City Government
Home Stretch In Boise Political Campaign
October 25, 2009 
As we enter the final days of the political season for local elections, the GUARDIAN will try to keep moving this post to the top of the list to afford candidates and voters a forum to exchange questions, answers, and opinions.
The Sunday DAILY PAPER endorsed TJ Thomson over Dave Litster for the seat being vacated by Jim Tibbs. Any way you cut it, that race is a Demo vs Repub contest. Thomson has broad Dem support, but doesn’t like being called a liberal. Litster wears the conservative title with pride. He has broad Repub party name endorsements. Honestly, that is the only race of note.
The GUARDIAN has a policy of not endorsing candidates. We see Councilors Vern Bisterfeldt and Maryann Jordan as easy victors over their opponents.
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Comments & Discussion
Comments are closed for this post.
Oct 25, 2009, 1:41 pm
Tuesday at noon, the current city council will be trying again to spend $90,000 to a Bieter campaign worker to PROMOTE the Trolley folly. Everyone needs to show up and tell them NO! Why are they spending this money when pavement is being neglected, police services are in question, and the chances for getting the newly printed Chinese money that is killing our country are slim to none? Is this political payback? Is this just a waste of money, leaving any possible corruption aside? Why now? What changed from when they tried to sneak this expenditure through on the consent agenda until now? The taxpayers must show up and they must ask questions.
Oct 25, 2009, 3:18 pm
The… ahem… “Daily Paper” didn’t even give Dan Dunham the time of day, as an opponent to Bisterfeldt.
Bisterfeldt, “the institution.” That’s part of the problem, IMO.
Have we lost the concept of “citizen leaders”? If Bisterfeldt and Dunham were identical in every other respect (and they’re not!), I’d vote for Dunham simply because he’s a concerned citizen willing to step to the plate and take a turn. If you want career politicians, by all means vote for the incumbents every time around.
Another problem with “shoe-in” candidates is… they seem to lose their grounding. They start thinking they know what’s best – CERTAINLY they as visionaries know better than their ignorant, short-sighted constituents, who can barely pay the bills.
Mr. Dunham came by and shook my hand and explained why he’s running. He struck me as sincere, well-informed, and articulate. (And fiscally conservative!)
I’m voting for a change – Dunham, Baumbach, and Litster.
(Sadly, the majority of elegible voters won’t even bother. And IMO those folks have no reason to gripe if they don’t like what’s going on in our fair community.)
Oct 25, 2009, 4:52 pm
Taking on an entrenched incumbent is an uphill battle under the best of circumstances. Vern is a legend in everyone’s mind and to his credit he’s been a stand up guy for the most part. This time around it might be time for a generational change in city governments across the valley.
The only catalyst in this election is tough economic times. People are asking what they did with the money when the good times were rollin. The trolley folly in Boise is another good reason to weigh in on the incumbents.
I hate the word change but it may be time for some fresh new ideas from people willing to step up to the plate and do the job.
Oct 25, 2009, 5:17 pm
No surprise about the folks the daily rag picked….if you are a democrat newspaper you pick democrats, No real science there.
The only way to stop the stupid things that happen at city hall is to remove the current cast….nothing less will change the antics downtown..or the increased taxes we will see.
Oct 26, 2009, 9:09 am
I know some people who work for Boise City and our current Mayor and Council promised a 3% across the board raise for the people doing the real work, the employees, and they were given the shaft and told in October that they don’t get their raise, that maybe they will see it in November. Seems to me that the citizens and the employees are getting the shaft. The streetcar issue sends a great message – we know where everyone else stands on the important ladder.
Oct 26, 2009, 9:39 am
This will be my families first vote in a council election. Do they identify candidates by party on the ballots here is is it a pretend non partisan vote?
EDITOR NOTE– It is a pretend non-partisan. Thank-you in advance for taking the time to vote.
Oct 26, 2009, 10:41 am
The bottom line question is…
Is Boise Angeles – a Metropolis – what you really want for Boise?
Continued, unbridled development, sprawl and homogenization brought on by poor planning, a repeated absence of due diligence, and a pattern of eschewing standard, transparent and ethical business practices?
We know it’s what the CCDC, Developers, Gbad, Hizzoner and others are a driving us towards.
