County
Ada Commishes Spending Spree
A good story in the Daily Paper by reporter Cynthia Sewell last week got buried thanks to the antics of Sen. Larry Craig and family. She tells us in a positive manner the Commishes are running amok in the real estate game grabbing property all over the county for expansion of county facilities. It won’t […]
Raping The Land For Profit
ANOTHER IN OUR SERIES OF POSTINGS FROM GUARDIAN READERS By MATT CIRANNI I was up Hideden Springs in the foothills recently and I was shocked at the flagrant destruction of open space that has taken place. Foothills developments seem to have been escalating recently despite popular opposition, and despite city and county planners paying lip […]
Judge Nixes Ada EMS Ordinance
The GUARDIAN is a little late on this one, but an August 17 decision from 4th District Judge Kathryn Sticklen could cause the Ada County Paramedics to seek some first aid. In what apparently was billed as a “test case” law suit, the county filed suit against the Kuna Rural Fire District for running their […]
Courthouse Answer Prompts Questions
An escrow account funded by Civic Partners to protect Ada County and the CCDC will “cease to exist” after eminent domain proceedings are completed against Civic Partners for the commercial space on the first floor of an apartment building adjacent to the courthouse. In the previous post yesterday, former commish Roger Simmons told us of […]
More On Ada Courthouse Dealings
Yesterday’s posting prompted some comments from Commishes past and present. The GUARDIAN wants to make clear at present we don’t see any illegal activity by the Commishes with regard to purchasing the first floor commercial space in the apartment building to the east of the courthouse. We think it is ill advised, probably not needed, […]
Ada County Courthouse Too Small?
Ada County Assessor Bob McQuade is looking forward to improving public access to his office when it moves out of the court house, but the GUARDIAN’s radar went on high alert when we got the tip. Seems the new Ada court house on Front Street is just too small to house all the agencies currently […]
Politicos Dislike Public Scrutiny
Lee Iacocca could well have been talking about Ada County in his new book, “WHERE HAVE ALL THE LEADERS GONE?” Add Eagle Mayor Nancy Merrill to the list of well intended inept elected officials. In keeping with the tradition of excluding the public from hearing the public’s business, she scheduled a meeting of city and […]
Activist Challenges County Budget
While the Ada County Commishes are touting a ‘lower levy’ the truth is in the numbers and this year’s budget calls for record spending. If the commishes think they have heard the last of Sharon Ullman they are dead wrong. A former commish herself, the lady has her ducks lined up comes out shooting. Here […]
Air Quality In The Eye (and lungs) Of Beholders
Two writers with opposing views on the air quality issue in the Treasure Valley asked to use the GUARDIAN as a discussion platform. Tim Kempf of Eagle is keenly interested in growth issues and fancies himself as using a scientific approach to issues. Michael Barnett of Nampa sees air quality as being somewhat stable, but […]
Line Up The Ducks BEFORE You Shoot Them
The following is a self-described rant by Activist Tony Jones after attending the Ada County Planning and Zoning Commission meeting. His report: “Some people think the reason roads, air, and water are deteriorating in this county, and taxes are increasing, is a big complicated subject. It may be as simple as one word: Messy. Last […]
P&Z Commish Wants Growth Moratorium
GUARDIAN EXCLUSIVE By STEVE EDGAR Sitting as an Ada county P&Z Commissioner for over a year now, I have come to the conclusion that we need a moratorium on growth in the Treasure Valley. My reasoning is to allow time for catch up and create some breathing (no pun intended) room. I have arrived at […]
Property Tax Woes Explained
GUARDIAN reader Tom Lopez sent us a rather articulate letter he had sent to Guv Butch eloquently detailing what is quickly becoming a TAX CRISES here in Idaho. Your comments are welcome. Since the letter is long, please click on the bottom CONTINUE button to see the entire version. Tom asks readers to write their […]
Development Tide May Be On Ebb
The young man sitting next to me on the flight to Boise grew excited when I told him I have lived in the same home for nearly 36 years. “Wow! You gotta be happy about property values going up over that amount of time,” said the newcomer from San Jose. He had attended university and […]
Supremes Issue Win, Loss, Draw Decision
The Supremes came out with their opinion on the Ada Commishes open meeting case today and it appears to the GUARDIAN the Commishes got off the hook for the $150 fine, but were found in technical violation of the open meeting law which has since been amended by the legislature. It would be fair to […]
Ada Voters Raise Canyon Tax
We noticed the community college election measure failed in Canyon County, but passed with enough margin in Ada County to create a passing grade in the two counties. A Canyon County reader came up with this observation: Can you please tell us how it is legal for Ada County and Canyon County voters to be […]
Publisher Could Take $700,000 From Valley
We can’t tell if the Daily Paper got enticed by the Chamber of Commerce or if they are consenting adults, but a recent business page story was a bit off the mark in our opinion. United Airlines in-flight magazine publisher, Pace Communications, stands to take about $700,000 from Treasure Valley businesses if they sell 36 […]
Bridge Opens Gate To Development
The East Park Center bridge across the Boise River is about the only thing that stands between wildlife habitat on private ranch land and a mega subdivision with houses, shops, hotels and meeting facilities. BRIDGE WILL FACILITATE MORE HOUSES LIKE THOSE ABOVE IN HARRIS RANCH. The bridge has been a condition for the Harris Ranch […]
Two More Planners Exit Ada County
The GUARDIAN has it on good authority two more employees of the Ada County Development Services have left. They are dropping like flies. The sudden departure Monday of veterans Mike McClenahan, who ran the “support services” and Scott Cook, a planner, have tongues wagging in the courthouse. Some speculate the departure of these two highly […]
Growth Pays (off) For County Officials
If you are a developer and want to profit from selling houses in Ada County it makes sense to hire people who know the business and have contacts in local government. Hubbell Homes has done some pretty sharp hiring in the past few months. First they picked up former County Commish Judy Peavey-Derr after she […]
Report From Sun Valley Growth Meet
A GUARDIAN EXCLUSIVE In their zeal to control the hearts and minds of Valley politicos, the Chamber of Commerce offset a chance to do good with its annual Sun Valley leadership conference. Not only did they sequester the politicos, most were subjected to party line pro-growth presentations. Our correspondent reports that only two of the […]
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