City Government
Should Boise CCDC Members Live In Boise?
We posted a brief notice last week about Boise City Councilor David Eberele moving from the North End to new digs in Garden City. He confirmed the move in a front page story a few days later in the DAILY PAPER, saying he planned to remain on Boise’s urban renewal board–CCDC (Capital City Development Corp.). […]
Balukoff Wants Tight State Rules, But Don’t Impede Local Leaders Wishes On Tax Breaks
Last week we posted a piece after having a coffee chat with A.J. Balukoff, the Boise businessman who is running as a Dem for the office of Governor. We talked about various tax breaks, including the practice of the Idaho Land Board owning businesses and leasing tax exempt state-owned buildings to commercial businesses. Balukoff suggested […]
Boise Top Copper Words For Newbies
Boise Police Chief Mike Masterson offered a topical commencement address to the newest class of coppers to graduate from the police academy. There were only seven recruits in the class — the last one before Masterson retires,– but he emphasized the duty for coppers to protect human rights, citing a visit to the Anne Frank […]
Eberle To Leave Boise Council Post?
Word on the street has it that Boise City Councilor Dave Eberle is seeking refuge in Garden City. We have it from several sources that Eberle is building a home in Garden City and his north end digs are up for sale. This will leave yet another seat up for appointment by Team Dave’s Mayor […]
SkyWest Will Lease City-Financed Structure Tax-Free
The GUARDIAN confirmed Tuesday that SkyWest Airline will lease a planned $23 million maintenance facility tax-free from the city of Boise. This means Boise Schools, City of Boise, Ada County, and ACHD will forego an estimated $380,000 in taxes on the city financed project EVERY YEAR! Thanks to a constitutional amendment passed three years ago, […]
GBAD Petition Denied, Voters Must Approve Debt
Fourth District Judge Melissa Moody has denied a petition filed by the Greater Boise Auditorium District to build a $22 million ballroom and kitchen without a vote of citizens. Boise GUARDIAN editor David R. Frazier filed a response to the GBAD petition through his legal counsel, John Runft. Runft argued successfully that GBAD was attempting […]
Idaho Dem Guv Candidate Says State Should Not Own Business
The GUARDIAN had a chance Tuesday to ask Democratic gubernatorial candidate A.J. Balukoff about his thoughts on state ownership of businesses. The State of Idaho owns and operates “Affordable Storage” at 450 South Maple Grove, competing with local businesses in a tax-exempt facility. The businessman and Boise school board member was direct with his answer […]
Boise Council Fumbles Ombudsman Job
Almost a year ago on October 17, we inquired about the lack of oversight on Boise Police with the departure of the OMBUDSMAN in June 2013. Council President Maryanne Jordan told the GUARDIAN, “The position is important to the community. Next steps should be forthcoming shortly.” The next step apparently came in January of this […]
GUARDIAN Offers To Referee Puck Issue
With the latest slap down of Boise City by ACHD commishes, it would appear the good offices of the GUARDIAN with years of institutional memory are needed to serve the interests of citizens. The city wants to place hockey puck-shaped sensors in the streets to sense car movement from parking spots downtown and erase any […]
Boise Gets Minor Foul In ACHD Game
UPDATE 8/4/14 ACHD took a “time out” at the Monday noon meeting, voting to do nothing until Thursday when they will consider Boise’s request for a total of about 800 hockey-puck meter devices in the streets. Fourth District Judge Deborah Bail blew the whistle on Boise for a minor penalty Friday in the ongoing hockey […]
Face Off Likely In ACHD-City Hockey Puck Issue
Boise City officials and Ada County Highway District are still at a 0-0 tie going into the third period, making a center ice face-off likely in court over the issue of remote sensors for parking meters buried in the street. Boise’s parking department placed 68 hockey puck-shaped sensors in the ACHD street in May 2013 […]
Guardian Editor Files Against GBAD
Government watchdog David R. Frazier has filed legal documents in 4th District Court against the Greater Boise Auditorium District, claiming the District is attempting to go around voters with a financing scheme which violates the Idaho Constitution. In a response to the GBAD “Petition For Judicial Confirmation,” Frazier alleges the district is seeking to go […]
Leap Before You Look, Cart Before Horse…
Don Day points out on Twitter the irony of Boise officials offering a prize to youngsters under 12 for their creative ideas of what to do with City Hall Plaza. The prize for the winning idea is a free pass to Roaring Springs Water Park… in MERIDIAN! This type of logic is infectious with Boise […]
New GUARDIAN Banner Photo
After years of sticking with the same picture for the banner, the GUARDIAN has caved to reader suggestions and updated the image above. While the old photo was what we liked about Boise–a clean view of the foothills over the downtown–the new one is much more compact, thanks to the intent of local politicos and […]
Airport Retail Contractor Offers “Extras” With Bid
Boise City Councilors Tuesday approved without discussion an agreement with an airport retail concession vendor which includes making annual “donations” to a private non-profit group and Boise Parks. Buried in the proposal is a kick back offer to the city. George Prentice of the BOISE WEEKLY waded through the 1300-plus-page agenda and found this gem: […]
Boise Coppers “Absorb” BSU Costs
Boise coppers will be seeking additional funds from Boise State University as part of a contract renewal to provide police at BSU. The new deal will see the Boise Police Department continue to provide “customary and usual duties,” including investigation and enforcement, traffic control and accident investigations. But the contract would bump up the hourly […]
Gardner Courts BSU For Tax-Exempt Space
UPDATE 6/19/14 STATE BOARD OKed THE DEAL OUTLINED BELOW. Meeting in Idaho Falls, members of the State Board of Education approved the proposal. Looks like the Gardner Company has found a pot of gold in the form of government funding for downtown Boise projects. Latest move to get public funding for a pair of proposed […]
BOI Could Build $30M SkyWest Facility
We would eagerly welcome a $30,000,000 investment by regional airline SkyWest to build a maintenance facility in Boise as announced by Mayor Dave Bieter Friday. Taxes on a $30 million structure could amount to more than $500,000 a year for Boise Schools, ACHD, Ada County, and Boise City. But it is unlikely it will happen. […]
Government Give Aways–Impossible Dream
However well intended, we have a serious problem with fee deferrals, job training credits, landing fee waivers, and all other forms of “corporate welfare.” With promises of “stimulate the economy” along with “job creation” businesses are scamming local, state, and federal government agencies. The GUARDIAN recently filed a public records request with the airport to […]
ACHD Joins Boise In Gardner Fee Defferal
One thing Boise and Ada County Highway District officials seem to be able to agree upon is special treatment for the Gardner Development Company. Boise fees of about $500,000, and ACHD impact fees of between $1.2 million and $1.4 million are due before Gardner is allowed to occupy its a two-building, office/retail/parking/convention project, atop an […]
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