Business
GBAD, Gardner “Got Some ‘splainin To Do”
June 26, 2015 
In the old time “I love Lucy” TV comedy Ricky would say, “Lucy, you got some ‘splainin to do.”
Today in Boise the Gardner Company and the Greater Boise Auditorium District have some explaining to do. Gardner doesn’t own the so-called Parcel B where they plan to build a hotel, condos, and a parking garage. The citizens of the GBAD own the property and Idaho law requires the board to declare the land to be “surplus” and not in the public interest. It is to be sold at auction to the highest bidder.
They have not done that. Instead they made an insider deal with Gardner, asking for a proposal. To our knowledge the GBAD Boys and girl didn’t even advertise for proposals from ANY other developers. We suspect there is some sort of lease, trade, or other gimmick that will be exercised.
The board has played fast and loose with their holdings. In a blatant effort to go around the voters, the board has spent an estimated quarter of a million dollars in legal fees to deny voters the right to approve debt to spend more than $20 million with Gardner for a ballroom and kitchen expansion.
GUARDIAN editor David Frazier has called them out in court, winning two consecutive rulings in 4th District court. GBAD has appealed the issue to the Idaho Supreme Court. A hearing is expected in September on the constitutional issue of public debt without public approval.
We are also shocked that none of the other hotel projects in Boise’s downtown have challenged the Gardner-GBAD insider trade in light of the pending case at the Supreme Court and GBAD’s record of losing in court and at the polls.
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Comments & Discussion
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Jun 26, 2015, 9:10 pm
The appropriate government authorities… who should be policing this sort of thing… have not noticed because they are at yet another LAS convention junket to learn how bureaucratic leadership can convince the public they are out of money and need to raise taxes again before they can resume doing the government’s work of protecting the public from other dishonest bureaucracies.
How about a CWI update.
Oh, never mind, the country is being controlled by apathetic low-information voters anyway.
Jun 27, 2015, 7:15 am
Government corruption on the national level is off the charts, seems like we are getting “trickle down” corruption. Soon, Dave Bieter will probably start using “executive signing orders” just like his hero the all-powerful Obamanator.
BTW… Did you notice that the F15’s from Mountain Home are in Boise exactly 2 weeks after the start of the highly controversial Jade Helm Military exercises happening now across several SouthWestern states, and are supposed to end exactly 2 weeks before Jade Helm is supposed to end. Coincidence??
Jun 27, 2015, 7:19 am
Interesting that the Gardner Company name keeps showing up in some of these insider deals and no bid contracts. In Nampa the no-bid contract for the shiny new library and parking garage is virtually finished–except they will probably have to jack hammer the roof of the parking garage and replace it. It seems water runs to the center of the structure and not to the edge creating a serious problem when it rains.
This is in addition to their purchase of property from NDC for $ 1.00 and numerous other instances where the Nampa hicks got the short end of the stick. But not to worry, Boise law firms for a price can write Gardners contracts.
Jun 27, 2015, 7:27 am
The Mafia is doing well in Boise Idaho.
Jun 27, 2015, 11:13 am
Thanks for trying to keep them honest Dave!
Jun 27, 2015, 12:03 pm
“…the country is being controlled by apathetic low-information voters anyway.”
…and nowhere is that more evident than Idaho….
Jun 27, 2015, 12:47 pm
I have searched over and over trying to find out how much the GDAD commissioners are paid. They are public officials using tax dollars but act like they are making all these shady deals with their own money.
A CWI update would indeed be welcome.
EDITOR NOTE–We agree with you on the cavalier attitude. The law is very clear, but GBAD spends money on legal advice which has proven to be faulty in many cases as they attempt to push their own agenda. As for CWI, they have purchased land next to the Nampa Campus for future expansion. No word yet on the Bob Rice Ford land on Main St.
Jun 28, 2015, 1:02 am
Word fail anger and disgust do not. Candidates for GBAD Commissioner posts must be recruited, endorsed and supported,
Jun 29, 2015, 10:50 am
Recently lacking a legal or constitutional argument, a SCOTUS justice called a recent decision the result of a modern day social reality.
Maybe they are on to something, that if something makes sense socially, there is no need for an authorizing legal structure.
Maybe, just maybe, the modern social reality is the average voter is more apathetic, uninformed and generally less educated on issues than the voters in the 1700’s and 1800’s when our federal and state constitutions were drafted, so our elected officials like GBAD, are ethically correct in allegedly trying to circumvent the voters in actions which may require voter approval, based on the possible social reality that the average voter is not capable of making a good informed decision.
(Please note that I avoided listing the SCOTUS decision to avoid an Obama-care or Gay Marriage debate, I simply pose the question if the modern day voter is worthy of the power they have been afforded and if not, are current elected official justified in efforts to avoid voter approval?)
