Business
Name Your Favorite Stories For 2012
We trust everyone has opened their Christmas gifts, eaten a hearty meal and is now ready to reminisce about the past year’s news. Without a doubt the Ada-Dynamis energy to trash scandal has dominated the GUARDIAN posts, but there have been plenty of other misdeeds uncovered in government. You can use the search engine at […]
Prosecutor Defers To Citizens Lawsuit To Answer Ada Commish-Dynamis Issues
The Bannock County Prosecutor has issued a press release which comes as no surprise regarding the conduct of the Ada Commishes in the Dynamis trash to enegy scheme. The GUARDIAN has held the position the major “illegal action” was the violation of the Idaho Constitution when they gave away $2 million to a private firm […]
Taxpayers Big Losers When It Comes To “Purchasing Prosperity”
With Wednesday’s news that Micron–Idaho’s largest non-profit company–has failed in its latest government subsidized venture comes a message that taxpayer cash is no ticket to prosperity. The firm announced layoffs of 30 workers and a shutdown of a venture aimed at producing LED lights. The company frittered away $5 million in stimulus money paid by […]
City Seeks $110,000 Lobbyist In Washington Despite Claims Of “No More Earmarks”
Boise’s City fathers and mothers are willing to shell out $110,000 for a “Federal Government Relations Services” contractor (lobbyist) according to a pending RFP–request for proposal. However word from Congress as we creep toward the so-falled fiscal cliff is “no more earmarks” (pork barrel grants). Among the bidders are the mayor’s friends Brian Cronin and […]
No Income Tax For Major Ada Employers
NOTE–Boise State Radio is part of a project called “StateImpact Idaho” which does some good non-partisan research. A recent post at Boise State PUBLIC RADIO provides an interesting interactive map of Idaho counties which shows just how much government impact we have when it comes to jobs. Of particular note was Ada County where the […]
Boise Visitor Bureau Promotes Nampa Event
We found it ironic to get a release from the BOISE Visitors and Convention Bureau promoting an event in NAMPA. The BCVB gets funding from the Greater Boise Auditorium District to promote local events. This time they are pushing the October 17 gathering of Republican has beens at the Idaho Center in Nampa, Idaho. Doors […]
Information Has Value, Don’t Give It Away, COMPASS Pays $20 For Traffic Answers
We got the following note from a reader today and it sparked an idea–CHARGE all those folks who are taking surveys. “Got a letter in the mail Saturday from COMPASS soliciting participation in a downtown traffic study. The letter indicated that participants would be asked to provide travel information for one day. I thought they’d […]
City To Hike Electricity Tax By 20%
Those pesky politicos in both Boise and Nampa are raising the tax on your electricity by 20%. The local “franchise fee” only applies if you use electricity and it will increase from 1.25% to 1.50%–an increase of 20%. Currently, 92 municipalities charge the “fee” which is really a tax paid by consumers. It is an […]
Dynamis Hot Potato Investigation Flipped (or mashed) Yet Again
The “Hot Potato” investigation of the Ada County-Dynamis trash to energy deal has been tossed once again thanks to the withdrawal of Boise PD from the case. Sadly, it was only after the GUARDIAN informed readers of the BPD involvement that Mayor Dave Bieter called them off the case. Several potential witnesses contacted the GUARDIAN, […]
Alternative Energy Firms Don’t Have Power To Succeed
The thought of generating electricity using the natural power of the sun and wind struck a cord with environmentalists, investors, and legislators about 30 years ago. Federal and state tax dollars poured into the “alternative fuel” industry and laws requiring power companies to purchase the electricity from these sources came out of Washington and state […]
Dynamis Circles Wagons, Conservation League Opposes Waste-to-Energy Project
The GUARDIAN has been skeptical from the beginning about the so-called trash to energy plant proposed at the town dump. Now it looks like just about everyone is against the project. Conservatives and libertarians oppose the financing, the neighborhood greenies question the environmental issues and now the Idaho Conservation League is on record against issuing […]
Proposed Brew Pub In State-Owned Building Illegal As Planned
Looks like the Oregon based brew pub set to go into a state-owned Boise commercial building has been cut off, at least temporarily. BOISE WEEKLY‘s Andrew Crisp has a good explanation. The short version is existing state laws preclude brewers from owning retail outlets that import beer from other states and also selling retail. The […]
Claim On A Rotten Deal Filed Against Ada
A tort claim of $30 million–legal action required prior to filing a suit against local government–has been filed against Ada County by the energy firm currently generating electricity at the landfill by capturing methane gas created from rotting garbage. Through a couple of subsidiaries, Fortistar Methane Group has a contract to operate the gas-to-energy facility […]
Thoughts On Movie Mass Murder Mania
Early reports of the tragedy in Aurora point to a deranged madman entering a theater during a Batman movie and opening fire on the audience. No indication of foreign terrorist involvement. –Sadly, one of the risks–and benefits–of living in a free society is people have access to guns and you can’t make every theater, retail […]
Drug Firms Swallow Bitter Pill Over Pricing
Idaho”s Attorney General continues his winning ways against drug companies with his latest settlement claiming overcharges through false price statements. It may be time for some of the drug firms to take a pain pill. Prescription drug manufacturers Watson Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and Watson Pharma, Inc., agreed to pay $1,700,000 in a legal settlement resolving Idaho’s […]
Hoku On Trickle, Zonda Misses The Bus
The Pocatello Hoku plant that was set to make photovoltaic cells is in its death throes as the NASDAQ stock exchange has forced the firm to delist its stock which most recently has been listed for less than a dime. While it is sad to see any company go under, the GUARDIAN feels we don’t […]
Boise’s Bungled Property Deals Focus of CCDC Project
With most of the planning completed and the deals done, Boise’s urban renewal folks are about to extend their long arms to include another 200 acres or so that will not generate revenue for the city. The Daily Paper has a lengthy file on the latest urban renewal plot. Its about the 30th Street-Fairview area […]
More On Supreme’s Cottage Lease Decision
A long history of protecting old Idaho families and ranchers from having to make competitive bids for state leases has been threatened by the recent Supreme Court decision over cottage leases on state land. The Idaho Land Board–comprised of statewide elected officers–administers state land through the Idaho Dept. of Lands as well as the endowment […]
Supremes Say Cottage Lease Law Unconstitutional
In a ruling released Friday the Idaho Supreme Court eliminated the “home field advantage” for cottage leaseholders on state land at Payette and Priest Lakes. We have to hand it to Attorney General Lawrence Wasden for suing his fellow land board members over the issue–a 1990 law giving current lessees priority for lease renewals. He […]
Dynamis Power Project Continues To Short Circuit
The group calling itself Idaho Citizens for a Safe Environment and a Transparent Government (Idaho Citizens) Thursday requested State County and Federal attorneys to investigate the Ada County Commission-Dynamis deal. The six page document prepared by private attorney Andrew T. Schoppe appears to have enough substance to warrant an investigation. However, under Idaho law only […]
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