CCDC
TJ Favors Vote Of People On Trolley
November 30, 2009 
Boise City Councilor-elect TJ Thomson told the GUARDIAN Monday he favors a vote of the citizens on Team Dave’s proposal to spend $60,000,000 on a downtown street car.
When asked if he favored a vote, Thomson flat out said, “Yes, I support a public vote on the Street Car.”
With regard to the petition drive by Dave Litster, his political opponent–whom he defeated November 3–Thomson said, “That is likely the best way to get a public vote because the Council members will then be required to vote on whether to put it on the ballot. In this case, I will vote in favor of the public vote.”
On the waffle side, Thomson gave us reason to be concerned about “alternative funding methods” when he concluded his public vote endorsement saying, “If Litster is unsuccessful, I may still request a vote by the Council (to put it on the ballot), but likely only if a Local Improvement District (LID) is proposed as a method of paying for the project (the need for an LID is not 100% certain). If no LID is proposed, then I question the need for a public vote.”
Perhaps the new kid on the (council) block will see things differently than Team Dave and the council.
Boise officials have scheduled another dog and pony show to “educate the public” for Thursday, 11a.m.-8p.m. at 821 W. Idaho. A GUARDIAN reader has requested space to offer “additional curriculum material” for the city funded educational outreach.
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Comments & Discussion
Comments are closed for this post.
Nov 30, 2009, 12:34 pm
Unfortunately, TJ doesn’t realize how irrelevant he is; either that or he’s just pandering. All the other council members and of course Bieter are pro-streetcar. As for the petition, Litster seems to have disappeared. Don’t know where he’s at on it, but time is running out fast to get the rest of the signatures.
If the grant were to get approved, the Idaho legislature is really the only hope. They have the power to modify the existing Idaho LID law and at least get it to a vote of the property owners.
Nov 30, 2009, 1:05 pm
How about we advise the mayor with our vote on this issue.
We might just be able to refresh the notion of elections in how we govern our cities in Idaho.
Nov 30, 2009, 5:01 pm
I worked for 7 years on the SugarHouse Streetcar project in Salt Lake City. In my informed opinion the Boise Valley needs light commuter rail first from Ontario to Mountain Home. Then work on developing the little trolley lines.
While they are at it they should also put up a bunch of windmills to help power it like Calgary does.
Dec 1, 2009, 9:23 am
The voters need honest, unbiased data.
The kind of data that does not emanate from City Hall or the CCDC!
Dec 1, 2009, 10:00 am
Maybe the City Council should spend some money on improving the bus service that we already have, rather than creating a whole new trolly that will only serve two miles!
Dec 1, 2009, 10:20 am
Mike M,
So from your comment, are you going to keep asking for information from a different source until you get the information you believe, whether it is correct or not?
I think so!
Dec 1, 2009, 3:30 pm
Can we go and protest at this “educational” display on Thursday?
EDITOR NOTE–Cyclops will be there offering factual information from the “other side.” Rather than protest, we would like to see citizens demanding to be heard at the polls with regard to financing. The GUARDIAN is not opposed to the idea of public transit, we oppose the idea of not allowing citizens to vote on this profound public project that will change the landscape forever.
Dec 1, 2009, 11:55 pm
call your legislators and tell them they need to change the LID law or we are all in for “taxation without a prayer of ever getting to vote”.
Dec 3, 2009, 1:10 pm
“what god wants god gets god help us all”
and God Mayor wants his street car.
I am not a poet, but Roger Waters is:
What God wants God gets God help us all
God wants peace
God wants war
God wants famine
God wants chain stores
What God wants God gets