EDITOR NOTE–I realize it is a rhetorical question. My personal answer is I am not prepared to give up ANY my rights. I resent the intrusive nature of airline security, I abhor having a rent-a-cop search my person at the courthouse, and I find the NSA phone monitoring worthy of criminal sanctions. Freedom is an elusive quality that you understand only when it is removed. Rather than assign more power to politicos in the face of an apathetic populace, I fight for more power to the people at such times.
Jun 29, 2015, 3:36 pm
I like the JJ point, and would like all to consider SCOTUS is compromised and being blackmailed with unsavory NSA data. Lifetime appointment yes, but even they must be honest with their taxes and their wife… and somewhat during confirmation hearings too.
Freedom: The MSM and social media has carefully crafted methods of cause people to gleefully give up their freedoms and tax money “for their safety” These same methods have been used to criminalize anyone objecting to what appears to be foolhardiness of doing so. A brief conversation with any Suzy-Soccer mom, or school teacher will confirm their success.
Back to the topic: JJ is right, they are doing it because they can, because they know they will not be stopped. Written laws are not important without enforcement.
Jun 29, 2015, 5:37 pm
On apathetic voters…
We don’t vote because we know that the choices we are given always favor the rich folks.
When we vote, we are misinformed by a corporate media run by the rich folks to further their personal enrichment.
Voting is a rigged game, and only serves to legitimize the corruption.
In a few days we celebrate our Independance from English rule, but we should also mourn our enslavement by the rich folks and their puppet politicians.
A king or dictator will steal far less from you than a political system like ours that is full of thieves.
Jun 29, 2015, 9:05 pm
Editor, you are not giving up your rights. The low information and liberal voters are giving them up for you.
Jun 29, 2015, 10:07 pm
JJ, I think you are on to the point that the average citizen is not well informed of the political scene.
Please extend your thought to the point, “the average politician is not well informed either” as the average politician is just the average person with some motive for an election.
GBAD is made up of friends of City Council members. “Hey buddy you wanna run for office, and my people will help you out!”
TJ Thomson was the Treasurer to at least two of the GBAD campaigns… and the IDP paid people to orchestrate a campaign for it…
A firefighter of 13 years is somehow well versed in directing a convention center? Great for him for getting involved. We need more like people like that, but doing it on their OWN initiate instead of just making “an alliance”.
Why? Well there’s about 14 million dollars sitting in GBAD coffers, Bieter would love to influence for his downtown. South Boise? Too bad. Return it to taxpayer? ha! Stop the tax all together since it is excessive? Ha!
IMO most local politician are people upset about something that happened (ACHD commissioners), or someone with nothing else to do and wants to have the key (JP Derr– think local HOAs on steroids), and others are people who get some personal ego power play or think they know what is right for other people (the liberal Bieter team):
not exactly the reason for “making a good informed decision”.
GBAD and CCDC should be disbanded and whatever worthy efforts they do, should be done so by the City Council. Seems pretty simple.
Jun 30, 2015, 7:15 am
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again.
GBAD’s mandate is to spend money in order to serve the people with convention facilities. The people had their chance to vote on this in what, 1959? And they approved. Every city in the nation has some sort of convention facilities and this idea goes back to ancient Rome or even Greece, if not further.
If GBAD is sitting on a big wad of cash and they don’t spend it, then that is a failure to serve the people. And what the heck people, the money likely does not come out of your pocket. It comes out of paying hotel guests.
I don’t necessarily agree with the guardian on this one, but the law is the law and good for him if he can win court battles. It’s not an easy thing to do.
However, there’s a lot of old sayings at play. Like:
1) the end doesn’t always justify the means.
2) stepping over dollars to pick up dimes
3) careful what you wish for
Finally; those of you who want change, then start lobbying for additional council members.
Jul 1, 2015, 8:59 pm
J. Smith…you don’t vote because of “rich folks?” You don’t vote because it is “rigged?” Really? I just don’t accept that.
Ross Perot is rich, he ran, and didn’t win. Mitt Romney is rich, he ran, and didn’t win. Bill Clinton was not rich, he ran, and won. Of course he’s rich now, and corrupt…but that wasn’t your point.
I grew up wanting to be rich. I was jealous of those with two car garages – we had a carport. I was jealous of those with two bathrooms in their house and a den! Wow, that was rich. But that is not why you don’t vote…people with those things.
Today I have them, and I am rich. Not by standards of Simplot or Trump, but by world standards I have much. And I vote, and I study the candidates and their platforms. And my vote is worth two votes, not due to corruption but due to me voting and you not voting. You give this to me and blame the rich. It is your slothfulness to your civic duties that is to blame.
