City Government
Trash Talking Boise City Utility Billing
The GUARDIAN noticed many calls to the mayor’s hotline during the past week or so were about utility billing by the city’s Public Works department. One citizen told us it was nearly impossible to get through the maze of automated telephone recordings trying to figure out what he thought was improper or non billing. Here […]
Fire Chief Asks Birthday Money Go To Mayor
Boise Mayor Dave Bieter attended Fire Chief Dennis Doan’s birthday party over the past weekend at the Basque Center and it paid off–literally. Doan invited plenty of guests–including the presidents of the police and firefighter unions. Guests were asked to make donations to Dave Bieter in lieu of birthday presents. We haven’t heard if Bieter […]
Mclean Opposes Panhandling Law, God Bless
Being the a voice for democracy, fair play, and equal rights can be a lonesome role, just ask Boise City Councilor Lauren Mclean. She was the lone vote Tuesday opposing a city “panhandling ordinance” which was passed despite opposition of homeless advocates and the American Civil Liberties Union. Mclean said the law goes too far […]
Bieter Uses Public Resources To Promote Bond
Boise Mayor Dave Bieter is most certainly entitled to a “bully pulpit,” to spread his wish list and opinions, but Idaho courts have ruled it is illegal to use public resources, staff, or other assets to influence a ballot issue. However, that’s exactly what he is doing with the city website. Bieter sent out a […]
Fire Bond is An Open Ended $24,000,000 Line Of Credit To Be Repaid By Taxpayers
PART TWO OF ANALYSIS OF THE Nov. 5 BOND PROPOSAL Boise Mayor Dave Bieter has convinced the City Council the city needs a $24 million loan to be repaid by property owners for the purpose of fixing up existing fire department facilities and constructing new projects. He seems to have forgotten to sell it to […]
Park Bailout Needed Due To Bad Management, Citizens Deserve Voice In Spending
ANALYSIS OF THE PARK BOND Mayor Dave Bieter has promoted his voter-financed bailout of needed fire department facilities and additional parks as “A buck a month,” project. The GUARDIAN sees it as a whopping $51,000,000 expenditure of tax money. The ballot fine print legalese says: “The total amount to be repaid not later than twenty […]
BOISE City Council Candidate Page
This traditional GUARDIAN forum for candidates will be updated whenever candidates provide announcements or create news. We will keep moving the post up as new updates are made. Candidates can send info to the “contact” button on the site. PAUL FORTIN Paul Fortin, 60, tells the GUARDIAN he is a fourth generation Idahoan, second generation […]
Demo State Senator Opposes Bieter Park Bond
In the midst of questions about whether or not he lives in Idaho Senate District 18, Senator Branden Durst has weighed in on Boise’s proposed bond for parks–AGAINST! Turns out he’s pissed about puppies potentially pooping on private property possessed by people on the perimeter of the park. Durst wrote a comment on the GUARDIAN’s […]
Bieter Splits Bond, Follows Guardian Advice
Boise Mayor Dave Bieter has taken the free advice from the GUARDIAN and split a bond debt proposal into two portions, allowing citizens to have a say over both park and fire department expenditures. A downtown police station was removed from the debt package because the specifics were not ready to be considered. Bieter shaved […]
Coppers Opt To Not Expand Shooting Range
In what can only be described as a “surprise move,” Boise coppers have decided to not appeal the city planning and zoning board’s recent denial of a permit to expand the shooting range in the foothills off Reserve Street. A police commander had previously declared the department exempt from the zoning and vowed to appeal […]
ACHD To Boise: “Paybacks Are A Bitch”
Boise’s Team Dave has a history of bad relations with various cities as well as Ada County and the recent “Parking War” is just another example of not playing nice. The Wednesday vote by the Ada County Highway District to deny the city permission to embed “hocky puck” sensors into streets to track vehicle use […]
Eagle Council Approves Snow Park
Eagle’s City Council approved a deal Tuesday that could put a commercial snowboard concession on land the city leases from Ada County off Horseshoe Bend Road. It relies on snowmaking technology. According to Idaho Statesman coverage, the city’s 15-year contract with Ryan Neptune is a concession agreement comparable to the agreement the city of Boise […]
Bieter At Boehner $50 Fund Raiser For Simpson
OK, we admit it. The GUARDIAN enjoys raising questions with regard to politico fund raising. When we heard Boise Mayor Dave Bieter, an avowed Dem, was introduced at a $50 a plate fund raiser for Repub Rep. Mike Simpson Monday, we wondered who paid. Did Bieter have to pay to get in to hear U.S. […]
Eagle Offers Ada Land To Theme Park Promoter
In yet another “cart before the horse” project of a local city, Eagle is set to consider an offer Tuesday from a developer to approve a commercial summer/winter theme park on land owned by Ada County–before getting permission from the Ada Commishes. Ryan Neptune, an officer of Gateway Parks has told the Eagle City Council […]
TJ Thomson First To File For Council Seat
Incumbent Boise Councilor TJ Thomson announced today he has filed for reelection. Along with an invitation to a kick-off party at Chandi Lighting Studio 1110 Jefferson from 5:30-7:30 p.m., he included an endorsement from the Boise firefighter’s union. So far there has been no hint of opposition to Thomson, Ben Quintana, or Maryanne Jordan–all incumbents […]
Growthophobes Beware Can-Ada Population Of 1,000,000 Predicted By 2040
Massive population growth may sound great to politicos and others eager to solve problems like transportation, sewer, water, education, and air quality, but to growthophobes it signals a call to action. The Sunday Idaho Press Tribune published a story predicting the population of Canyon and Ada Counties would hit one million by 2040. They even […]
Wanna Be A Politico? Here Are Boise Rules
The GUARDIAN has obtained the candidate filing rules for the Boise City Council election set for Nov. 5 on the off chance anyone cares enough to run against the three incumbents. We find it ironic that 53 people applied for an appointment to Vern Bisterfeldt’s vacant seat, but no one will run for election. –When […]
Boise Continues “Cart-Before the Horse” Management
Boise has been creating urban sprawl for years, annexing hundreds of acres into the city–often despite protests by residents–and then bening forced to provide services. Fire stations have been built out of the annual budget and park land purchased with no money left to maintain or “green up” the space. Now, they are claiming the […]
Tradition Of Apathy In Boise Council Races
Boise’s City Council election is barely two months away and to our knowledge no one has announced a challenge to the incumbents and anyone shy of Cecil Andrus would have a difficult time mounting a credible challenge at this late hour. Councilors TJ Thomson, Ben Quintana and Maryanne Jordan are all facing reelection–and presumably they […]
Bronco Boozer Club Gets Tailgate OK
Boise’s City councilors passed an ordinance for one year that will allow tailgating in specified areas during the upcoming season. The new ordinance was brought forth by the coppers who say they are trying to “decriminalize” open cantainer violations associated with tailgating parties at football games. The GUARDIAN agrees with the concept, but questions the […]
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