City Government
Boise Faces Urban Renewal Challenge
Boise City and the urbanrenewal agency are facing a lawsuit over the practice of subverting the Idaho Constitution’s requirement to seek citizen approval of debt exceeding a single year revenue. The IDAHO PRESS posted a story with the details. Two new urban renewal districts were created in December which divert taxes on improvements and appreciated […]
Everything Old Is New Again
Boise’s fire department gave away a fire engine this week to the Ada County Sheriff’s Department. The move is allowed under state law and it should save taxpayers a few dollars. Chief Dennis Doan told the GUARDIAN he wanted the former fire rig to be decorated in any color but red and not have it […]
More Library Concerns
One of our GUARDIAN researchers combed through the contract for the architecture services on the library and some items raise red flags just as the first class travel expenses did prior to obtaining permission and funding from Boise citizens for the project. Of particular concern to the GUARDIAN is a clause that allows Moshe Safdie […]
Will Valley Transit Go To The Dogs?
Talk about being “business friendly!” Seems the government owned and funded Valley Regional Transit (VRT) has been approached by the big dog in the bus business, Greyhound, about the possibility of using VRT taxpayer supported facilities for commercial passenger terminal and vehicle servicing purposes. One could say VRT is going to the dogs to get […]
Report: Kustra Backs Vote On Library
David Klinger, the vocal advocate of leaving “The Cabin” in place and having citizens vote on the library funding, sent this note to the GUARDIAN: “Dr.Robert Kustra is the former lieutenant governor of the State of Illinois and the recently-retired president of Boise State University. Today he endorsed our efforts to put the proposed Boise […]
Power To The People!
We got a news release Friday from Demo State Rep John Gannon detailing plans for a grassroots movement of Boiseans who want a voice in how their cash is being spent on major public works projects. They have a novel approach these days called DEMOCRACY…these folks want the city mothers and fathers to seek permission […]
Four MORE Years?
In case there was any doubt, the GUARDIAN is offering readers a chance at a free hot dog and official word that Team Dave is seeking a 20 year record as Boise’s mayor. This invite offering a hot dog with the mayor at the Fire Dept. Union Hall on Orchard near the railroad tracks came […]
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 […]
Fickle Finger Of Fate Blows On F-35
Even though we all thought the F-35 issue in Boise had been grounded, Team Dave and the wing nuts at Mountain Home were still manipulating public opinion. We didn’t see any news releases about the planned and then aborted junket to Florida at the expense of taxpayers (local and federal). Katie Fite of Wild Lands […]
Reader Question And History Lesson Worth A Look
QUESTION Editor, could you possibly educate me (and others) a bit about Boise and its real estate swapping? In every other city in which I’ve ever lived, city government tended to focus on the day-to-day, mundane, “unsexy” aspects of municipal government — fixing the street lamps and the potholes, making sure the police department ran […]
Boise Defers To Developer Wishes Yet Again
The politicos at Boise City Hall are at it again, placing their loyalties with the developer community rather than the taxpayer-citizens. They have given the California developer, Local Construct, an extra four years to complete a deal they have so far failed to live up to. After an illegal attempt in 2003 to build a […]
Reader’s Argument Against Property Taxes
A GUARDIAN reader sent in this comment on a previous TAX POST. For the sake of reader debate, we figured it worth posting up front. GUEST OPINION By Greg C I’m quite amazed at the back and forth between pro property taxes and against. This folks is exactly what politicians thoroughly want! The never ending […]
Boise To Accept Library Written Comment
Folks who feel they are being steam rolled into building a “Taj Mahal” library and moving the Literary Cabin tell us there is one final shot at being heard by the City Mothers and Fathers. Written e-mail comments are being accepted at [email protected] until November 27. Feel free to comment on the GUARDIAN, but be […]
Woman Injured By Dinosaur That Scootered Away
It finally happened last Sunday in Boise, not Jurassic Park. The first injury accident with one of those e-scooters took place at 6th and Front Streets in Boise. Witnesses said it was a hit-and-run dinosaur. Here is the official police report: Boise Police and the City of Boise continue to monitor E-Scooter use across the […]
Build It And They Will Come, but Where?
The IDAHO PRESS published a story today revealing there are ongoing talks between developer Chris Shoen and BSU acting president Martin Schimpf over a joint baseball park. GUARDIAN reader Larry Rincover has offered his own thoughts on a baseball stadium and it is pretty much “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” GUEST OPINION By […]
Police Oversight Is Akin To Insurance Policy
The GUARDIAN has long considered the Boise Office of Police Oversight (Ombudsman) as a representative of the citizens and an “insurance policy.” You hope you don’t need it, but glad it is there. After a series of “critical incidents” resulting in the death of a police officer and numerous suspects, the ombudsman office was established […]
Boise Ombudsman Acting City Attorney
Unless Boise’s Team Dave has quietly appointed a new person to oversee police “critical incidents,” the current ombudsman will be in a position to both investigate and defend Boise coppers. Seems that Natalie Camacho Mendoza, the ombudsman, is also the interim Boise City Attorney, according to an e-mail notification sent to Fourth District Court. Camacho […]
Trash Talking Boise Scooters
Long-time reader Steve “Bikeboy” Hulme is a full-time bicycle commuter and obviously not a fan of motorized scooters or bikes, even with electric motors. He has shared his thoughts with the GUARDIAN. He opens with a memo from the Downtown Business Association. Hello! Boise will soon join a growing number of cities offering E-bikes and […]
Secret Deal Prompts Call For Probe
Three activist groups opposed to a mountain bike park in the Military Reserve are represented by Boise attorney Bruce Bistline who delivered a letter to the Ada County Prosecutor’s Office calling for a probe into both the process Boise City Council used to approve the project and an alleged open meetings law violation. It all […]
Boise Coppers To Purchase Gay Bar
Boise’s City Council has approved the purchase of a “gay bar,” the Lucky Dog Tavern, at 2223 Fairview with the intent of using it as a future substation. Appropriately enough, the location was also once a donut shop. The city acquired the property for $1.15 million but the city has an agreement that will allow […]
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