CCDC
Boise Council Candidate Forum Is Open
October 4, 2017 
It looks like the big issues for future Boise Councilors running in the Nov. 7 election will be team Dave’s proposed downtown ball park, the desire named Street Car, and the noisy F-35.
From what we are able to gather, Bieter seeks to dedicate future funds from multiple government agencies to help a for-profit development scheme with the ballpark.
Notice to all candidates and readers: The election is a month away, so the GUARDIAN is offering this space to any who wish to be heard. Please try to keep your pitch, rant, rave, or comment to a screen page in length. Be sure to let your favorite candidate know of the opportunity to be heard.
Here’s how the race stacks up as we see it:
At this point incumbent TJ Thomson is running for seat against Naomi Johnson, Crispin Cravatt, and Nicolas Way for seat 4. Holli Woodings who once appeared to be the seat 6 designated Demo replacement for long time councilor Maryanne Jordan, joins Caleb Hansen, Michelle Doane, and Nicholas Jones in the race.
Ben Quintana is not seeking reelection to his seat 2. Paul Fortin, Frank Walker, Lisa Sanchez, Logan Kimball and Rachel Misnick will vie for the post with so many candidates that 21 % of the vote could theoretically signal a majority victory.
Feel free to quiz any of those running for office and decide for yourself if they are qualified.
–Should Boise officials be spending public money and resources on the campaign to attract the F-35?
–Should citizens have the right to vote to approve public debt of more than one year, especially for big projects like a stadium?
–Should citizens, both inside and outside the city, have the right to vote approval or denial of annexation of additional areas and people into the city?
–Should CCDC continue to expand and divert tax dollars away from schools, ACHD, the city, and county?
The candidates:
TJ Thomson – Council Seat 4
Paul E. Fortin – Council Seat 2
Frank Walker – Council Seat 2
Lisa E. Sanchez – Council Seat 2
Danielle Naomi Johnson – Council Seat 4
Logan J. Kimball – Council Seat 2
Adriel J. Martinez – Council (unknown seat choice)
Crispin Gravatt – Council (unknown seat choice)
Holli Woodings – Council Seat 6
Candidate profiles on the City of Boise website
Candidates can send their info via the CONTACT button e-mail in the gray bar at the top of the page beneath the masthead photo.
To insure more advertising-free Boise Guardian news, please consider financial support.
Comments & Discussion
Comments are closed for this post.
Oct 4, 2017, 9:16 pm
I have been searching for the issues each of these candidates have and find nothing.
It would be nice to have them all answer your questions as well as other questions.
EDITOR NOTE–We agree. Having someone who is, “friendly, listens, loves Boise, seeks solutions, etc.” is a REQUIREMENT. How they feel about spending citizen money to subsidize developers, continued urban sprawl, Mayor Dave Bieter’s agenda, voter approval of debt schemes, management of police, fire, parks, and public works need to be well defined.
Oct 4, 2017, 9:22 pm
The past and present Boise City Council and Mayor have destroyed this city and valley, so what difference does it make who gets elected. My question is, “If Boise is such a great place to live, when does the growth and over population make it not a great place to live”? Power, greed and money drive our city leaders.
Oct 5, 2017, 11:08 am
The Mayor and Council have gone on an unstoppable spending spree. It seems as he has found ways to “creatively” circumvent public votes on spending general fund dollars, his next reach is lways larger and larger. Look at all the projects, proposals in motion at this time- ALL NORTH OF THE RIVER. Trolley studies, ball park, new sports park, CWI, Maryanne Williams Park and bridge, Esther Simplot Park, expanded white water park,Rhodes Park, etc, etc….Now, while not all of these entail public funds, it does require effort, energy and political capital to put in place. If the other areas of Boise- the greater Boise Bench, West Boise and SW Boise do not warrant such effort, why should they be paying taxes to Boise? Where are their public infrastructure investments? It is activities and spending like this, that create and enhance the argument AGAINST urban renewal agencies and for new laws to tighten spending regulations. Is that what needs to happen next? I can’t argue against the URA’s spending their capital, but when genral funds are also added to mix again and again, it is time to object.
Oct 5, 2017, 11:16 am
Another thought comes to mind. The Mayor’s open public battle with ACHD is about fair equitable spending of highway tax dollars within the city of Boise. Doesn’t the same argument apply to the Mayor’s spending within the city as well? Afterall, URA’s draw off tax dollars that would normally go to infrastucture and on top of that the Mayor is spending general fund dollars within URA’s that were set up to fund their own infrastructure needs.
Oct 5, 2017, 12:47 pm
Everyone should be afraid of more urban renewal areas. Study after study confirm there is a loss of tax support for other needs and yet, the city continues to do this. There is a point of diminishing returns, it is a basic economic principle. The fairgrounds is the place for baseball.
Oct 5, 2017, 1:00 pm
I very much appreciate (and second) Mr. Kangas’ comments about spending distribution. As a believer that “small government is good government,” I’d rather see LESS money be spent “north of the river,” than MORE money being spent elsewhere. It’s disturbing that every year, that city opts to squeeze every legal penny from the taxpayers. (I’ll vote for lawmakers who don’t believe there’s a neverending supply of taxpayer dollars.)
QUESTIONS FOR CANDIDATES:
– What do you believe would be the ideal growth rate, for the City of Boise?
– What services is the city currently providing to her citizens, that could be cut back or curtailed altogether? And conversely, what services should the city be providing, that aren’t currently being provided?
– What is your level of enthusiasm about alternative forms of transportation? (Citywide…)
– Do you support Mayor Beiter’s vision of a “downtown circulator,” permanently installed in the roadway? If not, what would you prefer?
– What obligations does the city have, to provide shelter, food, services, etc., to the homeless population? And, how do we extend that level of care, without attracting more homeless people to our town?
Oct 5, 2017, 1:05 pm
Don’t forget the as yet undeveloped huge park in SW Boise… Murgoitio. It has sat there for 20 years.
Oct 5, 2017, 1:17 pm
https://parks.cityofboise.org/media/4306/mp_murgoitio.pdf
EDITOR NOTE–A mere twenty years. That was before the Williams/Brighton folks came along.
Oct 5, 2017, 3:08 pm
Charming how most folks still innocently believe that voting somehow changes the game.
Red Pill alert!
The criminal politicians in cahoots with the corporations and corporate media are meddling in our elections, …every time. They determine who gets elected. Occasionally a non-psychopath gets elected, but they just ignore them until they give up and leave.
If you think spending a few minutes every few years voting is fulfilling your civic duty, you are seriously delusional.
Oct 7, 2017, 5:10 pm
Notice that all public forums, for the stadium, are located in the downtown core? I believe that city wide representation, by our council members, could have prevented wasted spending by our current elected officials! A council member residing on the bench should look at the solicitation of the F35’s, by Dave Bieter, differently than one living in the foothills! A city council member living in west Boise and I’m not referring to the West convention center would question the close to $6 million spent for continued studies for a downtown streetcar. VS A solid east/west bus route and schedule. A council member in the East end doesn’t care about State and 36th streets! The most important fact when voting for city council members should be location,location,location. As far as the ball park/ stadium maybe centralizing it in the whole of the treasure valley be taken into consideration? Does the downtown core of the City of Boise need to have all of the venues? Did Dave Beiter guarantee a ball park and streetcar to the out of state developers building in the downtown core? Maybe