Comments on: Fire Dept. Bond & Why 2/3 Majority Is Good

By: Kent Hysell

Kent Hysell — Tue, 04 Nov 2014 13:36:38 +0000

Maybe this bond would sit better with me if the fire dept hadn’t built 2 houses, one on Cole, one on 5 Mile, that are in my opinion very overbuilt. First, I don’t see why there are 2 fire palaces that close to one another and second, why do these places have to cost SO much to build. Is it really necessary?
What is the ROI of the fire department? How many houses do they save? How much does it cost to run it for a year? Seems a waste to me I guess.

By: Zippo

Zippo — Wed, 15 Oct 2014 08:11:49 +0000

How about a volunteer fire department for all but core players. It is a very successful model in many communities which do not have money to burn… and even in those which do but want to spend it on something more productive.

By: frankr

frankr — Tue, 14 Oct 2014 16:42:02 +0000

Do all fire departments in the valley follow ambulances to homes when one calls for an ambulance or just Boise City? Is the fire departments budget based on responses? Aren’t Ada county paramedics paid and trained for these type of calls? Doesn’t Boise City respond not only to BSU but all Government buildings that don’t pay tax dollars for this service? Let’s not leave out CCDC Structures!

By: Mike Tracy

Mike Tracy — Tue, 14 Oct 2014 13:27:38 +0000

Great points, Dave. What I’d also like to know is why the Mayor and City Council have not made these a priority over the last 11 years while they have been in power? If they had it would have cost them $1.7 million per year out of how many hundreds of millions of dollars spent per year?

And if the Mayor and Council are truly looking out for the best interests of Boise citizens then why haven’t these critical public safety issues been at the top of the budget every year?

By: Cynic

Cynic — Tue, 14 Oct 2014 03:56:24 +0000

The City of Boise just raised property taxes by more than $5 Million but it is never enough for those who just want to build their Kingdoms. IF, and it’s a big IF, we really need a fire training facility, it should be built cooperatively with the County, the other cities, the State and the National Interagency Fire group as a joint use facility paid for by all those agencies NOT funded on the backs of Boise property owners.

By: Bieter begone

Bieter begone — Mon, 13 Oct 2014 21:16:08 +0000

Meridian FD has a training facility. Why can’t the two departments get along and boise FD use the meridian facility to train at, thereby saving taxpayers $7 million? That would leave the refurbishing of the fire stations, and those could be done on a yearly cash basis with no bond interest necessary.

But I guess that would mean someone on the Boise City Council would have to have an independent thought and ask questions.

EDITOR NOTE–I asked the same question with regard to Meridian. I was told the Meridian facility is not up to current training facility standards. If true, that’s why I find it a joke to “trade” use of a modern facility for an outmoded one. The other departments need to pay their way in U.S. dollars.