Comments on: Should State Be In Business of Business?

By: Zippo

Zippo — Fri, 06 Jul 2012 04:43:21 +0000

oh o, train is losing riders. Do ya think it might be because of the 6 lane freeway right next to the tracks? Or is it the stinky street trash that ride to and from their crime zones.

http://www.startribune.com/local/north/161518155.html

By: Chuck Woods

Chuck Woods — Wed, 04 Jul 2012 18:29:38 +0000

Even more outrageous is that the state used education funds to assist a brewery. No one in any other state would even believe these things. Anywhere else there would be a public outcry and efforts to stop these robber barons.

By: Zippo

Zippo — Sat, 23 Jun 2012 03:29:06 +0000

Have you noticed the politicos call taxes “revenue generation”. This bunch of fools really thinks that forcefully taking money from people and businesses is the same as earning it with work, ideas, development, and manufacturing.

By: chicago sam

chicago sam — Fri, 22 Jun 2012 23:43:59 +0000

I am aware of a private company interested in the Canyon County Landfill. Also, I haven’t heard lately how the $250,000 study appropiated by the Legislature to study what to do with state owned land where Centennial and Ridgecrest golf courses are located is going. One rumor has it that condiminiums and a shopping center would return much more money to the State than the paltry amount paid by the City of Nampa. Funding for the study went thru the Dept. of Health and Welfare to an Eagle company

By: Zippo

Zippo — Fri, 22 Jun 2012 22:09:31 +0000

Many many years ago a handful of very wise people wrote some very basic rules to guide the state so as to not become like so many other systems which grew to big and imploded. Our politicos today are over-educated and under-wise.

By: Clancy

Clancy — Fri, 22 Jun 2012 20:47:50 +0000

Should Ada County get rid of the landfill? Should Boise get rid of their pools? Maybe the IDL should sell their timber property too, since that competes with private lands.

By: slfisher

slfisher — Fri, 22 Jun 2012 20:47:11 +0000

Can I assume you’re also in favor of shutting down the liquor division and opening that up to private enterprise? If not, can you please explain how it is different?

EDITOR NOTE–Are you talking to ME? If so, I sure am in favor of getting out of the liquor business. I am also in favor of government run jails, probation, schools, etc. My big obstacle is the “profit motive”–government should be a zero sum deal to provide needed services to the public, not a way to “make money,” regardless of the cause. While we have timber and grazing lands, we should not operate saw mills and meat packing plants. The most “profitable” sector of the land board operation is cabin leases which serve select families. They should be competitively bid to give the highest return to the endowment fund. Instead, locals are “protected” for fear of “rich Californians” controlling everything.

By: Dave

Dave — Fri, 22 Jun 2012 18:41:36 +0000

Mr. Forrey has posted a well written, concise, thoughtfully prepared piece on this important subject. It won’t change a thing.

The state does what it wants, to whom it wants, anytime it wants and knows that nobody in Idaho has the money to fight it in court. Until we the voters get past R or D, and the candidates quit pimping for the party and start working for EVERYBODY, nothing will change. And if nothing changes, nothing changes. Nuff Said.

By: My Two Cents

My Two Cents — Fri, 22 Jun 2012 18:22:48 +0000

It certainly seems inappropriate, if not patently illegal, for the state to operate private businesses for which they do not have to pay property taxes because government is exempt from such taxation. It is an unfair advantage that private businesses do not have. If they’re going to operate a for-profit business, I think the Legislature should change the law so that the tax exemption is removed. That way everyone is on a level playing field in terms of the expenses incurred to operate the business.