Economy
No Government Paid Ads For Anti F-35
April 22, 2010 
A group opposed to having 73 F-35 fighter jets stationed in Boise has set up a WEBSITE they call “Save Our Valley Now.
They have some interesting maps and make claims you won’t see in any of those posters at the Airport or on the Idaho lottery ticket website. In what is just another battle in the Economic Civil War raging across America, politicos are eager to get a bunch of fighter jets based at Boise’s municipal airfield which is served by commercial passenger planes.
We think it would be very logical to have the fighter jets based at Mountain Home Air Base, but if the fighters are ever actually put into production (which is less certain each day) they probably shouldn’t be sharing the skies over Boise with passenger aircraft.
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Comments & Discussion
Comments are closed for this post.
Apr 22, 2010, 9:56 pm
While I realize that NIMBYism is alive and well just about everywhere, I risk being accused of that attitude in opposing the location of the F 35s in Boise. A large part of what makes Boise such a pleasant place to live is the fact that we do not have a lot of noise pollution. We moved here in 1977 and have always lived on the bench, during that time we’ve become aware of the increased noise generated by traffic on I 84, and deplored it. First it was day-time only, then it became a 24 hour phenomenon; I hope that the walls being constructed now as a part of the expansion will reduce, or contain at least a part of this irritant. But, you know, I really doubt that the Air Force could build a noise barrier to calm or contain the sound from a wing of the F 35’s and I don’t want them here because of that. I suspect that, truth be told, they are a part of a ‘defense technology’ which will be out of date in a very short time, if it is not already. I grew up in Kansas around a couple or SAC bases; those Air Force fortresses which made the county safe for retaliation; hard to find any mention of them these days.
Apr 23, 2010, 12:26 am
I think when the Mayor and some of the other locals signed on they didn’t know just how nasty this thing is. So maybe they need an opportunity to save face? But then again they got a bunch of complaints about the F-15’s and we still have another group coming again for the summer this year too. So I conclude the Mayor and others don’t care about the noise impact. (Same guy pushing green so hard too LOL, this thing burns 200 gals a minute!)
Hmm? I’ve noticed they’ve not taken over all the land to the south and south-west that they had planned on a few years ago. The devaluation of property from F-35 racket is going to hurt the take on property taxes in the noise areas as homes devalue.
Apr 23, 2010, 6:47 am
The F35 is not a fighter, it is a cargo plane. It’s sole job in life is to haul money from your wallet to the manufacturer with a brief layover at the US Treasury.
Apr 23, 2010, 9:19 am
Thanks for posting this link. We live off South Cole & Victory, and the noise levels from the F-15s was horrific. I can’t imagine how bad it’d be with the F-35s, and I sure don’t want to find out. I’ve written letters to the Air Force, mayor, senators, etc. I’m absolutely willing to join a class action lawsuit to keep the F-35s out, if it comes to that. It’s unacceptable to have them flying over residential areas.
Sound of freedom, my @ss…
Apr 23, 2010, 1:11 pm
It may die from cost over-runs. Saw a piece on the News Hour and the F-35 is supposed to be a single platform to serve the needs of the Navy, Marines, and Air Force. Critics point out it will not do what each service needs. I will be sort of like the fishing rods of years ago that would convert to a spinning or fly rod. It worked but not great in either capacity.
F-35 is supposed to replace the F-118 for the Navy, the Harrier for the Marines, and the F-15 for the Air Force ( I may have these numbers not quite right). It will not do the assigned mission of each service well but it will have a common platform for parts and equipment.
It will be the most costly manned aircraft ever purchased by the armed forces. Already the Pentagon has cut back the numbers of planes based on costs.
For the money Reaptor, Reaper, and Predator unmanned aircraft are the way to go. They cost a whole lot less, can’t be detected by the enemy and have a stellar record since deployment.
I think Secretary of Defense Robert Gates is getting fed up with all the bells and whistle stuff the military brass wants v. more support for ground troops.
It may not be a concern if they don’t get the costs under control and the plane simply goes away.
Apr 23, 2010, 2:45 pm
Whoa there Paul, while your reasoning is logical. We are talking about “gov’ment” think here. Just because something makes solid commom sense, does not mean it will even get a hearing. It will depend on whose district contains the manufacturer? Manufacturing jobs are coveted these days, any representative would love to claim that he was able to “bring this government contract home”
I was shocked at the decibel level and frequency of flights of which we could be subjected. I also suspect a big fat red flag if the Air Force isn’t at all willing to send a jet to Boise for the city to judge for themselves if the noise level is indeed acceptable.
I can’t believe something that will affect so many Boiseans in such a negative way, so much so that property values will be affected, was given so little thought.