Jul 2, 2015, 9:37 am
Well said Eagle Writer.
Jul 2, 2015, 9:38 am
Eagle writer. By “rich” I mean folks worth billions, not 3 car garages, but 30 exotic and rare antique cars. 15 mansions, private jets, and servants. They don’t run for office, they count on their patsies to do that for them. Nearly all the media in America is controlled by 6 of those rich guys, spinning stories to favor whatever ensures their next billion.
If a good person gets elected, they play the rich folks game or they are ignored and dumped in the next election.
Having been a political activist for over 20 years, and having run for political office myself, I assure you I am not slothful, but fully understand how our rigged political system works.
Try reading Noam Chomsky sometime, and never, ever, think you can find real news on TV, newspapers, or popular radio.
Jul 2, 2015, 6:14 pm
Power corrupts …..and creates a disconnect with the average citizen.
EDITOR NOTE: “Power corrupts and absolute power…is really neat if you have it.”
Jul 2, 2015, 7:53 pm
J Smith, well this isn’t the forum for this discussion, but Dave provides it so maybe it is. Thank you Dave.
I cut my teeth on Chomsky’s theories of linguistics. But he left me with “The Responsibilities of Intellectuals,” which is maybe single-handedly responsible for the intellectual left’s takeover and control of American universities. He is a socialist, true and true and while that is a political ideology I respect, I reject it out of hand.
He also left me when he didn’t believe the South Vietnamese people had a right to self-determination. Others of us shouldered arms and American responsibility.
J Smith, I would LOVE to have 30 exotic and rare cars, what is wrong with that? I would love to have the money to buy billboards along the highways and promote what I believe, why is that evil?
I would love to own newspapers and print the news, and the opinion-truth as I see it. What is wrong with that?
If the billionaires got Otter elected, what is wrong with that? It still took my vote, and you stayed home.
If the billionaires got Raul Labrador elected, what is wrong with that. It still took my vote, and you stayed home.
Nope, you can wallow in your billionaire victim porridge all you want, but Saturday is a great day, and a day that I will write thank-you’s to my elected representatives who perpetuate this Republic. Even if they do so imperfectly.
Jul 3, 2015, 10:04 am
EW.- American veterans usually say they fought for democracy and freedom, few would say they fought for the oligarchs. If there was a choice, most would opt for a dictator over an oligarch political system. Dictators are very efficient, don’t steal as much from the people as oligarchs, and care about their country. The oligarchy we now have consists of super rich globalists who are systematically destroying our country for profit. It is not about being jealous of the super rich, it is about not wanting them to rule this country for their personal enrichment.
For the non library types as BG often says…
Oligarchy (from Greek ὀλιγαρχία (oligarkhía); from ὀλίγος (olígos), meaning “few”, and ἄρχω (arkho), meaning “to rule or to command”)[1][2][3] is a form of power structure in which power effectively rests with a small number of people. These people could be distinguished by royalty, wealth, family ties, education, corporate, religious or military control. Such states are often controlled by a few prominent families who typically pass their influence from one generation to the next, but inheritance is not a necessary condition for the application of this term.
Throughout history, oligarchies have often been tyrannical (relying on public obedience and/or oppression to exist). Aristotle pioneered the use of the term as a synonym for rule by the rich,[4] for which another term commonly used today is plutocracy.
Jul 3, 2015, 4:22 pm
Eh, okay, J Smith, thanks for the definitions and history lesson. I have asked you specific questions and you have not answered them. I’m sure we bore the others, so I won’t continue this discussion.
I live in the USA, and it is clear you do not. I hope our immigration laws are friendly to you. Best wishes.
Jul 3, 2015, 8:34 pm
I haven’t posted on these pages in a long time, but since I am someone who actually knows Prof. Chomsky, I will point out a few things. 1) Chomksy is NOT a “socialist” but a self-described anarcho-syndicalist, and yes….there is a difference. When he couldn’t get published in liberal rags like the NYT et al, he was published in Libertarian mags. 2) Chomsky believed ALL Vietnamese had a right to self-determination, not directed from Washington, Peking or Moscow.
As far as your own love affair with billionaires in the spirit of Ayn Rand, I say fine, except that in a world where one is truly self-made….billionaires couldn’t exist because they would not receive welfare and assistance from the government and an honest financial system would guard against all the coinage stacking up in one corner, without a FED and dodgy schemes to manipulate people with. Everyone should be wary of super wealth stacking up in the hands of a few, where power usually follows and corruption reigns. Stealing comes in all forms…and it’s still stealing. If you think billionaires don’t steal, you’re very naive. Governments steal via taxes and a monopoly of power, and now they steal for billionaires. None of it is legit.