Comments on: Urban Renewal Battle Continues…

By: Don't think

Don't think — Sun, 17 Mar 2019 15:43:51 +0000

You can’t just think about it and have the message get out there. You must act and contact these senators. I think contacting the governors office is important, too. The constitutional directive to vote will be hijacked by lease payments if this is not put in its proper perspective.

By: Forced Air

Forced Air — Sun, 17 Mar 2019 03:04:32 +0000

Relieved that this much has been achieved. Now, on to the Senate.

Godspeed!

By: Do Your Part - NOW

Do Your Part - NOW — Thu, 14 Mar 2019 16:10:35 +0000

In addition to Senators Rice and Hill, send you concerns about HB 217 to the other representatives on the Senate Local Government & Taxation Committe:

sgrow@senate.idaho.gov
sjvick@senate.idaho.gov
kanthon@senate.idaho.gov
tlakey@senate.idaho.gov
dcheatham@senate.idaho.gov
gburgoyne@senate.idaho.gov
mnye@senate.idaho.gov

By: Do Your Part

Do Your Part — Wed, 13 Mar 2019 19:56:20 +0000

You can do your part to help keep this bill alive, thus impacting your future taxes, but action is needed TODAY.

Committee Chair Senator Jim Rice is refusing to allow a committee hearing and vote on HB 217. Please contact Senator Jim Rice, and Senate President Pro Tem Brent Hill, and urge them to give this issue a hearing. Your message can be brief: Urban renewal reform is important for all Idahoans and HB 217 deserves a Senate vote.

jrice@senate.idaho.gov
bhill@senate.idaho.gov

Background: The bill (HB 217) to reform urban renewal passed the Idaho House of Representatives overwhelmingly on Monday March 11 with a vote of 59-11. The next hurdle for HB 217 is to be heard by the Senate’s Local Government & Taxation Committee, where the nine lawmakers can recommend whether or not it should be passed to the Senate floor for a full vote, but this is being held up right now.

Please do your part readers and contact these two representatives ASAP. This bill will place the power of decision making, specific to the funding of municipal buildings/projects, back into the hands of the citizens of the State of Idaho.

By: Branden Durst

Branden Durst — Wed, 13 Mar 2019 16:11:40 +0000

I hope everyone will take note that when the bill went to the House floor, that only one legislative district delegation unanimously opposed it… that would be District 18. Reps. Rubel and Green both argued against the bill with specious arguments. In contrast, all the Democratic reps in Districts 15 and 17 (Berch, Ellis, Chew and Gannon) voted for the bill, as did two other Boise Ds. In fact, the only Boise Ds to vote against the bill were Erpelding, Mason and the two from District 18.

By: E.B Schofield

E.B Schofield — Tue, 12 Mar 2019 23:08:01 +0000

Located some of the CCDC dollars for the City Hall Plaza project.

$1.3M – 2017 (says they shared cost with Boise City, this is phase 1).

Phase 2 of plaza project shows up again in the 2018 (draft) report, but does not show how much they spent.

If these dollars do not commingle with Boise dollars, they have spent more than $14.4 million on City Hall to date.

By: E.B. Schofield

E.B. Schofield — Tue, 12 Mar 2019 20:25:19 +0000

Meanwhile, at least $14.4 million has been spent on the current City Hall since 2012. Amounts listed below are from Boise’s Comprehensive Annual Financial Reports (CAFR).

But City Hall also shows up as a project under the CCDC umbrella. It is not clear if CCDC has paid more than what shows in Boise’s financial docs, or if they have simply contributed to pay some of these amounts? This is one of the major lack of transparency issues with the current City/CCDC sytem and municipal building projects.

$3.9M – remodel 2012
$3.2M – remodel 2013
$2.3M – remodel 2014
$2.6M – remodel 2015
$2.4M – plaza, 2017
2018 CAFR numbers are not out yet

By: The Shoe to Fall

The Shoe to Fall — Tue, 12 Mar 2019 00:43:26 +0000

Rumor has it that the next shoe to fall after the #100 Million library is that the mayor will want to move City Hall and attach it to the Library. Again using CCDC money to the tune of $45-60 million!

The property just to the west where the bio company is would be used. The long term lease on the building was created to “protect it” until the mayor got the library done then he could build his cathedral to himself next to the eternal library.

Don’t expect anyone to confirm the rumor until the mayor announces it after the library is done.

By: Eamonn Harter

Eamonn Harter — Mon, 11 Mar 2019 20:07:06 +0000

To put things into perspective, the iconic 77 story, 1.2 million square foot Chrysler Building in New York City is selling for only slightly more than the new library is planned to cost: $150 million. Insane.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2019/03/10/new-yorks-chrysler-building-selling-150-million/3123340002/

By: Erico49

Erico49 — Mon, 11 Mar 2019 19:04:38 +0000

I think that architect/engineering contracts in idaho are qualifications based without regard to cost. Or at least cost is negotiated after selection.