Constitution
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 […]
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, […]
Horseless Racing, Slot Machines In Disguise
Acting on a tip from a GUARDIAN reader, we visited the game room at Les Bois Park recently and found a room with 200 slot machines being passed off as “Historic Horse Racing.” Folks, we urge you to take a dollar or two out there — perhaps during the Western Idaho Fair. Put your money […]
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 […]
Boise City Governance Based On Power Plays
There are many factors at play with regard to the debate over the bike lane experiment which goes beyond a simple “car vs bike” issue. We support the “wait and see” attitude of the ACHD. The agency which maintains and manages 2,100 miles of streets in Ada County has not ruled against accommodating bikes in […]
G-BAD Seeks To Skirt Voter Approval For Debt
The Greater Boise Auditorium District (G-BAD) is tiptoeing around the law once again. This time they are aiming to deprive voters of their constitutional right to approve long term debt for a $38 million dollar kitchen and ballroom. Article VIII, Sec 3 of the Idaho Constitution requires a vote of the people to approve debt. […]
Simplot, Gardner Projects Differ In Funding
The announcement by the J. R. Simplot Company to build a nine story headquarters at 11th and Front while Gardner plans a new project at 8th and Main brings to mind the differences in funding. Simplot’s project won’t depend on public money like the Gardner project which depends of lots of public money–just for the […]
Copper And High School Student Battle
In a major show of force, Boise Police made a massive “code three” response to Frank Church High School Friday during the lunch hour following an altercation between a teenaged student and a copper. An honor student from another school who attends computer classes at the Boise School District tech center near Frank Church High […]
Trooper or Dog Has Defective Nose
We have been reluctant to weigh in on the controversial traffic stop by the Idaho State Trooper who is subject of an internal investigation after detaining a Colorado man for two and a half hours on suspicion of marijuana possession. The driver is alleging the trooper “profiled” him based on the Colorado license plates. The […]
Ada Sheriff Applauds Gun Nullification Law
Ada County Sheriff Gary Raney told the GUARDIAN he endorsed a law signed Thursday by Gov. Butch Otter that would make it a crime for Idaho coppers or officials to follow ANY edicts from Washington regarding guns and ammo. Raney said, “Last year I and many other law enforcement leaders opposed HB 219 because it […]
Governments Run Amok
Where do we start? The GUARDIAN has been in warmer climes for three weeks and comes home to chaos–or is always like this? –Top item in the foolishness file is the Idaho legislature’s apparent push to get guns on campus. The amazing thing to us is not the wacko legislators–we always have them–but the fact […]
Land Board Gets Out Of Future Commercial Deals
For the past few years the GUARDIAN has urged the Idaho Land Board to stay out of commercial real estate deals after we revealed the purchase and operation of a storage business in Boise. They steadfastly claimed a “constitutional mandate” to get the best bang for the buck. Cathy Opp, recently resigned deputy director, was […]
Masterson, Other Coppers Ignored At Gun Hearing
The folowing opinion is representative of coppers from Boise, Nampa, Moscow and Canyon County, to name a few who were muzzeled at an Idaho Senate hearing last week. The GUARDIAN will offer the forum not allowed in the Idaho Legislature. We may be a bit slow to approve comments as we are in the South […]
Opp Out Could Signal Land Policy Shift
The resignation of Dept. of Lands Deputy Director Cathy Opp and the revelation by the Statesman’s Dan Popkey that legislators have turned down donations from leaseholders of state-owned recreation lots at Payette and Priest Lakes, signals a possible policy shift of Idaho Land Board activities. The board is comprised of the five state elected officers […]
Grumpy Guardian Government Gripes
Its silly season with the legislature in town making us all proud to live in Idaho and see these folks for what they are. Here are some recent gripes: –Senators were spiteful and fool hearted when the voted to change their rules for one day, just to keep former Senator Nicole LeFavour off the floor. […]
Fed Court Backs McLean,GUARDIAN God Bless
U.S. District Judge Edward Lodge ruled Thursday on a civil rights action filed by the American Civil Liberties Union and two individuals. His order essentially puts enforcement of Boise’s panhandling law on “hold.” In September we noted the lonely position of Councilor Lauren McLean for “Being the voice for democracy, fair play, and equal rights” […]
Horse Race Slots Face Constitutional Challenge
The bid by a group to “preserve the horse racing industry” may be galloping toward a constitutional challenge that is anything but a sure bet. Despite legislation that says otherwise, there is a valid argument over the definition of what constitutes a SLOT MACHINE or CASINO GAMBLING–both specifically prohibited under the Idaho Constitution. Ada County […]
“NO” Means “We’re Coming At You Again And We Need To Change The Law To Make It Easier To Tax”
Mayor Dave Bieter spoke to the Chamber of Commerce “Leadership Boise” this week vowing to come back for another shot at the failed bonds and working to change the Idaho Constitution to make it easier to impose taxes on citizens, according to a Boise WEEKLY report. Bieter termed the results as “tyranny of the minority,” […]
Former Legislator Questions Land Board Action
Former Idaho Representative Bob Forrey has been an ardent opponent of recent Land Board actions regarding cottage leases, trades of state land for commercial property, and the Land Board going into commercial business operations like the storage unit venture in Boise. The following is a guest opinion from him. By BOB FORREY Despite a constitutional […]
Boise’s Top Copper Wants Your Opinion
Boise Police Chief Mike Masterson wants to hear from GUARDIAN readers regarding their thoughts about various technologies used in law enforcement today. By MIKE MASTERSON Boise Police Chief Technological gains over the last decade have allowed society and businesses to do their jobs more efficiently. Policing is no different where it often seems every new […]
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