City Government
CWI Bursting At Seams, May Seek Tax Hike
April 2, 2015 
Boise City and College of Western Idaho officials have met to discuss their violation of a conditional use permit which allowed 420 students at the “Boise Campus” located in the Black Eagle Business Park at Overland and Maple Grove Roads.
It turned out the school’s Boise facility has nearly six times –some 2,400 students– the number allowed. A GUARDIAN reader questioned the school’s authority to exceed the conditions of the permit, prompting an investigation by the city Planning and Development Services Dept.
City Hall sources tell us the issue will be worked out with a new use application from CWI which will reflect the increased numbers. That application will go to the Planning and Zoning Commission and then the City Council for consideration.
Meanwhile, Idaho Statesman reporter Bill Roberts wrote a lengthy story in the Thursday issue of the Daily Paper which said CWI officials may ask taxpayers in Ada and Canyon counties — who voted to create the college with a two-thirds majority in 2007 — to approve a $150 million bond sale for expansion of facilities.
CWI opened in January 2009 on the site of the Boise State University west campus in Nampa. Enrollment has jumped from 1,200 students to more than 10,000 this school year. Another 10,400 students are enrolled in workforce-development and basic-skills non credit classes.
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Comments & Discussion
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Apr 2, 2015, 5:59 pm
There is a possible campus very near to CWI in Nampa in which many buildings appear to be under utilized. If not suitable for CWI the State thru Health and Welfare own at least 200 plus acres of open ground. This is the old Nampa State School which is under consideration for extensive development now. Somebody should take a look before the plans are too far along. The State has already invested 1.5 million in the road to Ridgecrest which tees off of Garrity near CWI Nampa campus
Apr 2, 2015, 8:55 pm
Excellent suggestion Chicago Sam. The CWI would have to lease or purchase the State’s property, but, the State isn’t supposed to be involved in for profit real estate transactions – oh, wait, it already is, my bad.
Apr 2, 2015, 9:07 pm
makes sense that the Ada campus would see a larger population of students. The majority of the students who go to CWI live in Ada county. Not Canyon.
Apr 2, 2015, 10:41 pm
Nampa City is vying for the old state school and hospital grounds and they already lease the ground for the two golf courses, Ridgecrest and Centennial. They want to turn over to a developer (one sits on the current city council) and build exclusive homes there.
The area around the Idaho Center and the campus there is large enough to accommodate more buildings and Nampa City could turn the money losing complex Idaho Center over to the school for an athletic complex and make a multi-use facility there.
There is also room for expansion at the Micron Technology center, which is the former Sam’s Club.
CWI wouldn’t have to lease the state property as they are a state school.
Apr 3, 2015, 8:40 am
L.D. there is some open ground near Boise State. It is currently named Julia Davis and Ann Morrison Park.
Apr 3, 2015, 12:01 pm
On the road throughout the USA, one notices there are very few places with better meteorological conditions than Boise (except the smog, we got terrible air quality). However, one also notices there is something wrong with Boise’s economic/jobs/career climate.
CWI began as a result of the BSU snobs rejecting their own very successful working-class education schools in favor of a more snobbish mission statement. BSU gave those with the dirty fingernails their own little campus and a new tax levy so as to keep them away from the main campus.
I expect that increased enrollment should also mean increased tuition revenues for CWI?? So, why do they need a levy if business is going bonkers? Editor, how much per household will this bond be? Meridian district just had a big money grab election too. Is there really a need at CWI for more money, or is this just a bunch of liberals taking what they can get because more taxes are more-better??
The students pay plenty… so where does the money go??
http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/personalfinance/2014/03/03/ozy-student-debt/5976111/
Apr 4, 2015, 1:34 am
D O CWI is not a State school, it is funded by the tax-payers of Canyon and Ada counties. All of the community colleges receive some State funds, but only the UofI, ISU, BSU, Lewis-Clark and the campus in Idaho Falls are “State schools”
Apr 6, 2015, 10:53 am
It seems like only yesterday that CWI was having a hard time staying alive…. https://boiseguardian.com/2008/12/28/cwi-joins-long-list-of-faltering-ventures/
Now they need $$$$ to meet the exponential growth. This may be a harder sell than voting for local school bonds. CWI may want to recruit Mike Lanza (he organized the successful Yes for Boise Schools campaign)
EDITOR NOTE–Clancy, thanks for the “institutional memory.” A lot has changed since 2008!