Apr 23, 2010, 5:11 pm
There may be 75 homes that were in existence when the airport opened. Everyone else who built, or bought, since then knew the airport was there and that it would inevitably grow. So live with it! I also doubt that the aircraft will ever go into production, although the amount of whining little NIMBY’s makes me hope it does.
EDITOR NOTE–Cyclops, you gotta admit at the time these folks bought their homes they weren’t considering F-35s, let alone 73 of them!
Apr 23, 2010, 6:05 pm
It is claimed that this mutt will cost $300 Billion. With the inevitable cost overruns, think $400 Billion.
That means it will cost every man, woman and child in the county $1,300. When you figure that the young and the old don’t pay taxes, it works out to about $4,000 for every tax paying citizen! Yikes!
Congressmen like to talk about getting the deficit under control. This looks like a great place to start. A useless defense program that was obsolete 30 years ago and rattles windows is a great place to start. We not only don’t need it here. We don’t need it, and shouldn’t want it, anywhere.
Apr 24, 2010, 7:52 am
There is a wonderful opportunity being handed to us by the Boise Airport. In May
they have invited two squadrons of F-16s from Vermont to practice on the Idaho
bombing range for a month. We need to remind everyone who is affected by the F-16s
that if the F-35s are brought in as our politicians are advocating, that there will
be twice as many flights at three times the noise level, and they will be here for
30 years, not 30 days. Over 2,100 additional homes will fall into the FAA “Not
Suitable for Residential use” classification which will result in a reduction of
their assessed value by 17 to 25%. For more information on this subject, visit
“SaveOurValleyNow.org.
Apr 24, 2010, 8:22 am
It is a Bill Mahre quote, but it is on target, “Everything that goes into defense costs us about a trillion dollars a year, most of which goes into fighting the Russians in 1978. Fighter planes for all those dog fights we get into with the Taliban, submarines to foil their evil plot to blow up our ships with car bombs, and space lasers to shoot down their exploding underpants.”
We need this plane like I need more poop in the paddock.
Apr 24, 2010, 12:56 pm
I read through the above comments and I guess I am the only woman that is to comment. I am in FAVOR of the F-35s. It pains me that so many men have tender ear drums. As to property values—hello. My propety value has fallen and it has not a whit to do with planes. I am focusing on the jobs the F-35s would bring and the security some children might reap. MEN–act like it.
Apr 24, 2010, 5:07 pm
There seems to be quite a bit of expectation and hoping that just because the F-35 jet fighter is terribly over budget, behind schedule, overweight, thin skinned, inefficient, noisy, high maintenance, unreliable, etc, that the project will just go away on it’s own. Don’t be fooled for a second into thinking this will happen or we will wind up with F-35s in our valley for the next 30 years. This is the time to be extra vigilant and active, and not let wishful thinking dull our resolve.
The Marine’s Osprey Vertical take off and landing (VTOL) aircraft is a prime example of just such a military project that ran over budget by billions, was years behind schedule, has minimal lifting capacity and is notoriously unstable and dangerous for pilots and crew. Yet this project is alive and well and continues to be funded. Just last month another Osprey crashed killing pilots and crew. Being a bad idea has very little to do with these kinds of projects retaining political support and funding.”
Apr 25, 2010, 11:49 pm
Monty is absoluty right on the Osprey. I feel sorry for the Marines who have to fly in this plane. The V22 was a disaster from the start and will never be fixed so some general won’t have to eat crow. (at massive tax payer expense). It was designed to replace the Chinook helicopter and it pales in capability and reliability.
Unimanginable that some people would sell this country down a rathole for a few jobs and the perception of “security”. It’s only security if it’s not too late no matter how big, expensive, powerful, or gift wrapped in a flag.
May 4, 2010, 5:46 pm
5:45 and my wife and I are sitting in the house, enjoying a nice quiet dinner. With exception to the F-16 from Vermont that just flew over the area…and we live at the intersection of Eagle and Victory road. I hope we never have to listen to the F-35’s out of Gowen Field, which are 3-4X as loud, for the next 30 years.
Taking a page out of Nancy Reagan’s book, JUST SAY NO IDAHO!
May 15, 2010, 6:30 am
I’m sort of out of my league hear, having only lived in this area one and a half years, and, being of an unpopular political bent. However, the F-35’s have nothing to do with our freedom, something that many conservatives are touting. They will be non-existent sooner than we know, and what concerns me are the numerous medical studies being done and generated that prove beyond reasonable doubt the hearing loss involved. It’s not just us folks, it’s the kids walking to and from school, or, playing outside. It’s about our health, something we don’t take seriously in Idaho. I’m pleased to see so many on this site who actually realize the importance of life (hearing?), liberty (keeping them out?), and the pursuit of happiness (noise free neighborhoods).