Comments on: The Foxes Guard The Hen House https://boiseguardian.com/2018/01/04/the-foxes-guard-the-hen-house/ A different slant on the news. Wed, 07 Feb 2018 01:11:31 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 By: #SaveBoise https://boiseguardian.com/2018/01/04/the-foxes-guard-the-hen-house/#comment-104294 Wed, 07 Feb 2018 01:11:31 +0000 https://boiseguardian.com/?p=14432#comment-104294 A precedent could be set if Scot Ludwig’s “towers” project proceeds despite some considerable conflicts of interest inherent in having a sitting public official as an active downtown developer. This proposal is slated for consideration by planning & zoning THIS MONDAY, February 12th at 6pm.
Can we get a group of guardianites to turn out and testify? I’ll show up for a pre-hearing beverage across the street if ya’ll wanna join me?!

]]> By: #SaveBoise https://boiseguardian.com/2018/01/04/the-foxes-guard-the-hen-house/#comment-104292 Tue, 06 Feb 2018 05:58:25 +0000 https://boiseguardian.com/?p=14432#comment-104292 This massive project is coming up at the next P&Z hearing Monday, February 12th. Are people concerned about the conflict of interests & potential preferential treatment of a CCDC commissioner and city councilor who also has a major downtown development in an urban renewal district?

]]> By: Frank https://boiseguardian.com/2018/01/04/the-foxes-guard-the-hen-house/#comment-104220 Mon, 15 Jan 2018 16:43:59 +0000 https://boiseguardian.com/?p=14432#comment-104220 Most people as busy as Scot is would never have accepted Dave Bieter’s nomination for council member! Also owning property in downtown Boise, most people would have not accepted a seat on the CCDC! As you have; it makes some of your constituents wonder who you are working for? I think it is great for Scot to make as much money as he can as long as he does what is right for his constituents and the whole of the city of Boise.

]]> By: Story Idea https://boiseguardian.com/2018/01/04/the-foxes-guard-the-hen-house/#comment-104219 Mon, 15 Jan 2018 16:17:16 +0000 https://boiseguardian.com/?p=14432#comment-104219 Talk about annexation. I really doubt if this would hold up to a well funded challenge. Perhaps it’s one the items we should challenge now before the next big F-35 push.

http://www.idahostatesman.com/opinion/letters-to-the-editor/article124813619.html

]]> By: Chuck T. https://boiseguardian.com/2018/01/04/the-foxes-guard-the-hen-house/#comment-104218 Mon, 15 Jan 2018 03:09:18 +0000 https://boiseguardian.com/?p=14432#comment-104218 Well said Easterner !
Developer/Legislators created Idaho’s Forced Annexation Law as yet another way to make taxpayers pay the Impact Fees for their business ventures.
Can’t blame our public servants for molesting us, lack of civic backbone made creation of our conflict of interest dictatorship easy.

]]> By: Story Idea https://boiseguardian.com/2018/01/04/the-foxes-guard-the-hen-house/#comment-104217 Sun, 14 Jan 2018 22:34:50 +0000 https://boiseguardian.com/?p=14432#comment-104217 Eastie, I mostly agree this time and I’m happy for your contributions.

Point of disagreement: Affordable housing should all be put in one zone with a big fence around it and an Israeli-style checkpoint at the exit. This will reduce crime rates and reduce the public services burden in the un-affordable zones.

]]> By: Easterner https://boiseguardian.com/2018/01/04/the-foxes-guard-the-hen-house/#comment-104216 Sun, 14 Jan 2018 21:22:59 +0000 https://boiseguardian.com/?p=14432#comment-104216 Mr. Ludwig,
if you walk like a duck, swim like a duck, and fly like a duck, people will call you a duck; even if you are a loon.

Just because it is “not illegal”, doesn’t make it right.

Your project, and inherently you, will benefit (or have detriment) from the actions and decisions you and your board make now and in the future.
This one project, you abstain. Great. The project across the street? The one down the block? The future policy of the board?
It is impossible- impossible- for you NOT to have personal inurement while you own property within or adjacent to the CCDC boundary.
Hey, great, more power and money to you. Welcome to America. This happens ALL the time with legislators and congressmen. But don’t try to blow smoke and say there is no “perception of impropriety”. If that were true, we would not even have this story and you certainly would not have taken the time to reply.

The other note:
AS you state, you “strongly believe in Affordable Housing, but also strongly believe that the issue is community-wide issue and not just one property owner”
Yes, AND community-wide, KETCHUM chose their method of how the COMMUNITY would help fund that housing cause. The ordinance is not for ONE owner, it was to be applied to ALL owners building something determined to be
less desirable to the COMMUNITY character of Ketchum. The community decided on their method- just like Boise Council decides on homeless issues for this community.

