Comments on: Where Boise Candidates Live

By: Andrew Asdell

Andrew Asdell — Thu, 07 Nov 2019 03:04:03 +0000

“At-large” voting may have made sense in an earlier, more compact and more homogeneous Boise, but it makes no sense now and will make less sense as population growth continues. West Boise is underrepresented on the City Counsel. There needs to be a district voting model that will prevent 40-45% of the population being perpetually disenfranchised. If it gets bad enough and the West Side rouses itself, it too could dominate the Council, which would also be unfair. Each section of today’s Boise has a different demographic, political and ideological bent and different perceived needs. The current (2003-2019) mayor and Council makeup with the notable exceptions of Elaine Clegg and MaryAnne Jordan, have done a poor job addressing the needs of Boiseans outside of their circle. A District Council format would make for messier council meetings, but would also force compromise and might encourage more voter participation. 6 districts representing 6 diverse constituencies:
North End, Bench, Eastside, SE, SW, NW.

By: Signs, Signs, Everwhere a Sign!

Signs, Signs, Everwhere a Sign! — Mon, 04 Nov 2019 17:26:19 +0000

Hey, I for one am not a fan of all the election signs plastered all over the region. Is there some way to get these folks to be as enthusiastic about removing them post election as they were installing them pre election? Yes even if they lose the contest, and even if their spouse refuses let them clog up a garage bay with the now useless signs, they should not remain on the streets.

By: Change

Change — Sat, 02 Nov 2019 00:26:55 +0000

Those who are in office now (incumbents) have contributed to many of the problems and concerns the ciitzens are expressing. Seems pretty obvious to me that if you do not want more of the same, do not vote for the incumbents. In other words, and in life, nothing changes if you change nothing.

By: Caeth

Caeth — Fri, 01 Nov 2019 15:44:50 +0000

I guess you can only expect to get what you pay for. That seems to work for the Firemen, Police and select clans and tribes.

By: bikeboy

bikeboy — Thu, 31 Oct 2019 20:36:19 +0000

Caeth: “Why try to segregate Boise into clans and tribes?”

I agree! However, the general perception (and the point of this story regarding the home locations of the candidates) is… the areas where our City Fathers (and Mothers) come from also tend to be those that get the most attention and financial support from City Hall.

People in the North End Clan and the East End Tribe are good with the status quo. The rest of us feel like we’re often overlooked.

(It’s also important to point out that voter turnout in the north and east parts of town are meaningfully higher than elsewhere… but which is the cause, and which is the effect? I sure don’t know.)

By: Caeth

Caeth — Thu, 31 Oct 2019 17:24:09 +0000

Here’s a headache. Kids I knew who grew up in the Broadway area called themselves “South Boise River Rats”. That new Borah High School was out West. Now it’s part of the “Bench” and West has moved farther West, out by Meridian. I don’t even remember what we called the area around that other new high school, Capital. I think I’ll quit naming neighborhoods, they’ll likely change. Why try to segregate Boise into clans and tribes?

By: Steve Hulme

Steve Hulme — Thu, 31 Oct 2019 14:33:16 +0000

Dear DogGoneIt… apologies for my inaccurate neighborhood designations! (No intention to mislead the good Guardian readers!)

Please help me. Where does the “North End” end, and “North Boise” begin? And… I was born and raised over there in the east part of town… attended Roosevelt, East, and Boise. (And I’m proud to say that I graduated in the top 75% of my class!) But now I don’t know if I grew up in the “East End,” or “East Boise”!

I’ve got a headache…
(-;

By: DogGoneIt

DogGoneIt — Thu, 31 Oct 2019 03:52:20 +0000

Just to clarify a few neighborhoods:
The Mayor lives in the East End, not East Boise. Same with Brittany Scigliano.
Jimmy Hallyburton’s address is in the Hghlands, which some now call North Boise. It is definitely not the North End.
I’m not as familiar with the other addresses
Maybe this is all hair-splitting, but neighborhoods matter.

By: West Boisean

West Boisean — Thu, 31 Oct 2019 03:45:34 +0000

How about one council member for each school district quadrant area and two wild cards?

By: Easterner

Easterner — Tue, 29 Oct 2019 21:51:19 +0000

bravo!

ACHD has districts and I doubt there is any benefit to that structure. Their roads suck everywhere in the county too.
Imagine if the whole Council lived in West Boise- they would still baby-sit the Downtown goldmine.

Additionally, all of them being up for election at once is a possible consideration.
As is the case with the current dismay of the library, stadium, and fire stations– the whole crew could be removed when the consensus says so, instead of waiting several years, before everyone gets their turn at reelection.

The City Voters Guide could have presented this helpful info instead of printing old OpEds of the Proposition.
BTW where is the City’s letter refuting the request to change the text before printing?