrophe? Dog crap? Pun very much intended.

The People’s Republic of the North End gets sidewalks because neighborhood groups work with ACHD to get sidewalks.

Basically, all your list tells us is that “Lucas” knows how to format an excel spreadsheet. Yay, you can wrap text in a cell!

Where’s the meat Wunderlich B.? Why don’t you do one of your 5 minute updates with supporting documentation of your claims on the list?

Although, I have to admit, you writing on your website in the 3rd person is sweet. Totally love that.

Ich bin Wunderlich, horen mir roar.

By: Mr. Watcher

Mr. Watcher — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 14:32:39 +0000

Its not as much how long a person has lived here. Its how long they plan on staying.
I believe the question of “how long a person has lived here”. Is code for: Are you a liberal from CA or WA that will say one thing or anything to get elected.
We have seen far too many people who come to this state because they want to leave a state that has the citizens working to support government employees, union or otherwise. Only to want to make Idaho just like the state they left.
Bottom line: The way to test a person who is running for office is to know the kind of work they have done in the past. If they have feed themselves at the tax feed slop buckets, they are not what we need. If they have lived off of bottom feeder jobs like, real estate, CPA’s and law. These people by far and large have big and heads and produce nothing in the big picture. If you see a person that is good at running a productive business, who is willing to run for one or two terms to try and make Idaho a better place. That is the kind of person that we need to serve and go back to their private life. Which is the key to the person running. Do they have a privete life to go back to? If not, never vote for such a person.

By: Daniel L Dunham

Daniel L Dunham — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 01:32:24 +0000

For Darla- I have been in Boise since June 1979 I moved into Lewiston Idaho in 1977. Before that I was at school at Washington State University, before that I was with my parents at many US Air Force installations.

By: Daniel L Dunham

Daniel L Dunham — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 01:24:06 +0000

We need to know how they stand on:
–Allowing citizens to vote on long-term debt. -The Constitution of Idaho requires citizen’s approval for long-term debt. When the voters told the current council and Mayor NO to a library bond, they were able to find the money without the new debt. Were they lying about the need for more taxes?

–Dave Bieter’s trolley folly- How many people will benefit from this? How are they going to pay for it? This is a non-starter, political pet project that shouldn’t need further discussion. My opponent has been voting to support it.

–Spending city taxes on AMTRAK – Are you kidding me? There is a reason this part of AMTRAK was abandoned. Mr. Bieter moved forward with this before the feasibility study was out. Will the current council treat this like they treated the NO vote on the library tax increase? Back to the future! What next, stage coaches?

–Boise Fire Dept. ambulance plans –Duplicating services rather than seeking consolidation? Why would you look to expand and duplicate services?

–Annexation without approval of those being annexed – I was the president of Citizens for Annexation reform. Does anyone understand taxation without representation?

–Police and/or fire commission of citizens like airport, parks, library boards – A citizen board makes more sense than the current ombudsman system.

–Several HUNDRED “take home cars” funded by taxpayers for city workers (mostly coppers). This needs to be looked into. The goal of saving money is simple math. How many ‘take home cars’ save taxpayer money?

–Land speculation by the city – Government competing with private industry? Shameful. One of my first political battles was against the State Insurance Fund buying rentals and competing against private landowners, and not paying property taxes on the rentals.

–”Economic development” expenses to lure more people to Boise -Can any of these expenses be tied to actual success? Maybe the Chamber of Commerce would better handle this.

–Relationship with the special interest lobbying group at Chamber of Commerce – Shouldn’t even the appearance of impropriety be avoided? How transparent is the relationship? This needs attention.

–Number and duties of city PAID LOBBYISTS who try to influence lawmakers – Here again, wouldn’t this be handled better by the Chamber of Commerce? The Chamber and private business should be involved with lobbying the Legislature to make things better for the general population.

–CCDC urban renewal agency -How much more urban renewal is needed? There must be some way to end this. Is it a quasi-government self-perpetuating entity that soaks up tax dollars and really has out lived it usefulness? Seems like to me.

Unlike Sotomayer who spent three days running away from her record to be confirmed by the Senate, I am proud of my solid record of believing WE THE PEOPLE are in charge. I am for less waste, more transparency, and above all, citizen involvement. Our government is what it is because we have allowed it to be.

By: Lucas Baumbach

Lucas Baumbach — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 21:35:00 +0000

Check my website for a comprehensive list of the issues and a side-by-side analysis of how my opponent fails the smell test. Most of the Guardian’s questions are answered there.
I demand that my opponent explain why she is against voter consent of tax hikes and annexation not to mention voter consent for the trolley and city hall plaza re-construction…

By: Darla

Darla — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 04:00:51 +0000

Thanks BG for finally asking the questions….I am still waiting for some candidates to answer them.

I would like one more question answered? How long have each of these candidates lived in Idaho and in the Boise area?

By: David A Honey

David A Honey — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 21:13:23 +0000

Dave, I thank you for referring to me as an interesting bald guy, I take that as a compliment. I do my best to stay on top of the activities in and around Boise. Also, for a little background on me…I have almost 30 years management experience, former small business owner, a Navy veteran, over ten years involvement in the political arena which includes campaigning for not only myself in previous elections but for incumbents and other aspiring hopefuls.
I am sometimes very outspoken in my beliefs of how the city government should be involved and will engage in conversation with many of our citizens on a variety of issues, concerns and views. I believe it pertinent to have the voice of the people taken into account and be active in OUR decisions that will greatly affect this city.

By: brat1

brat1 — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 20:07:44 +0000

The Boise council races are the most partisan non-partisan elections I’ve ever seen!!!!

By: Lucas Baumbach

Lucas Baumbach — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 17:18:01 +0000

I agree with Eric: I’m the most interesting thing that has happened, since Boise ripped the ten commandments out of the ground.

The newspapers are pretty pathetic. My bro, Nathaniel, at BW is apprehensive of me, and Bethann at the Statesman is not sure she wants to cover precinct corruption.

I’m particularly fond of bikeboy’s suggestion that we put someone in to question authority instead of playing pattycake with Bieter and friends. Who is smart enough and tough enough to do that?

By: bikeboy

bikeboy — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 16:35:15 +0000

Mr. Guardian… you contradict yourself!

First you declare that the race is more boring than paint drying… and then you say an “interesting bald guy” is on the ticket!

From what I’m observing, TJ is apparently capable… at least a multitude of supporters declare it so. But he’ll just be another guy for the big City Council Group Hug! I would love to see somebody in there who will “question authority” from time to time. Maybe rock the Boat of State a little bit. Your proposed questions might shed some light.

This I know… as citizens, we have the RESPONSIBILITY to know the issues and to elect good people who will conduct government honestly and with the interest of the taxpayers and citizens in mind. Anybody who can vote, but doesn’t, is shirking his duty and has absolutely NO grounds to complain about the government we end up with.