ACHD
Topics For Discussion, Let’s Talk
Sorry for the lack of content lately. Other priorities and lack of motivation are prime excuses. Here are some topics for discussion and we freely admit they are not all new. –Boise officials and the USAF staged a demonstration of their close air support (CAS) urban warfare training over our fair city at the end […]
ACHD Commishes Defer Bridge Decision
At the Wednesday meeting of the Ada County Highway District, commissioners were told $25,000 had already been spent on a bridge project that would specifically benefit fellow Commissioner Rebecca Arnold and her client, Winston Moore. The board discussed the issues surrounding right of way and a bridge across the Ridenbaugh Canal at the dead end […]
ACHD Ponders Bridge To Nowhere
A citizens group known as ACHD COMMUNITY WATCHDOGS has a Facebook page full of items relating to the Ada County Highway District. A recent entry questioned a bridge over the Ridenbaugh Canal on the south side of Franklin Road at the dead end of Thomas Dr. The bridge issue is on the Wednesday agenda and […]
Boise Voters Split North-South On Many Issues
Like the American Civil War, Boise seems to exhibit a North-South split on most issues. We noticed the Dem-Repub split not only on the race for Governor, but also on propositions, ACHD vehicle fee hike, and other county-wide races. The “north end” influence is nothing new, but to see such a distinct split north of […]
Business Interests Double Down On Unfair ACHD Fee Hike
Looks like the business community has ponied up more than $180,000 in the move to convince Ada County Highway District voters to pass a 70% vehicle fee hike that exempts the heavyweights over 8,000 lbs. The Idaho STATESMAN’S Sven Berg reports on the latest contributions and it leaves little doubt where the loyalties of the […]
ACHD: “We Can’t Tell You, Call The Advocates”
A disturbing breach of protocol at ACHD has been brought to the GUARDIAN’s attention in which government paid public relations staff referred a TV reporter to the spokesman for a private political action group funded by local developers. A GUARDIAN reader took exception to a KIVI-6 reporter’s story featuring only the information offered by the […]
New ACHD HQ Building In The Works
GUEST OPINION BY By Marisa Keith The highly publicized Ada County Highway District vehicle fee increase on the November ballot suggests that the agency needs more revenue to maintain and construct the county road system. However, there are other plans in the works at the agency that seem to suggest that the bank account may […]
Developers Dump Big $$$ For ACHD Fee Hike
Property developers have paid many thousand dollars to the “Citizens For Better Transportation” PAC in an effort to pass a proposed Ada County Highway District vehicle fee hike on the November ballot. It comes as no surprise to the GUARDIAN that big developers seek to raise fees for the average automobile owner while exempting all […]
ACHD Commish Seeks Cash For His Attorney
Just when it seemed to be finished, the dust up over Ada County Highway District Commish Jim Hansen’s transgression over an open meeting violation has popped up again. Now he is seeking charity. Hansen, an attorney, hired a lawyer for some reason–even though the Attorney General declined to prosecute him for sending e-mails to fellow […]
Free GUARDIAN Election Guidance
We have tried hard over the years to offer information while not endorsing candidates. We will stand by that policy, but several ballot measures need to to be addressed. PROP 1 knows as the “instant (or historical) racing vote is nothing more than an attempt to garner public approval of slot machines. Slots are outlawed […]
AG Again Declines To Prosecute ACHD Commish
The criminal division of the Idaho Attorney General’s office has again declined to prosecute ACHD Commish Jim Hansen over a series of e-mails that constituted a “serial meeting.” The commission voted 2-1 to send a letter (see previous post) asking for action following the original exchange in July. The IDAHO PRESS has a full report.
ACHD Commish Meeting Turns Ugly
Today’s noon meeting of the Ada County Highway District became somewhat raucous after Commishes Kent Goldthorpe and Jim Hansen were recused since they were principals in an open meeting law dispute stemming from e-mails authored by Hansen a month ago. No public testimony was allowed, but citizens shouted out during the discussion about sending a […]
ACHD Commish Tossed Under The Bus
The Ada County Highway District commission may not be in the transit business, but the commission chairman at least had no problem tossing a member under the bus. In a Monday letter signed by ACHD Commission president Sara Baker to the Chief Criminal lawyer at the Idaho Attorney General’s office, the commission appears to have […]
Bikers Jockey For Current Span Near Les Bois
By Steve “Bikeboy” Hulme GUEST OPINION (plea) If you lived in the area during the winter of 2016/17, you will surely recall the unusually “snowmageddon,” and the ensuing flooding. The torrents of water forced authorities to remove a bridge behind Les Bois Park when it was in danger of collapsing, due to erosion of the […]
Treat The Cause, Not The Disease
We note Mike Wetherell’s Statesman OPINION regarding planning for mass transit failed to get to the core cause of our “transportation woes”–GROWTH. Rather than create more cancer treatments and simply concede “cancer will always be around,” let’s eliminate some of the causes. Wetherell’s admonitions to clear freeway medians and expand rights-of-way along State Street sound […]
Posted Press Releases Portray “Different Story”
In June the GUARDIAN posted a rant about GOVERNMENT being the local media these days. Today’s “official versions” of local events really need to be compared to ALL the facts. Here is a sample of Tuesday’s events. First off we got a PRESS RELEASE from the Community Planning Association (COMPASS) declaring the multi-county board of […]
Idaho Growth Defies Logic
By DAVE FRAZIER, editor I have lived in Boise for 50 years. All but two of those years in the same house. I am the oldest guy on the block and number two for length of residency behind a neighbor who was born here. I have pretty much lived my entire adult life in Boise […]
GUARDIAN Editorial–ACHD Fee Hike Wrong!
Passion about a particular cause can be an admirable trait, but use of elected office to manipulate public opinion on a ballot issue demonstrates a lack of respect for voters and a questionable use of financial authority on the part of Ada County Highway District commishes. WHAT’S THE PROBLEM? The commishes took a lesson directly […]
ACHD Commishes, Director Push Fee Hike On Advocacy Website
Highway District Commishes in Ada County are sponsoring a WEBSITE advocating passage of a fee hike on private cars. Ada County Highway District Commishes are openly campaigning to impose a 75% vehicle fee hike on Ada County car owners, but not on vehicles over 8,000 lbs. Rather than campaign to use some of their heavy […]
ACHD Commishes Feud Over Secret Fee Hike Attempt
The Ada County Proseutor is looking into complaints from Ada County Highway Commishes over a series of e-mail messages from Commish Jim Hansen which appear to cut a “back room deal” to raise Ada County vehicle registration fees. IDAHO STATESMAN reporter Cynthia Sewell paints a picture which portrays Hansen as a power broker attempting to […]
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