City Government
Eagle-Boise Fire Coverage Is Hot Topic
September 22, 2014 
For the most part the fire departments in Ada County get along pretty well, especially when it comes to assisting each other responding to emergencies.
That relationship is being strained as a result of the recent Boise City annexation of about 600 Eagle Fire District patrons into the city of Boise. The move will cost the Eagle FD about $100,000 in lost revenues. The area in question is roughly bordered by State Street, Hill Road, Horseshoe Bend Road, and Bogart Lane.
The strain comes with Eagle FD having two stations within little over a mile away from the current coverage area. Under most circumstances, the closest station responds to emergency calls, regardless if jurisdiction. This “mutual aid” tends to even out in the long run.
However, with Boise taking over the revenue stream from Eagle, its a bit of a slap in the face to ask Eagle to continue as “first responders” after taking away their income.
No doubt Boise will be looking at a new station to serve the urban sprawl created by the annexation. In the meantime it will be interesting to see if Boise offers up some cash to Eagle after nearly doubling the taxes of the residents to be annexed.
Ironically, the folks in the center of the annexation don’t want to be citizens of Boise and have testified in opposition to the forced acquisition of their area into Boise City.
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Comments & Discussion
Comments are closed for this post.
Sep 22, 2014, 12:24 pm
Maybe I missed it in an earlier article but how do the taxes double? The 2014 levy rates for the annexed properties and the nearest City of Boise properties vary by about 40%.
EDITOR NOTE–Perhaps poorly worded since it will be a NEW tax (city portion). Not sure how you did your math, but if it went from (example) $60 to $100, it would be a 67% hike. “A 2/3 increase” would obviously be more accurate. Even at 40% it is still a hefty increase.
Sep 22, 2014, 12:34 pm
Dave, you are so darn funny. Boise sharing revenue. That’s a good one. They TAKE revenue, they never give it.
Sep 22, 2014, 12:41 pm
Is the City of Boise desperate for revenues?
Will Bieter make another plea for bond monies?
What other tricks may we expect?
Why not turn the BPD and prosecutor’s office into revenue producers and profit centers, as has been done in Nampa and Canyon County?
Sep 22, 2014, 1:21 pm
Poor planning by Eagle FD? This area has been within Boise City area of impact for 36 years according to the Statesman. The station on Floating Feather is poorly located and should never have been built. Boise has a FD master plan (at least 7 years old) that includes a new station on Bogart.
Sep 22, 2014, 4:59 pm
It is way past time to organize a door to door grassroots information campaign to throw Bieter out on his bum. It’s taking him and insufferably long time to get a Washington DC appointment, so I don’t know how else to get rid of him.
He’s stealing the money from people who he thinks will still elect him… and due to stupidity and apathy, he’s right.
New fire station? How stupid is that? Just buy the EDF station and equipment for a fair price. Could even hire their staff too. I suppose that would be too easy.
EDITOR NOTE–The Eagle FD stations are outside the newly annexed area, but much closer than anything Boise currently has to offer. In the past Boise FD has bought both stations and firefighters from Whitney and North Ada districts. The Boise FD coverage area is probably 50% more area than the city limits.