City Government
Did Flawed Intel Lead To Council Support Of F-35?
July 26, 2010 
A group calling itself SaveOurValleyNow is claiming the endorsement of Boise City Councilors in support of the F-35 fighter at Gowen Field is based on flawed information.
Citing what they claim are conflicting statements from Deputy Airport Director Matt Petja regarding noise levels, the group is actually offering the Council a face-saving way to back off on their support of the war planes using the same field and airspace as passenger aircraft.
They say Councilors based their support in large part upon Petja’s supposed assessment of the noise issue.
Specifically they say Petja was quoted in a February city-issued press release saying, “…that the proposed (F-35) mission would have a minimal and manageable impact on the noise in the surrounding areas.”
At a July 15 neighborhood meeting Petja was questioned by opponents of the F-35 about his noise comment.
According to the group he said, “I told them that the existing runways were long enough to accommodate the F-35s.”
When asked if he now thought the F-35s would have a minimal and manageable impact, he said he did not know.
(EDITOR NOTE–They offer links to recordings and documents supporting their assertions.)
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Comments & Discussion
Comments are closed for this post.
Jul 26, 2010, 1:43 pm
I just think that none of them live anywhere near where it will fly over
Jul 26, 2010, 4:43 pm
Where and when ISN’T there flawed intel??
The fact that the runways are long enough to accomodate the aircraft has nothing to do with noise!
Jul 26, 2010, 5:08 pm
Voters have to be very concerned about a Mayor and City Council that appear to make up press releases without any concern for what was actually said and then make decisions based on their own propaganda.
Jul 26, 2010, 8:29 pm
So what is new? The Council and Mayor make decisions based on out and out made up “data” all the time. In fact they do not even need “data” to make goofy decisions.
One example is the huge condo project on Crescent Rim that is now vacant and mothballed. The nieghborhood told the council that they were being fed a pile of crap by the developer and that the project would never fly…and they have been proven right.
So who cares that the airport folks made up something. Just business as usual.
Jul 26, 2010, 8:53 pm
It goes without saying that my feelings toward the current city administration is they are embecilic in virtually every way. However, this group Save our Valley Now, seems to be a bunch of NIMBY’S crying about their decision to buy a home by the airport!
Jul 26, 2010, 11:05 pm
Do remember Johnny Carson when he made a joke about how the Army could buy each solider 3 cars for the price they were paying for the new M-1 tank.
This thing is like that, let them sell it to everyone that’s not likely to use it against us, but we really don’t need it and are broke $$ anyway.
Jul 27, 2010, 8:49 am
We NIMBYs bought our homes well before the F-35 was proposed, and have unfortunately trusted in our government and the public process to protect us from such radically adverse impact. There are literally zones out there right now that would be unlivable due to the noise levels. And yet, no mention has been made of the government buying these homes through eminent domain. (And let’s not forget how those folks who scream about “Sound of freedom!” love to also scream about eminent domain.)
This NIMBY actually believes this project deserves to be Not In Anyone’s Back Yard.
Jul 27, 2010, 8:35 pm
Casey, you may have bought your home prior to the F-35 process, But you still bought in the increased noise level area surrounding the airport! I have a real tough time generating much sympathy for your plight. You may take a little solace in the fact that it is highly inlikely the aircraft will go into production.