Or do you seek balance, and to preserve the quality of life that keeps us here? Development that “meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”?
—
I am one of the last people on Earth you want running Boise!
And in reality, the same can be said for most politicians.
Representing the expressed wishes of the people is arguably their forté, whereas translating those wishes into reality in a transparent, efficient and ethical manner can sometimes prove elusive.
It is my contention that the Office of Mayor would best serve the people of Boise as a Council Member at Large and Ceremonial Head of Government, whereas implementation of the peoples wishes would be entrusted to an accredited Professional City Manager vetted, appointed and answerable to the City Council.
Though not a panacea, it is a step in the right direction.
Oct 26, 2009, 12:38 pm
I, for one, would be proud to support Mike Murphy as the last mayor of Boise! We have shown over the last few years, this avenue would, most assuredly, be better than where we have been taken by Bieter.
Oct 26, 2009, 3:52 pm
Mike, your rhetoric and fear tactics are yawn-worthy. If you don’t start giving more credit to the people who live here, you’re going to fail harder than you already expect.
Oct 26, 2009, 5:58 pm
Mike Murphy and I agree that it would be best to transform the mayorship into a ceremonial position, the council should have the real power and all votes should have to pass a 2/3 council majority. Murphy also promised to give himself a pay cut, when elected.
And, considering the way that appointees now control city government, we need to change the appointee process to something similar to how nominees are chosen for state and county positions.
Is Tibbs the only member that was not appointed? The rest of the council is a thicket of political appointees. AND, I would like to consider parting the city into three districts similar to the county. Two reps from each district would interface with the corresponding county commissioner. And, there could be two more at-large seats to spice things up (and expand representation to eight counselors), interfacing with the state and ACHD respectively. Or, we could just divy up the city in 2012 along with the new districts. Novel idea. If we vote in people with independent perspectives, we will make progress toward equitable representation in this city.
Oct 26, 2009, 6:39 pm
Bikegirl,
I AM one of the people who live here, and give the good people of Boise Beacoup Cred’
It’s the current Mayor, City Council, CCDC, Gbad, DBA, etc., that don’t give you – or anyone else outside of the Developers – ANY credit.
And while I am “In It To Win It”…
If I can contribute at all to the public discourse then I will consider my participation a resounding success.
—
“I may not agree with what you say but I will defend to the death your right to say it!”
~ Evelyn Beatrice Hall
Oct 26, 2009, 10:43 pm
Alrighty then- Here is the link to the KBOI debate that happened Saturday:
http://www.670kboi.com/showdj.asp?DJID=42251
Oct 26, 2009, 10:52 pm
Bikegirl, “more credit to those who live here”?? Next Tuesday, it appears that less than 1 in 5 of those “who live here” will get off their dead asses and vote. Just how much credit do you want to give them? The severe levels of apathy that permeate Boise is what has gotten us into this mess. The “let someone else worry about it” attitude must change if we are to fix this mess.
Oct 27, 2009, 1:13 am
Good luck, Dan and Lucas! It was a pleasure meeting you both recently. I hope to hear more from Mike in the days to come. It’s good to hear something other than the same old political yada, yada doublespeak I’ve heard for the last 30 years.
Oct 27, 2009, 5:17 pm
I have read some good ideas here, so I would like to give my 2 cents about the City’s Elections.
Mike Murphy and Lucas have some ideas but to make the City Elections fair and balanced, all that needs to be done, is to have each council member live in the district they represent and are voted on only from their district.
This way a liberal or conservative district cannot elect all the council members as it seems now with low voter turn outs.
This is what the County and State elections use. District voting is what is needed.
Oct 28, 2009, 10:20 am
as much as i love old “Blisterfoot” (as us young long-hairs called him when he was a cop), I think that he needs to retire. Sorry, man, but I am not voting for you this time around. I am voting against all of you. Can’t say that the other folks will be any better, but once I get them out I’m gonna run.
I am a bit of fresh air in that I’d like to hear what the people have to say and I’d take a few tips from the writer of this blog…as well as the nuts who make comments.
Oct 29, 2009, 2:13 am
COST CUTTING IDEA!!! for the newly elected: What do ya call five guys with a big red truck and a lawnmower? Multi-taskers… just like they were a long time ago before we started spending money like fools.