Let the URD’s operate under the strictures of the Idaho Constitution.

Urban Renewal is property tax dollars and taxpayers have a right to taxation with representation. UR agencies answer to no voter oversight and it is wrong. Even newly election Gov. Jerry Brown, a democrat wants these agencies abolished.

This isn’t about the Idaho Constitution’s debt clause. It’s about the creation and management of URDs.

And if you’re going to talk Constitutional Law, please review the Idaho Supreme Court decision of 11-25-09 upholding URD indebtedness.

http://www.isc.idaho.gov/opinions/Urban%20Renewal%20Agency%20v%20%20Hart.pdf

I certainly hope Justice Horton and the others know a little something about constitutional law.

Now we have Urban Renewal Title 50 that got into property taxpayers pocket back in the 1980’s and every wannabe mayor in Idaho has discovered the “magic of urban renewal” to get around bond elections.

If they want stuff that requires debt financing then let the voters decide just like school bond elections. Needs will be met but toys and goodies may not pass muster with voters. This is the crux of the issue and voters have every right to demand a voice in how long term debt is taken on and paid off with property tax dollars.

I suggest mr. cyinc and bearcub review the Idaho Constituion. Debt was deliberately made this way in Idaho because the waste and spend crowd was alive and well back in the days when the Idaho Constitution was framed. The mandate for a balanced budget is also something that has served Idaho well over the years.

Millions and millions have been spent on suburban expansion over decades. And you’re gonna begrudge 2 decades of creative management of the unique and older areas of town?

I notice how no one responds to my assertions that new planning and zoning laws hamstring new development in the west downtown area.

Of course I know property taxes make up a small percentage of road funding, not so small a percentage of new schools though. In the same vein, URDs only make a small percentage, if any, increase to your property taxes.

You, nor anyone else has yet to provide an independent and thorough accounting of how much extra property tax we pay due to the current 3 URDs in downtown Boise. No, the IFF report of a CATO report is not an independent and thorough accounting.

Regardless, it ain’t rocket science, my property tax amounts to about $100 a month. If indeed we are making up some kind of difference then it probably is only a small percentage. My combined utilities are much more than $100 a month. So, please put things in their proper perspective. The existence of URDs is not putting you in the poor house.

We all should be proud that at least some of our fellow citizens care about making downtown Boise better than the run-down warehouse district it once was. You may never visit downtown but a lot of people do. I rarely visit the Mall area and never visit the Factory Outlet area which has the taxpayer supported Ice Rink.

This anti URD argument is little different than arguing you have no kids so you shouldn’t have to pay for schools.

Yes, I would be in favor of better oversight, and no, URD funds should not be used for Arid Club memberships. But don’t pretend these kinds of abuses and annoyances don’t occur over the entire government spectrum.

And Greenbearcub wants to restrict voting rights to a few knowledgeable people. Seriously???

If you use your computer keyboard to type stupid stuff and put it out there for the world to see, then everyone in the world can form their own opinion of you.

Wasn’t it Mark Twain who said that it might be better for people to think you are an idiot than to open your mouth and remove all doubt?

But once again should there be some type of oversight and some new rules, of course. I little corrective action could be good. However, to much would be disastrous for the greater Boise/Nampa/Caldwell areas.

Furthermore, for any suburbanite to say that these additions go to help only downtown areas can just go to the back of the room and put that little cone of dunce on their head. (This last comment is not directed at the author of this editorial, as I do believe you to have a mind and that you do use it, in fact you know how to use it to sway those that I speak of to your side. That’s not wrong, we all do it, well at least us with half a mind do.) So lastly I have some agreement with this editorial but not to its full extent. It goes to far to have the whole populace to have oversight is not the way to get things done but to have no oversight is the way to get bloating. Just say it with me, Happy Middle ground.

EDITOR NOTE–There are more bills out there than we can discuss in this space, but the GUARDIAN seeks to have ANY elected authority held responsible, be it city council, county commishes, direct election of board, or the populace vote to approve the districts. Autonomy with tax revenues being spent without representation is simply wrong. Public money MUST be appropriated by an elected body and that is not the case under current law.

The only other option is for greater downtown Boise to secede from the rest of Boise, then we wouldn’t have to hear you suburbanites complaining about tax shifts even though you suburbanites have received the following:

2 new Parkcenter Bridges
1 new massive Overland/Cole interchange
1 new Micron interchange (Isaac’s Canyon)
1 new Locust Grove freeway overpass
1 new Orchard freeway overpass/interchange
1 new Vista freeway overpass/interchange
1 new State St bypass in Eagle
1 new Hill Road Parkway

Widened:
Interstate 184 (The Connector)
Federal Way
Maple Grove
Eagle Road
Victory Road
Overland Road
Hwy 69 to Kuna
Chinden
and a lot more

Oodles of new schools and parks

And the massive widening of Interstate 84 from Broadway to West Nampa

Yeah, go ahead suburbanites, keep complaining that you’re not get your fair share. UNBELIEVABLE!

EDITOR NOTE– Pro-growth city councilors annexed those suburbs against their will. I would mandfor annexation.ate a vote of BOTH city residents AND suburbanites