Comments on: Boise Budget Grows 8 Times Faster Than Population

By: ola

ola — Fri, 20 May 2011 13:18:21 +0000

“But even though the city has gotten bigger, school enrollment as declined. That’s what is odd.”

Not odd at all if they were annexing already developed areas in and around the city. Check it out.

EDITOR NOTE– Another factor not mentioned is parts of Boise CITY are within the Meridian SCHOOL district.

By: Denise

Denise — Fri, 20 May 2011 01:37:38 +0000

I think that a lot of folks moved west, still in the City but now in Meridian School District. The student populations in the smaller, in town schools has dwindled while the Meridian schools in west Boise have grown.

By: steve lewis

steve lewis — Thu, 19 May 2011 20:37:13 +0000

Thanks for the clarification. One needs to remember the city itself has gotten bigger over the last 10 years. Both population and geographically. Also, BPD absorbed the airport since 2000 and absorbed their budget requirements as well. The same can be said for BFD.

But even though the city has gotten bigger, school enrollment as declined. That’s what is odd.

But my question is still one to look into, if you have time. Which is, how much have budgets declined since 2009? That’s when the nation (and the state and city) really have gotten hammered by the recession, property declines and unemployment. Where has spending declined in the city and where has it increased in that time? That might be a better gauge of how the city (and this administration) is balancing its financial situation and priorities.

EDITOR NOTE–Any way you cut it, the population has increased 11% and the cost has gone up 88%. Every year the city takes the maximum allowed budget increase. Today’s editorial in the STATESMAN indicates Team Dave was wrong about cuts–actually increased 15%.

By: dog

dog — Thu, 19 May 2011 17:38:11 +0000

We need the huge police force to bust the kids smoking pot and cigarettes to fill the coffers at the court house you idiots! God forbid a fire truck and ambulance don’t show up when a kid falls off a bike. Not to mention the possibility of terrorist attacks. You could be next!

By: steve lewis

steve lewis — Thu, 19 May 2011 05:15:14 +0000

Editor, I must have misunderstood something. In Flatlander’s note, you indicate that BPD’s budget is $8M. But in your note to my comment you say BPD’s “budget has skyrocketed too, up nearly $10M” in the last 6 years.

Can you clarify how big the current BPD budget is?

EDITOR NOTE–Clumsy old finger missed a digit. BPD budget is $48 million. We fixed it in the other comment as well. Sorry for the confusion.

By: antiphobe

antiphobe — Thu, 19 May 2011 04:23:29 +0000

Idastump you are missing the point. Yes…we have all been stung badly by increases in fuel and other “necessities”. But we’ve absorbed it while experiencing little to no revenue/income growth to offset. At least my paycheck (oh wait…the company I worked for folded so now I’m self employed) has not grown to match rising costs of living. But govmints don’t play by the real world rules – the levy special assessments or raise taxes to cover increase costs. You and I don’t have that luxury. They shoudln’t either.

By: Idastump

Idastump — Wed, 18 May 2011 19:26:58 +0000

I am by no means a defender of Team Dave. I have dealt with at least two of the many faces he has and came away damaged to be sure.

However; when you criticize the budget over the last ten years, are you including the massive spike in costs related to fuel?

In my own home, we know we are spending much more for almost everything than we were ten years ago.

I know the city is not immune to this.

By: steve lewis

steve lewis — Wed, 18 May 2011 18:26:19 +0000

I wish more in the media would look at these numbers and raise a stink. Those comparisons between BFD and BPD’s budgets are amazing. I didn’t now BFD was that high, especially compared to total employees.

Look, police protection and fire protection are two things (among others) that a city can not live without. Lots of the manpower requirements for BFD are mandated by federal quide lines, so keep that in mind too. But holy cow! I guess we know who the Mayor likes best, yeh? Actually, didn’t a battalion chief work for Beiter’s campaign? I think one of them did. Interesting.

I wonder how much BPD’s budget has been slashed over the last few years compared to BFD or the school district’s budgets to get it down that low (compared to others)?

That school district budget is amazing too. Enrollment is down 4.4% but that budget is up 8.9%? WTF? They don’t even pay for the cops in their schools either, so I’ve been told. That comes out of their $8M budget.

EDITOR NOTE–Copper’s budget has skyrocketed too–up nearly $10,000,000 since 2005…mostly due to personnel costs and contractual obligations.

By: Dave Zarkin

Dave Zarkin — Wed, 18 May 2011 15:22:28 +0000

“Rampant corruption” in Boise? Jeez! Isn’t this a bit rash? I find this all quite amusing and commend you for being the watchdog on local government spending. In the Twin Cities their is a plan to raise the booze tax in St Paul to fund a new Viking stadium that won’t benefit St. Paul. You would have a field day with that one.

By: bikeboy

bikeboy — Wed, 18 May 2011 14:59:21 +0000

I was somewhat disturbed by another fact in Ms. Sewell’s excellent story: between 18,500 and 21,500 Boise residents work for the government in some capacity. (That’s combining city, county, state, fed, VA, BSU, etc., etc.)

Granted, Boise is the hub of Big Government for the state and region, but just the same, that’s a lot of taxpayer-sponsored jobs! No wonder we’re suckin’ wind!