CCDC
“Respect The Culture!”
Just returned from a week of warm weather in Hawaii and came away with a thought provoking bumper sticker observation. RESPECT THE CULTURE was actually emblazoned on the tailgate of a small truck. It got us to thinking. How many of the thousands of newcomers to Boise and Idaho in general come here to join […]
Corporate Giveaways, No Workers
We find it perplexing that when we have a “worker shortage” and a shortage of “affordable housing,” the state and local politicos are offering tax breaks to corporate billionaires to move to the Boise area. The recent announcement of a Meta data center moving to Kuna would be great if the predicted 100 workers were […]
Lament Of A Growthophobe (A Rant)
The GUARDIAN created the word “growthophobe,” welcomed new people and businesses if they wished to pay their fair share of taxes and offer good wages. Otherwise relocate elsewhere. Meanwhile local politico mothers and fathers work overtime to attract more population, cars, trains, planes, and buses through “incentives.” They want those of us who live here […]
Ada Commishes Nix Jail Plan
The GUARDIAN offers kudos to Ada Commishes Ryan Davidson and Rod Beck for not endorsing a plan by previous commissioners to subvert the Idaho Constitutional mandate to seek voter approval for debt to build a jail expansion. Margaret Carmel at BOISEDEV has a detailed account. Under former Commish Dianna Lachiondo, a plan was hatched to […]
Sky Is The Limit For “Ludwig Tower”
We don’t have a TRUMP TOWER in Boise, but if things go right for a former City Councilor we could have a “LUDWIG TOWER”. Scot Ludwig, the former city councilor and CCDC member, is proposing to build a tall building in Idaho at 5th and Broad Streets. If approved, it could be 19 stories tall […]
GBAD Has Illegal Meet With Developer
Whether inadvertent or intentional, the Greater Boise Auditorium District met last week in executive session (citizens excluded) to hear a pitch from Tommy Ahlquist and Greenstone Properties for yet another attempt to get public money for a private development. This time they want to take the Expo Idaho (Fairgrounds) for condos and commercial development. Don […]
McLean Supports Bieter And Community Press
Former Boise Mayor Dave Bieter has struck it rich with a development being built by his new employer, the Gardner Co. Under the plan, Gardner will receive CCDC urban renewal loans of $10.2 million for a 110 unit apartment building downtown with a single “affordable rent” apartment. Sounds like the other 109 units are not […]
Bieter Joins Gardner Firm
To the surprise of very few, former Boise Mayor Dave Bieter has found employment with a development firm. According to KTVB NEWSBieter is joining Dave Wali at the Gardner Company, the development firm responsible for major downtown Boise projects like the Zions Bank Building and the underground transportation hub, among others. Bieter was mayor when […]
Legislator Targets Urban Renewal Boards
A bill that appears to be aimed at former Boise Mayor Dave Bieter and the Capital City Development Corp. (CCDC) has been proposed by a North Idaho Legislator. Sen. Mary Souza of Coeur d’Alene appeared in front of the Senate Local Government and Taxation Committee Thursday. The bill has two parts – including a provision […]
Ludwig Seeks “Tweak” To Stadium Ordinance
The GUARDIAN pressed former City Councilor Scot Ludwig about his efforts to seek an amendment to the ordinance which prohibits use of public funds for any stadium project worth more than $5 million in either private or public funds. Ludwig adamantly denied any connection to a current or future stadium project. “All I want is […]
The Case For “Term Limits”
We just returned from a visit to Hawaii’s “Big Island” where we observed a public notice sign on Alii Drive–the posh oceanfront street packed with hotels and condos. The proposed project included “60 condos and 20 AFFORDABLE HOUSING units!” That prompted us to ponder just exactly what constituted “affordable” on the trendy real estate? Then, […]
Ludwig Steps Down From CCDC
Former Boise City Councilor Scot Ludwig stepped down from the CCDC, Boise’s urban renewal agency in order to give newly elected Mayor Lauren McLean to a chance to appoint someone who shares her vision for downtown. Ludwig suggested in his letter of resignation that McLean appoint a current City Councilor to fill the vacancy he […]
Boise Spending Report Meant To Outrage
The conservative think tank, Idaho Freedom Foundation, has produced a lengthy analysis of public spending by the City of Boise, reminiscent of the “Golden Fleece Awards” from Wisconsin Sen. William Proxmire. Entitled ARE YOU KIDDING ME, BOISE?, the report written by Lindsay Atkinson, is obviously designed to outrage. The document leads off detailing spending like […]
More Sneaky Boise Lease Details
Under the terms of a proposed amendment to a City lease deal with a Salt Lake City developer, taxpayers will be forced to pay for infrastructure costs traditionally borne by developers. The area in question is 159 acres of industrial park land owned by the citizens of Boise. Bieter has signed a lease deal with […]
City Library Vote Off, Project “On Hold”
Wiser heads have finally prevailed on the question of an advisory vote regarding the controversial Boise Library project. Ada County Clerk and chief election officer Phil McGrane sent a strongly worded Letter to Mayor Bieter 8.16.19 to Mayor Dave Bieter Friday refusing to place a confusing advisory question on the November ballot along with a […]
Boise Councilors Oversight Failure
If a development near the airport with as many as 22 industrial buildings is allowed to proceed, Boise citizens will be deprived of property taxes and forced to pay for the infrastructure to benefit the private project, thanks to a contract signed by Mayor Dave Bieter. Here’s how it works. Boise City retains ownership of […]
Boise’s Devious Dirty Deed
No doubt about it. Boise politicos view the citizens as an adversary group when it comes to the library issue. Last night the council passed a “special question” ordinance which is nothing more than an opinion poll to be placed on the November ballot regarding the proposed library and sports stadiums. The law has no […]
A Different View Of Latest Library Scheme
Team Dave and its leader, Mayor Dave Bieter are trying to sell the idea of “saving interest fees” by simply inserting $50 million cash for the proposed mega-library project. This after several years of economic schemes, projections, and sales pitches. If Boise has $50,000,000 stashed away in a slush fund, we the people have been […]
Library Petition Garners Enough Signatures For Vote
The Ada County Clerk’s office confirmed Thursday that enough signatures have been verified to place the questions of an $85 million Boise library and a sports park project on the November ballot. Mayor Dave Bieter released a statement saying, “I respect the citizen engagement behind it and the passion for our community it represents,” Bieter […]
Insider Nominated Over 230,000 Citizens
That old trope of “independent body corporate and politic” is becoming ludicrous when it comes to Boise’s urban renewal agency, CCDC. Tuesday’s city council agenda includes the proposed appointment of the CCDC chairman, Dana Zuckerman, to the city design review committee. The committee reviews major building projects as part of the approval process on new […]
Recent Comments