CCDC
Local Issues Cropping Up In Legislature
The GUARDIAN is familiar with much of what’s on the plate of lawmakers this session. We brought the issue of a state-owned storage business to the attention of readers last fall. Sen. Russ Fulcher of Meridian went after the deputy director of the State Lands Department in a Senate State Affairs committee hearing Wednesday over […]
How To Buy Friends And Influence People
It just never stops!! We are working the Day Job on a summer shoot in Argentina and depend upon our great readers for tips. This came in today showing Boise’s plan to spend taxpayer dollars for some sort of influence peddling scheme with CCDC. A legal notice published in the Daily Paper: LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE […]
Urban Renewal Gives Financing A Bad Name
Idaho’s Urban Renewal law is coming under fire this session of the legislature and the politicos are going to be forced to choose sides and not sit on the fence this go around. A group of mostly conservative citizens from Canyon County are getting organized and they already have some draft legislation in the works. […]
Some Grist For The Coffee Shop Mill
We offer a round up today of some topics of conversation, bearing in mind the legislative crazy season will soon be upon us. That means the legacy media will do their “one stop shopping” at the Statehouse instead of Bronco Stadium. –The G-BAD boys will get a report from a consultant on Monday saying it’s […]
G-BAD Boys Consider Demolishing Qwest Arena
If you don’t like driving on Capitol or Front at rush hour, just wait to see what the G-BAD boys have up their sleeves for future ideas. The Idaho Business Review broke a story Tuesday morning revealing plans to potentially demolish the Qwest Arena to make room for a convention center–despite untold failed attempts at […]
Ada Assumes Courthouse Parking Authority
Just as our sources PREDICTED two weeks ago, the Ada Courthouse will be more user friendly beginning Friday when the “first hour free” parking policy is reinstated. Additional hours or portions will cost just a dollar. The Ada Commishes are now running the show and seem to want the parking facility to serve the visitors […]
Ada Courthouse Visitors To Get Parking Break
We hear from within the Ada Courthouse that plans to acquire the adjacent parking garage on Myrtle Street are progressing with an eye to giving visitors an hour of free parking. No word yet on the deal between the Commishes and the CCDC (Capital City Development Corp) which owns the structure, but it has been […]
Caution Advised On ANY Stadium Plans
Two GUARDIAN readers have sent us a NY TIMES LINK to a national story about stadium construction. It’s worth a read in light of the plans (apparently dormant) for a new HAWKS STADIUM in either Boise or Meridian and a major expansion of Boise State’s Football palace. It all boils down to money and no […]
Bench Taxpayers Fund Boise’s Valley Projects
When the proposed 30th Street Urban Renewal District came up at the Boise City Council meeting last week (a vote to create the district was postponed) it was noted by some that a total of nearly two square miles of Boise would be “off the tax rolls.” Hint: 640 acres to a square mile and […]
CCDC Seeks Expansion Despite Statewide Opposition
Boise’s Urban Renewal Agency–CCDC– seeks to double the acres where property taxes are diverted away from City, County, ACHD, and Schools with a new District in the 30th Street area. They will have to hustle to get ahead of growing opposition. The Daily Paper has a DETAILED REPORT. Urban Renewal agencies throughout the state have […]
GUARDIAN Predicts “Rain Out” On Boise Ball Park
The GUARDIAN and reader Dean Gunderson have teamed up to call the Hawks game between Boise and Meridian. Our preseason conclusion is while there may be just barely enough square feet for a park at the 2900 Fairview location on land owned by the city, it will take a ton of money to make it […]
Meridian vs ACHD on Legislation
While Boise’s urban renewal agency CCDC secretly wrote proposed legislation and denied the GUARDIAN access to the process, the Ada County Highway District was quietly doing the same thing and drawing the ire of Meridian officials. Seems ACHD wanted to “opt out” of having taxes diverted to urban renewal projects without their approval. Urban Renewal […]
No Stopping a Runaway Train (Trolley) Enthusiast
Team Dave is still pushing for a trolley, and can’t seem to understand the meaning of NO, despite public opinion and denial of U.S. Government funds. Last week the Feds turned down Boise’s request for about $40 million in “TIGER” funds for the Desire Named Street Car (also affectionately known as the “Trolley Folly”). The […]
Attorney General Asked To Investigate Caldwell Urban Renewal
Canyon County Prosecutor John Bujak announced Today he will petition the office of Idaho Attorney General to investigate information revealed yesterday by the Boise and Caldwell GUARDIAN news blogs. “Based on the information presented and the check register of the agency, the case certainly merits further investigation,” said Bujak. He explained the case will start […]
Audit Of Caldwell Urban Renewal Imperative
Caldwell GUARDIAN editor Paul Alldredge has been working tirelessly to shed light on the excesses and deceptive activities of urban renewal agencies in Canyon County. In his latest effort he obtained the check register of the Caldwell Urban Renewal Agency which reveals a pattern of abuse and deception. This report will draw attention of law […]
Update On Desire Named Street Car
The DAILY PAPER has joined the long list of opponents to Team Dave’s “Desire Named Street Car” with a HUGE EDITORIAL in Sunday’s edition. They didn’t go soa as advocating a massive increase in the bus system, but it is clear (to us) the Statesman has come over to the GUARDIAN side. Reporter Cynthia Sewell […]
Better Buses Buttress Baltimore Business
Just in case you still hadn’t had enough on the Desire Named Street Car, a GUARDIAN reader sends us an interesting link about using–would you believe– BUSES to serve downtown Baltimore. Before any money is pumped into a Boise trolley, we think some buses would be much wiser. Apparently the folks in Baltimore, Bolivia, and […]
Politicos Prefer Secrets Over Public Scrutiny
Dan Popkey reports in the DAILY PAPER that Idaho Democratic legislators are taking the lead from their Republican opponents and holding secret caucus meetings for the first time in 9 years. They justify it, saying if the opposition knows what is planned, they could lose their chance to win on important issues. Unfortunately this is […]
“Non-Partisan” Think Tank Issues Pork Report
An outfit called the Idaho Freedom Foundation is gaining traction billing itself as a “think tank” and offering the public a variety of “reports” and op-ed pieces. While they call themselves non-partisan, it is fair to say there probably aren’t too many liberal Democrats within the ranks. Wayne Hoffman, an able journalist and former press […]
Macy’s Departure Is Due To Inept Government
Macy’s leaving downtown Boise comes as no surprise. For more than 40 years we have watched officials tout their “vision for the future” in downtown Boise. It changes with each new planner and consultant. The Bon Marche (Macy’s today), J.C. Penney’s, The Mode, Falk’s I.D. and many smaller merchants vanished, thanks to the far and […]
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