Comments on: State Owns Tax-Exempt Commercial Storage, Competes With Private Business

By: BRR

BRR — Sun, 24 Oct 2010 23:09:34 +0000

Dave,
You were absolutely right: the story does have legs and has been fleshed out with damning details.

And the connection with China, Vietnam, Cuba, and mideast sheikdoms still smells.

BRR

By: JIMV

JIMV — Sat, 23 Oct 2010 03:51:07 +0000

I have just skimmed the details but I am still confused…WHY? I mean, did the government all wake up one morning with a mind fart…’let’s own a business’..

There has to be a why in this story.

By: Lee

Lee — Fri, 22 Oct 2010 19:46:39 +0000

The purchase of Affordable Self Storage only happened last month. Until the begining of September 2010 it was not owned by the state. Prices have not changed. The prices there were always lower than most and in fact should have probably been brought up closer to competition a while ago. The state DID NOT lower any prices to undercut competition. As for police being able to sit there, they have been there for years before the state owned it. I lived in the subdivision north of the storage, and as there is no middle lane it is dangerous and difficult to pull out of driveways and business lots onto Maple Grove. I am thankful to have speed controled there. There have been people flying off that hill if it is know as a “speed trap” maybe people will slow down.

By: JP

JP — Thu, 21 Oct 2010 14:30:16 +0000

I always wondered why the Boise Police were allowed to sit in the parking lot to catch speeders. Now I know, it’s public property.

By: Rod in SE Boise

Rod in SE Boise — Thu, 21 Oct 2010 01:29:52 +0000

Is this the same Land Board that leases shoreline land on Payette Lake to their wealthy friends at less than fair market rates?

By: Clancy

Clancy — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 22:21:31 +0000

FROM BG: “According to our confidential informants, the private facility was up for sale ….. Since the transaction was a “quit claim deed” and not a warranty deed, our experts figure it was some sort of land swap.”

From what I have found, this was done at a public meeting in August. Nothing done in secrecy and no land swap. I assume the information packet presented to the Land Board could be obtained via a records request. http://www.idl.idaho.gov/LandBoard/2010MinutesPDF/aug17finmin.pdf#4.96

Questions for those in the know.
– What are their storage rates vs “Affordable Storage” now and historical.

EDITOR NOTE–Quit claim was only part of the transaction chain, The Board paid $2.68 million from their fund. We will be doing a follow up, but the bottom line is a difference in philosophy among educators, politicians, and businessmen with regard to retail operations by the State of Idaho.

FYI, state claims they charge “market rates.”

By: Tom von Alten

Tom von Alten — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 21:17:39 +0000

There wasn’t any mention of just how “Affordable” the storage is. If they’re charging the going rate that private businesses do, it’s all good, eh? The extra income from “no taxes” would go to the state and reduce everyone else’s taxes. In theory.

EDITOR NOTE–State people agree the benefit of “no taxes” increases the profit to the state, but since the money is destined for the educational endowment trust fund, it will not reduce anyone’s taxes. State would argue the profit would offset need for taxes. HOWEVER, Boise, Ada County, ACHD, and Boise Schools would all lose the tax revenues.

By: Clancy

Clancy — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 20:28:08 +0000

FYI those downtown properties are not on the tax rolls and compete against other real estate in the area. I don’t see much difference in this or the “retail” competition. It is still a government competing against private entities.
http://www.idl.idaho.gov/bureau/smr/csl/csl_index.html
http://www.idl.idaho.gov/am/flyers/commercial_leasing-development_opportunities-flyers2.pdf

Since it does not look like an issue that is going away, “voting the bums out of office” is not a valid response as that should of happened in 1998 when the commercial purchases first stared. How about some real solutions?

By: Brian

Brian — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 19:00:04 +0000

Geeezus. Who knew about this that is running for office? I need to know that prior to voting please, so do about 300 of my friends.

EDITOR NOTE–the entire land board of statewide elected officers.

By: erico49

erico49 — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 18:00:32 +0000

Well.. the County is in the entertainment business… Wedding venue, RV park, racing, baseball, fair. Not sure why this is different, except for the lack of competition in most of the County enterprises.