It only takes ONE pissed-off lawyer to go against a whole community.
The McCall case and your Ketchum case were not the same “that sort of ordinance”.

Ironic that you are on the CCDC board- a mechanism which taxes some property owners in a manner differently than the rest of the population. And yet you oppose “illegal” “impact fees”. Again,,, perception.

A quote from elsewhere “The court said pretty plainly that a fee charged to one segment of society to offset the burdens of the community as a whole is a tax—not a fee—and as such, is an unlawful tax,”
– URDs fall right into that – one segment vs the whole community. My tax is higher because the CCDC money doesn’t get distributed to ALL the taxing needs. And an owner in downtown pays higher taxes to fund CCDC projects that other county residents do not have to.
“Geographical Inequality”

Unconstitutional? There are lots of city ordinances that are unconstitutional. No one cares until, someone is financially impacted and then it just depends on the cost of the legal fight, right?
Easy when you’re a lawyer.
Can’t afford a lawyer: Sorry Charlie, go sit in the back of the bus.

As the Editor points out, when the city (county or state) has the taxpayer money resources to fight the battle to the tune of hundreds of thousands of dollars it just rubs salt in the taxpayers’ purse.

Politics as usual. 🙂

]]> By: Scot Ludwig https://boiseguardian.com/2018/01/04/the-foxes-guard-the-hen-house/#comment-104198 Fri, 12 Jan 2018 13:35:30 +0000 https://boiseguardian.com/?p=14432#comment-104198 Ran out of room…..sorry….last thought and it pertains to Inclusionary Housing. I have a project in Ketchum. There is an Ordinance in Ketchum that requires Developers to provide Affordable Housing based on density bonuses. (Inclusionary Housing Ordinance). Twice that sort of Ordinance has been ruled Unconstitutional by two different District Courts (Blaine County and Valley County). That requirement is an illegal Impact Fee. I strongly believe in Affordable Housing, but also strongly believe that the issue is community-wide issue and not just one property owner that desires to construct improvements for profit on their respective property. As a community we should all support Affordable Housing but also ALL of us should pay for that to occur. Finally, I have never posted comments on any website before the Boise Guardian. Again, thank you for the debate and insights. These watchdog publications serve a very good purpose. I have been in the private sector for 40 years and only involved in Public Service the past 3 years. I believe I share many of your perspectives and disagree with some, yet respect your discourse. I do not receive any compensation for my Public Service as I donate 100% of my Council salary to four different charities and rotate them each year. It is an honor to serve in Boise because people care and that is evidenced by this website. Scot

EDITOR NOTE: We too appreciate the exchange of views and the civil discourse. The GUARDIAN will remain open to Mr. Ludwig and anyone else wishing to comment.

Regarding the district court rulings, I also had two 4th District Courts rule that Greater Boise Auditorium District’s finance deal was unconstitutional with CCDC. They became meaningless after GBAD and CCDC (where you sit on the board) spent $750,000 in attorney fees to win a supreme court decision to the contrary. Just sayin’…:-)

]]> By: Scot Ludwig https://boiseguardian.com/2018/01/04/the-foxes-guard-the-hen-house/#comment-104196 Fri, 12 Jan 2018 13:23:43 +0000 https://boiseguardian.com/?p=14432#comment-104196 Good morning: I reached out to DF to facilitate forwarding
the disclosure letter. Will do that asap. Again, these posts are why Boise is a great City. The debate is necessary. There is absolutely NO violation of any Statute. There is ZERO involvement in CCDC and any public funds in this Project. I owned the real property from 10 years ago. I abstain on any issues at CCDC in the subject URD. In fact being a CCDC Commissioner will cost this project money since I could lawfully and successfully Apply for $$$ for this project, but in an effort at avoiding any perception of impropriety, that won’t occur and I’ve made that clear. There is no buy-in for public parking again to avoid any perceived issues. I will make parking available for the public evenings and weekends. CCDC is a Board of citizens and I have the unfettered right to pursue this private project as long as there is no Fox in the Henhouse and I have worked diligently to make sure that has not occurred here. Two other quick responses on questions raised: City Council: I have had no involvement with this Project at the City and the Architect is managing the entitlements. Of course I will have no involvement and abstain from any involvement or vote, if one is necessary. Further, I respect my colleagues own perspectives on this Project and have no idea if they support or oppose the project.

]]> By: westernguy https://boiseguardian.com/2018/01/04/the-foxes-guard-the-hen-house/#comment-104181 Thu, 11 Jan 2018 19:13:02 +0000 https://boiseguardian.com/?p=14432#comment-104181 Back to Team Dave: why hasn’t anyone been more forceful regarding Derek O’Neill’s blatant conflict of interest as the development services director for the city and his ‘private life’ as a developer?

Has The Team’s version of Sean Spicer, Michael Journee, ever issued any statements about this conundrum?

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