Business
BOI Could Build $30M SkyWest Facility
June 14, 2014 
We would eagerly welcome a $30,000,000 investment by regional airline SkyWest to build a maintenance facility in Boise as announced by Mayor Dave Bieter Friday.
Taxes on a $30 million structure could amount to more than $500,000 a year for Boise Schools, ACHD, Ada County, and Boise City. But it is unlikely it will happen. While those taxes would offset expenses for schools and related public services for the increased work force, the more logical scenario will deny citizens of any revenue from such a facility.
Team Dave worked hard to pass an amendment to the Idaho Constitution which allows the airport to go into debt without permission of voters. Businesses–like airlines, repair shops and air freight carriers–currently build and own their facilities on airport property and PAY TAXES.
If the city builds the new facility, SkyWest would pay rent, but no taxes. Sounds like a small detail, but everyone (except SkyWest) loses in a deal which will be sold as a “win-win public-private partnership.”
Buyer beware!
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Comments & Discussion
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Jun 14, 2014, 5:52 pm
I keep thinking back to the 1960’s when I got out of High School. For those of us who were not headed to college, we had all kinds of apprenticeship programs funded by labor unions and employers. I can honestly say I don’t know of a single apprentice program here in the valley.
Employers complain about the lack of a trained workforce but they stay unwilling to finance any of it and want homeowners to pay for these programs via College of Western Idaho.
If this maintenance facility got build where would they get the people to staff it? Chances are they aren’t going to hire people from the local community but will bring them in from other places.
Jun 15, 2014, 1:53 pm
Taxes? It will be tax free. And should taxes ever be collected, they’ll be diverted to the streetcar.
FlyHead, you are correct about how employers expect trained and experienced for near minimum wage… because our government has promised this to them. Just like the sckrool districts promise to produce educated graduates.
PS: SkyWest is slowly taking the flying away from Horizon Air via an agreement with Alaska Air. Horizon will vanish one day.
Jun 18, 2014, 10:48 pm
You’re right about Horizon… me thinks SkyWest is about to either buy Horizon, or replace them completely as Alaska shuts them down.
Jun 22, 2014, 8:43 pm
Team Dave will give them so many tax breaks there will be no tax revenue.