CCDC
Urban Renewal Put To Death In CA
January 31, 2012 
Here’s a LA Times article on the California Legislatures move to shut down all 400 of the “redevelopment agencies” (Urban Renewal in Idaho) as of February 1, 2012. The legislation was upheld by a 6-1 vote in the California Supreme Court. A caretaker will be appointed to pay off all remaining debt of each agency and no new projects will be authorized.
This was first suggested by Gov. Jerry Brown who let his distaste for these agencies be known when he went after way to cut the state deficit.
Here’s the entire L.A. TIMES article.
The abuses and waste in California are similar to what is going on in Idaho. Look for some legislation during the current Idaho session.
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Comments & Discussion
Comments are closed for this post.
Jan 31, 2012, 2:56 pm
Looks like greed got the best of them.
Jan 31, 2012, 6:10 pm
We can live in hope our legislators will read the LA Times article and take some much needed action to drive a wooden stake into the heart of this legislation.
They heard it all last year about all the abuses and did very little to protect property owners. All the existing agencies and their mischief with property tax dollars will continue for the next 20 years. It is time to follow the path California took and simply put them out of business.
Cities in Idaho with urban renewal agencies are robbing schools and all other taxing districts of needed revenue and squandering it on “bling” projects voters would never approve.
Meanwhile, property owners are being asked to approve override levy proposals to fund schools. over $50 million is taken out of property taxes and funneled to urban renewal agencies all over Idaho.
Taxpayers got very little from the Idaho Legislature in terms of a fix to the waste, fraud and abuses of Urban Renewal last year. They created this mess and they can fix it. I like the California fix by putting all 400+ of them out of business.
Feb 1, 2012, 7:44 am
So we think legislators can read?
Didn’t know that.
Feb 1, 2012, 3:10 pm
We built it and nobody came? The Swells are ruining this country with euphemisms and empty promises and their results of trying to spend their way to prosperity. Take away all their “gold cards” and put them on a cash basis. Take in dollar and spend a dollar but do it with voter approval.
Feb 2, 2012, 8:12 am
Here we go again. Still no solution afforded to inner Boise to stem the tide of tax dollars collected in the North End, East End and West Downtown from subsidizing the suburbs.
State legislators still afraid to give Boise a local option tax option, even though they flood our downtown every year. Drive on and park on our streets, walk on our sidewalks, visit our parks…
If you faux conservatives were truly about tax fairness then you’d support some way to spend what is collected in a geographically fair manner.
Feb 2, 2012, 8:23 am
Still no answer from any of you on the Fairview/Main predicament.
Planning and zoning rules enacted in the decades since the lots were created in the Fairview/Main area are preventing redevelopment of the area. The vacant properties are already effectively off the tax rolls and not paying their fair share.
Let the free market work you say? Wrong. I’ve already pointed out that there is no free market. Planning and zoning favors large suburban style property.
Look at the few things being built downtown. Whole Foods, Jump, Riverview Rehab— all suburban style.
Feb 2, 2012, 1:59 pm
What do you expect, no paid for by taxpayers Arid Club memberships anymore.
Feb 2, 2012, 9:06 pm
What’s wrong with Whole Foods, Jump, Riverview Rehab? All stand alone projects and it hasn’t been reported that they are getting any handouts. If anything, Jump has expended considerable resources just getting through the city approval labyrinth.
The empty lots you are describing must be the ones owned by the city. Let me guess, you’re just being cynical.
Feb 3, 2012, 10:45 am
Nothing is wrong with Whole Foods, Jump or Riverview Rehab. I was pointing out that they’re suburban in nature. Large lots with lots of parking, that’s all. Outside the immediate downtown core, P&Z requires parking lots. The feds require storm water basins to catch parking lot run off which requires even larger lots. Simple.
I was pointing out that without Urban Renewal Districts then the areas with smaller lots are never going to be redeveloped unless P&Z rules are changed dramatically or Renewal Districts are formed and reassemble the small cut up lots into larger ones.
And no, the city only owns 2 empty lots downtown, St Luke’s owns another, the rest are in private hands.
Feb 4, 2012, 11:41 am
I should also point out that it is correct that Whole Foods and Riverview Rehab have not received Urban Renewal handouts BECAUSE they’re not in any URD.
JUMP is but that lot has been owned by the Simplots since before any of the URDs were created. And property like that abandoned warehouse is one of the reasons for the sentiment in favor of URDs.