City Government
Clan McLean Proposes $34,000,000 Budget Cut
June 29, 2020 
Mayor Lauren McLean is offering up a major cut to the city budget, but due to increased property values, most homeowners will still see a tax hike for the coming year.
Several of the proposed cuts are long overdue such as an extra command position in the fire department. Even so, she is planning to ask for 17 new positions within the city government on a permanent basis.
Margaret Carmel at the IDAHO PRESS has crunched the numbers and at the end of her story makes note of numerous $50,000 to $600,000 items which are potential topics of discussion including “diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.”
If you want to watch or speak at the annual number crunch, here’s what and when:
BUDGET WORKSHOP 8:30 a.m., June 30
Watch online at cityofboise.org/virtual-meetings
Public hearing on FY 2021 budget: July 21
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Comments & Discussion
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Jun 30, 2020, 10:38 am
Now that we have a Mayor who thinks DACA, SJW programs, and diversity makes us stronger, and she imported a police chief from radical left Portland, I fully expect Boise to follow suit with the left coast and turn into another leftist hellscape.
FYI – Antifa and BLM rioters which are both backed by Marxist leadership have been attacking citizens in Seattle, Portland, Provo, Ogden, Salt Lake City, and are currently organizing in Boise. Unless the Mayor and BPD adopt an absolute zero-tolerance policy against any of their violent activities Boise will absolutely become a target. We are not immune.
Jun 30, 2020, 11:42 am
If the Council does not pass a Resolution to NOT “claw-back” any of the foregone budget amount in future years, the meaning of this action becomes meaningless in the future. The amount not taken can be added back in later. We could face a 6% increase in any future year, or the Council could slip in 1% extra over three consecutive years, etc. Send a comment to City Council to vote to not claw it back later, or they can and most likely will (city website has a link to comment on the budget), and plan to speak up on July 21 at the public hearing. Last year, Boise’s neighboring jurisdictions of Ada County, Whitney Fire Protection District, and North Ada County Fire and Rescue all clawed-back foregone budget amounts.
EDITOR NOTE–Our “lay legal opinion” is that city council must specifically “reserve the right” to clawback (which they will probably do) just in case of a future dire need. There is no clawback without that safety valve resolution. We are told that is a new law this year. Old law gave locals clawback automatically. We need legislation to kill the clawback maneuver.
Jun 30, 2020, 5:53 pm
Editor: Thanks for the follow-up on the clawback issue. I had thought this bill did not get anywhere this past session. Glad to know they have to be fully transparent with their intentions now, as the old bill gave the ability to hide the truth and clawback atuomatically unless they voted not to do so.
Bill description: HB 354 would require local taxing districts to pass a resolution in order to reserve foregone balances.
Next year’s session – kill the clawback ability completely so that sound decisions are made based on present fiscal parameters, not money stashed aside under a temporary promise of no increase.
Jul 1, 2020, 5:53 pm
Perhaps she will give herself a pay cut?
Jul 2, 2020, 11:58 am
Cut the police budget?
defunding police doesn’t sound so bad when consider “We have been DEFUNDING education for many years”. Maybe turn the numbers.
defund & de-escalate could be a new mantra
less Mraps
less sidearms
less militarization
more training on anger management and tolerance.
Most police functions have now become social work (ask any current cop)- dealing with mental health issues (including addictions), domestic violence, and interpersonal conflicts, THAT takes more social skills than marksmanship.
Let’s transition our police to the a ‘protect and SERVE’ function instead of ‘intimidate and generate revenues’ function. Better results and less cost in the long-term.
public health & safety instead of public incarceration
covid or a bad police interaction?
I’ll take my chances with covid.
That’s not cop-bashing. Just a truthful opinion in the light of the last 20 years.
Jul 4, 2020, 11:57 am
Why does this terrify me so much? McLean’s vision for Boise I’m not sure about. Yes, she should give herself a pay cut as well!
Jul 6, 2020, 11:25 pm
The store I work for wants a tax discount for all the extra shoplifting committed at our Boise stores because SHE told BPD to stop arresting them and writing citations, instead. We are fast turning into San Francisco et al. This is madness. I pay more in property taxes and the schools are teaching the kids that America and all white males are villains to be vanquished.
I want allllll my “education” funds clawed back.
Ho Ho..Hey Hey….how many statues did they topple today?
THAT is what you are paying for…HERE’S YOUR SIGN!!
Jul 11, 2020, 8:46 am
Now that Jade Riley went to Ketchum, I wonder if Elaine Clegg would take the job as COO if offered. She’s perfect for it.