BSPR is funded by tax dollars. They owe you or someone like you a seat on the panel. Otherwise, the event needs to be taken off the radio dial. Period.

Those low level democrats are a real hoot, “ain’t” they?

Y’all should go for a bit of diversity and elect some Tea Party folks or libertarians to at least try to keep them honest for a change.

I still believe that this should be 3 separate issues. I was pleased that the city may be looking at other open space other than the foothills according to a recent Statesman article.

Nearly every public official there, as well as all of the popo chiefs, as well as John Bujak as CCPA, as well as most of the city and county fathers, as well as all of the real estate developers, as well as the Idaho Press Trbune, as well as many public employees, as well as nearly all “law enforcement professionals”, were all desperate to pass the bond as “crucial for the public safety”, and so forth.

It failed miserably, not once, not twice, but thrice.

How has Canyon not been completely overrun by dangerous criminals in the over three years since the last flameout??

Perhaps this may serve as a lesson to Boise residents.

The thirst and hunger for more and more taxpayer monies is never satisfied

The old bait and switch has happened on capital projects in Boise. It seems like the incumbent city council members are thumbing their noses at the public.
Their original plan was to have public input on capital projects. At least, that’s what the Mayor said. In the FY2014-15 Budget Document the Mayor’s introductory letter talks about a public process for setting priorities. I agree with that. Certainly building parks and the fire training facility are capital projects.
But, even before the budget was implemented on October 1, there was a rush to the bonds, and as far as I know, no discussion of alternative financing. The budget PLANNED for public input on capital projects and then somehow the idea of public priority setting (that good thought) vanished.
Here’s what the Mayor wrote:
“Capital Fund Recommendations
The City Council and department staff have identified a wide range of proposed or planned capital projects that ensure continued high levels of service to our citizens but which are unlikely to be funded with current or projected revenues. The Mayor’s Office is preparing to launch a public process that will review priority projects and help determine possible alternative approaches to funding and/or implementing these projects.”
There are ways to fund capital projects without taking on debt. I have a public finance perspective — a mantra — that we should provide the best service at the least cost. Governments don’t earn, they spend. So, is bonded indebtedness the least cost? Can capital projects include revenue generation? I have an idea for funding park expansion without debt and I agree with the Boise Guardian’s view on the fire training center (to build a cooperative-use facility with other communities). I would go a step further and offer that the facility be privately built so that it provides property tax benefit and operates on a fee for service basis. And let’s make it available for departments beyond the Treasure Valley.
Our elected officials need to seek the next best idea. In this case we have to say “no” in order to inspire them to try. They should try.