County
Do Politicos Get Kickback From Lawyers?
Rod Beck and Ryan Davidson hadn’t been in office for even a week when their actions drummed up business for the lawyers. Seems like the Ada Commishes are off to a fine start, feuding among themselves over the appointment of former congressman Raul Labrador to the Central District Health Department board. Commish Kendra Kenyon, a […]
Hopes And Fears Met By Ada Commishes
With one single act, the newly elected Ada Commishes met the hopes of Republicans and the fears of the Democrats. Raul Labrador, the former congressman and Republican activist, was appointed to the Central District Health board, replacing ousted Democratic Commish Diana Lachiondo. The commission’s two new members, Republicans Ryan Davidson and Rod Beck, voted in […]
Former Treasurer On Ada Financing
Vicky McIntyre is no longer the Ada County Treasurer, but she has strong views regarding the financing strategy of the County Commishes. She offers them in this guest opinion. By VICKY McINTYRE Guest Opinion Did I Miss the Vote? Article 8, Section 3, of Idaho’s Constitution requires two-thirds (2/3) of voters to approve any government […]
Is No News Good News?
Dear GUARDIAN readers, I want to personally apologize for not posting anything lately, but we are aware of only the Orange Man’s cries of “foul” on the election counts, and daily updates on mask vs no mask debates at all levels of government. We will offer some additional topics, but remember, it is only for […]
Ada Seeks To Close Suez Water Tap
Ada County’s commishes are seeking to tighten the valve on a 22% rate hike being sought by Suez Water that would mean an average $80 increase in water payments annually for 98,000 Ada County citizens. The commishes filed a motion to intervene in the rate hike request currently before the Idaho Public Utilities Commission. If […]
Jail Scheme Needs To Be Unlocked
Tuesday’s election saw a political flip in the composition of the Ada County Commissioners. Incumbent Dem Diana Lachiondo garnered 121,963 votes, well short of challenger Repub Ryan Davidson who received 128,121. The GUARDIAN wouldn’t be surprised if Lachiondo pops up back at Boise City Hall with Mayor Lauren McLean. She previously worked for former Mayor […]
Former Commish Raps Jail Finance Plan
GUEST OPINION By former Ada County Commissioner Rick Visser The end run by Commissioners Lachiondo and Kenyon to fund the construction of a new jail pod is a blatant affront to Ada County property tax payers. In the interest of transparency and accountability of a commissioner to her constituents, I ask Commissioner Lachiondo to tell […]
Ada Commishes Ignore Constitution
An important–and overlooked–Ada County Commissioner campaign issue is the reluctance of the commission to uphold the Idaho constitution’s article VIII, sec 3 which requires a 2/3 vote of citizens for long term debt. Two issues face the county at present and both are really STATE issues. #1 The coroner has run out of space. The […]
GBAD To Hold Onto Cash, Ahlquist Asks City To Make “The Sky The Limit”
The Greater Boise Auditorium District held a special board meeting Tuesday in which they decided to hang onto their cash reserves until the COVID-19 and slow hotel and convention business did a “pivot.” This came in the wake of an attempt by Tommy Ahlquist and his Ball Ventures Ahlquist development firm to recruit GBAD to […]
Ada Officials Scammed By Developer
A GUARDIAN reader expressed concerns with the Tommy Ahlquist-Greenstone attempt to corner the market on Expo Idaho (Fairgrounds) to the Ada County Development Services. The reader got this well reasoned and measured response Monday: First and foremost, I want to make the following very clear: the co-chairs did NOT meet with Tommy Alquist’s company, nor […]
GBAD Has Illegal Meet With Developer
Whether inadvertent or intentional, the Greater Boise Auditorium District met last week in executive session (citizens excluded) to hear a pitch from Tommy Ahlquist and Greenstone Properties for yet another attempt to get public money for a private development. This time they want to take the Expo Idaho (Fairgrounds) for condos and commercial development. Don […]
Gov Little Family Paid 79 Cents Per Acre In Taxes On Foothills Land
The recently announced deal between Boise City and the family of Gov. Brad Little to purchase family-owned land in the foothills to be set aside for public use points out the need for property tax reform in Idaho. The six parcels are taxed at the rate of 79 cents per acre. The Little’s paid $255 […]
COVID 19 Mask Laws Create Threat To Some
A Michigan man was stabbed and the stabber was shot to death by police Tuesday–all over a new mandatory COVID mask law in the Great Lakes State. Based on social media comments on the GUARDIAN and elsewhere, don’t be surprised if it happens in Idaho as well. The risk as the GUARDIAN sees it comes […]
Ada Candidates File, Visser Quits
The filing period for Ada County candidates to run in the May primary election closed Friday with some surprises and some perennial names. Commish Rick Visser surprised county officials with an unforeseen retirement message: “After 40 years of public service in Ada County which includes work with the county, the State of Idaho and the […]
Coronavirus Cannot Be Ignored
We don’t really know what to think of the pandemic due to the coronavirus. At first it was in far off China, then it became a political thing, and now it seems to be a full-blown worldwide health crisis. When President Trump called Washington Gov. Insley “a snake,” we were saddened to see something as […]
State & County Offices Deadline March 13
If you want to challenge any of your state and county officials, you have until March 13 (Friday the 13th!) to file for the May 19 primary election. Here is a press release from the Ada Clerk’s office: Candidates must file a declaration of candidacy for the following state and county races by March 13th […]
Ada Sheriff And Commish Trade Barbs
The recent Democratic pile-on of Mike Bloomberg seems like a love fest compared to vicious attacks Friday between Ada Sheriff Steve Bartlett and Commish Rick Visser. The GUARDIAN has obtained an e-mail exchange between the two County Republican officials which reveals there is little in the way of mutual admiration. The term “dysfunctional” is fired […]
The Case For “Term Limits”
We just returned from a visit to Hawaii’s “Big Island” where we observed a public notice sign on Alii Drive–the posh oceanfront street packed with hotels and condos. The proposed project included “60 condos and 20 AFFORDABLE HOUSING units!” That prompted us to ponder just exactly what constituted “affordable” on the trendy real estate? Then, […]
Developers Should Pay For Prisons
For the past five years Growthophobes have been fed a steady diet of proud proclamations that Idaho is the fastest growing state in the country, #1 place to retire, most bike friendly, etc. Looks like we are also in the top ten when it comes to spending to put away criminals. But rather than tax […]
Skyrocketing Taxes Explained By Assessor
The GUARDIAN has contacted Ada County Assessor Bob McQuade who offered us an example of what amounts to a “mathematical phenomenon” which leads to disproportionate increase in tax bills. Here is his explanation for the prime reason for some of the surprise tax hikes. “By statute the current Homestead Exemption is 50% of the value […]
Recent Comments