Archive for April, 2011
PERSI Scam Not Mentioned In CDA Press
The COEUR d’ALENE PRESS ran a Saturday story that looks to us like it was planted by someone within the Idaho state government aimed at getting government worker retirement raised–or to draw attention away from the political abuse of the system. The GUARDIAN doesn’t know where this story came from, but it is a self […]
G-BAD Election Is About Spending Room Taxes
With six candidates chasing only two seats on an obscure government board, the Greater Boise Auditorium District election of May 17 would seem like a yawner. Not so if you are in the public relations, advertising, hotel, or even the DANCE business. The big issue is a split among candidates over funding The Boise Convention […]
Media Perks Questioned At Legislature
By DAVID R. FRAZIER GUARDIAN editor I have been a beneficiary of media perks for more than 50 years. It started in the 1960’s when I carried Speed Graphic cameras and film holders for my newspaperman father at Michigan State sports events in East Lansing, Michigan. The free meals, donuts, and soft drinks at Spartan […]
Hope Springs Eternal With Day Job
Sometimes when we get an overdose of reality with politicos and their antics, it feels good to just go out and burn some gas. Remember those days of “taking a ride in the country?” We found some sun recently and actually went out to gather more images for the PHOTOLIBRARYwhere we offer images to the […]
Canyon Government Workers Earn Top $$$
The Idaho Press-Tribune ran a salary roundup of top paid government workers which shows that Canyon County is a great place to work if you like to benefit from taxpayer largess…not so good if you are one of those taxpayers. While the story shows half a dozen Nampa coppers earned (received?) well in excess of […]
Where Have All The Candidates Gone? Serious Contenders Need To Get Organized!
Is it apathy or contentment? No one is popping up as a candidate for Boise City Council or mayor. Interesting to note at least 50 people applied for the appointment to fill Bisterfeldt’s seat without election. Will any of them run if they have to pass muster with voters? Of course, the incumbents will tell […]
Teacher’s Unrest Grows Statewide
Opposition to State Education Super Tom Luna and the reforms passed by the legislature is growing statewide. We got word of the Reject the Luna Laws website today. Teachers are seeking to recall the Super and repeal his legislation through a referendum. As we have noted before, both efforts are an uphill battle. It will take […]
Conservation Group Heads For the Hills
The Land Trust of the Treasure Valley is after $580,000 by the end of the year to acquire a parcel of Boise foothills land for hikers and dog walkers. The area is known as Harrison Hollow off Bogus Basin Road. We applaud such private efforts and will go a step further, offering them some tips […]
Crouch Needs A Covered Bridge, Not Super Span
Folks in the tiny mountain hamlet of Crouch probably have a legitimate beef with the Boise County Commishes when it comes to construction of a new bridge across the Middle Fork of the Payette River. Some residents call it overkill, according to quotes in a KTVB story Tuesday. The ancient single lane span has outlived […]
Meridian Teachers Violate District Mail Policy (Again)
Despite continued admonitions from the administration, Meridian teachers continue to use the official school e-mail for political union activities. District Super Dr. Linda Clark got a copy of a union political e-mail leaked to the office of State Super Tom Luna Tuesday which is causing a bit of a stir. (We can only assume Super […]
Mayor Hotline April April 9 to 15
4/13/11 Diane Ayres S Garden Place Boise, ID 83705 ISSUE: She was at the Hillcrest Shopping plaza and saw a city employee leave his car idling and unattended for 20+ minutes. She spoke with the employee and shared her concerns about wasting gas, polluting the air, wasting taxpayer money, etc. She felt the employee was […]
Nampa Homeowners Face $48 Flat Tax Hike
Question: When is a tax not a tax? Answer: When it comes in the form of a mandatory “fee” from Nampa City Hall. Mayor Tom Dale has sent a letter to property owners inviting them to attend an April 27 meeting at the Nampa Civic Center to discus a plan to curtail the continued pollution […]
Idaho Cities Battle For Convention Dollars
GROWTHOPHOBE (growth o phobe)–”One who opposes growth just for the sake of growth. Usually refers to municipalities and governments seeking to increase population and attract businesses merely for the sake of growing without due regard to long term affect on citizens and taxpayers.” The opposite of GROWTHOPHOBE is GROWTHOPHILE and that special breed seems prolific […]
Yuba City Councilor Disses Idaho
One of our California GUARDIAN readers sent us a story from the APPEAL-DEMOCRAT newspaper which proves that politicos at all levels have a propensity for eating shoe leather. During an April 13 meeting encouraging racial and cultural tolerance attended by local Sikh Indian-Americans and officials including the U.S. Attorney for the area, a Yuba City […]
New Airport Will Need Property Tax Money
Proponents of the constitutional amendment that passed in November repeatedly claimed “no tax money” would be used for airports. Now, it looks like they were wrong if the news from Sun Valley area is any indication. The proposition that amended the Idaho Constitution allows airports to sell municipal bonds without a public vote. The sale […]
Politicos Favor Self Interest In Election Laws
The recall petition campaign against two District 18 legislators will be historic if it is successful. The last time there was a successful recall of a legislator was 1971 when Aden Hyde and Fisher Ellsworth, both of Idaho Falls got ousted in a a special election–but the rules were different. The next year–1972–the legislators got […]
Mayor Hotline April 2 to 8
4/4/11 Matt Shifley Greenbriar Drive Boise, ID 83705 ISSUE: Would like to suggest that the City of Boise designate the proceeds from certain, marked parking meters and donate them to homeless coalition groups and animal rescue groups. DFA 4/5/11 Ken Kirkbride Hawthorne Way Boise, ID 83703 ISSUE: Recently there has been flooding and trees falling […]
GV School Layoffs Fail For Lack Of Motion
The GUARDIAN posting about impending layoffs at the sprawling, but sparsely populated Garden Valley School District north of Boise drew attention of media and school patron who attended the Monday school board meeting. The board delayed the proposed layoffs of teachers and other staff. Our insider reports a standing room only crowd of orderly citizens […]
“Bloody Monday” Set For Garden Valley School Staffers
It looks like a Monday Night Massacre is set for the regular meeting of the Garden Valley School District. A GUARDIAN reader sent us the agenda and said “the majority” of staff–including teachers–will lose jobs if the measures on the agenda are passed. An insider tells the GUARDIAN it breaks down like this: “There are […]
City Misses Target (again) At Shooting Range
Team Dave and the Councilors just can’t seem to get away from consequences of their back room dealing on the police shooting range three-way land swap. That deal left Fairview and 27th a vacant piece of urban decay with only a doggie day care kennel and the city holding a vacant piece rock-strewn land in […]
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