City Government
Uber Cars No-Risk Scam Hurts All
Imagine the GUARDIAN giving Boise City a shoutout on New Year’s Day! We have to give Team Dave an “attaboy” for telling the pushy folks at Uber Cars to stop playing taxi without proper insurance, license, inspection, etc. While some folks like the “app” appeal of hiring unknown drivers and cars over the internet with […]
Top GUARDIAN Stats for 2014
We have slowed down the pace over the years when it comes to posting new stories. Total posts for 2014 was 129. Top commenters were Zippo (162), Easterner (132), Rick (120). Top story for comments goes to Boise Police Chief Mike Masterson who garnered 45 comments on the campus gun bill post, “Masterson, Other Coppers […]
Bones Named Chief of BPD
Mayor Dave Bieter surprised no one with the selection Monday of Bill Bones to succeed Mike Masterson as chief of the Boise Police Department. The appointment must be approved by the City Council, but it is a sure deal. Masterson, whose last day is January 29 pretty much groomed Bones to fill the post, appointing […]
Final Round Of Top Cop Q&A
The final round of questions and answers from retiring Boise PD Chief Mike Masterson is presented here. He will leave in January, becoming the second longest serving chief in the department history. GUARDIAN readers have provided significant input for the department over the years and the chief has been an active commenter. Question relating to […]
“Cleaning Woman” Is Bieter Council Finalist
Three years ago she wasn’t good enough to mop floors for Boise City and today Sylvia Hampel is among seven finalists seeking appointment to the City Council to fill the vacancy created when David Eberle moved to Garden City. As CEO of Clearview Cleaning Service, Sylvia Hampel was awarded a contract in 2011 to clean […]
Use of Force And Ombudsman Complaints
BREAKING NEWS: A real estate blog has just named Boise the #8 safest city in America. Looks like coppers are #8 and Bronco footballers are #22! Due to the length of responses about Boise coppers as Chief Mike Masterson takes questions from readers in his last month of service, we will group the responses by […]
Chief Responds To Copper Cameras Question
Due to the length of responses about Boise coppers as Chief Mike Masterson takes questions from readers in his last month of service, we will group the responses by topic. The Questions have been gathered in a previous post in the comment section. Body worn cameras are inevitable. BPD is taking a slow deliberate analysis […]
Questions & Answers For Top Copper
This is the first for what we anticipate will be a series of responses. As Chief Mike Masterson prepares to sing his swan song after more than 10 years as Boise’s top copper, he has agreed to have a “good-bye session,” with GUARDIAN readers. He tells us there have been many good policies and insights […]
Mass Transit Needs Masses, Too Expensive
Ron Harriman is a guy who tends to use science and math to make his points. Here is his take on recent calls for a TRANSIT SYSTEM in the Treasure Valley. By Ron Harriman My research has led me to conclude that in a basically rural area, transit fares will only cover 8% of the […]
Ombudsman Low Priority For Boise Leaders
Despite repeated promises to hire an ombudsman to review “critical incidents” and other complaints within the Boise Police Department, Boise’s mayor and city council has been more concerned with squeezing 10 foot three inch buses into 10 foot traffic lanes. More than a year ago Councilor Maryanne Jordan told the GUARDIAN, “The position is important […]
The Voters (Some) Have Spoken
Apologies for the lack of content lately. Been on the road doing family business. We wanted to give readers a place to bemoan their loss or crow about their victory, so here is a post. Not many surprises out of the election, unless you were a hopeful Dem. We were surprised at the margins in […]
Bieter Said To Be After ACHD Director’s Hide
A recent IDAHO STATESMAN story by reporter Cynthia Sewell seems to confirm the trend of Boise Mayor Dave Bieter to be a behind-the-scenes power broker for local governments outside the purview of Boise City. According to the report in the DAILY PAPER, Ada County Highway District commission candidate Bob Bruce told a public forum last […]
Fire Dept. Bond & Why 2/3 Majority Is Good
The DAILY PAPER had a page one story today about the effort to gain a 2/3 approval of voters for the City of Boise to go into debt for 10 years. The measure previously failed. The STATESMAN story is fair, well balanced and accurate. It also dwells on the efforts of GUARDIAN editor Dave Frazier […]
Fear of Legislature Power Is Prudent
Our favorite saying with regard to political power is, “POWER CORRUPTS. ABSOLUTE POWER IS REALLY GREAT IF YOU HAVE IT.” Constitutional amendment HJR 2 is an attempt by the legislature to acquire absolute power. It needs a “NO” vote. We don’t endorse candidates, but when it comes to constitutional amendments and bond issues, we feel […]
Bieter Insiders Promote Gypsy Cab Scheme
The lobbying firm, “Strategies 360,” with a local office run by newly elected Boise School Board member Brian Cronin, has a special service to offer it’s apparent new client Uber. That “special service” is ACCESS to city officials on behalf of the new gypsy cab scheme which debuted Thursday in Boise. It doesn’t take much […]
Boise Councilor Seeks To Squeeze 10′ 3″ Bus Into 10′ Traffic Lane
At the risk of sounding too logical the GUARDIAN questions how Boise City Councilor Maryanne Jordan plans to squeeze a 10 foot 3 inch wide city bus into a 10 foot traffic lane. In a recent letter to the ACHD, she asserted 10 feet was plenty of room for traffic lanes. The question arose after […]
After $600,000 Study, Street Car Still Flunks
Like the perpetual college student, Boise’s attempt at a transport system for Downtown is long on study and short on finding a job. The so-called “Circulator” (also dubbed “Desire Named Street Car and Trolley Folly”) has been the dream of Mayor Dave Bieter and his “Team Dave” for a decade while it serves as a […]
New Hawks Owners Try For Double Play
Its the same old story. New Owners come to town, love the place, love the fans, love the weather, love baseball, and love to have the community build them a new stadium. Such is the case with the new owners of the Boise Hawks Baseball team. No longer with the Chicago Cubs, the Hawks will […]
Eagle-Boise Fire Coverage Is Hot Topic
For the most part the fire departments in Ada County get along pretty well, especially when it comes to assisting each other responding to emergencies. That relationship is being strained as a result of the recent Boise City annexation of about 600 Eagle Fire District patrons into the city of Boise. The move will cost […]
M3 Developers Owe City of Eagle $57,000
A public records request by the GUARDIAN has revealed the mega development in the hills north of Eagle is behind at least $57,000 in past due payments to the City for various plan reviews, attorney time, and staff time. We checked and the Eagle has not offered any payment deferrals like Boise has done with […]
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