Economy
PUC Plugs Into Dynamis-Idaho Power Deal
The Idaho PUC is now on the punch list for the “trash to electricity” deal proposed for the Ada County landfill. Idaho Power agreed to buy power from Dynamis’ project at the Ada County landfill for $92.35 per megawatt-hour. The proposal was submitted Tuesday to the Idaho Public Utilities Commission. Regulators will evaluate it for […]
Boise County Explores Bond Sale
Boise County Commishes issued a press release Tuesday saying they are exploring options to satisfy a multi million dollar federal court judgement. The DAILY PAPER quoted the release saying they may be able to have a smaller levy spread out over 20-30 years—just as the GUARDIAN suggested recently.
Geezer Group Talks Turkey Over Raising Rates
Taking advantage of the paucity of news during the holiday week, the oldtimers at AARP have issued a press release aimed at the electricity and water providers who want more cash for their current. With Thanksgiving just days away, AARP Idaho has released the hotly anticipated winners of its first annual Gem State Turkey Award […]
Boise County Debt Easily Solved
DISCLAIMER: The GUARDIAN is not an attorney, but plays one in court when necessary. As a public service to the citizens of Boise County, we will offer some “municipal finance” advice about the ill advised actions of your Commishes with regard to bankruptcy and zoning the property for troubled teens. U.S. District Judge B. Lynn […]
Big League Baseball Depends On Minor League Public Funds
The Better Boise Coalition is seeking extra innings in its game of “bulid a bigger Boise ballpark.” Every survey over the past few years predicts a homerun when it comes to building a new baseball park, but when it comes to financing they all strike out. The DAILY PAPER published a box score round up […]
If Each New Job Creates 3-5 Other New Jobs, Does Each Job Lost Create 3-5 Added Losses?
The news from the J.R. Simplot Wednesday is bad any way you look at it. Loss of up to 1,000 jobs and closure of potato processing plants in Aberdeen and Nampa is not anyone’s idea of holiday cheer. It’s even worse using any of the gushingly optimistic estimates about “job creation” related to the new […]
Yogurt Plant Represents A Different Culture
The announcement that a Greek company is building a yogurt processing plant in Twin Falls was greeted with understandable excitment in the Magic Valley–it means JOBS! The yogurt plant represents a different culture. One that knows how to milk taxpayers as well as the local cows. Magic Valley is one of the biggest dairy producing […]
Occupier On Banks, No Confidence In System
By MsInformationBoise Occupy Boise Member Here in Boise, Occupiers have several local issues they have decided they’d like to address. One issue that has been discussed is the decision to build on the “Hole” downtown. For many of us it was a revelation the CCDC was subsidizing millions in public money towards the construction of […]
Occupy Boise Marches In Solidarity With Oakland
Chanting, “We are the 99%” and “We are Oakland,” about 50 members of the Occupy Boise group marched around downtown Boise Wednesday night and congregated at City Hall. Members of the group told the GUARDIAN they were demonstrating solidarity with their counterparts in Oakland, California who came under physical attack Tuesday in a confrontation with […]
M3 Spring Valley Development Has No Voters To Approve Financing Scam
The DAILY PAPER ran a comprehensive story today about a planned development north of Eagle which plans to take advantage of a recently passed law that is nothing but a financial scam. The law requires an election and approval of two-thirds of the resident property owners. According to the STATESMAN story, M3 Spring Valley is […]
“Paper or Plastic?” Goes To Polls In Hailey
The question of “paper or plastic” will be answered by voters at the polls in Hailey November 8 when they cast their ballots on a proposed ordinance banning plastic bags. The issue got on the local ballot due to the efforts of the Wood River High school environmental club, W.A.T.E.R. (We Appreciate The Earth’s Resources). […]
Developer Was PAID To Fill Downtown Hole
When Mayor Dave Bieter stood in front of the construction site wall at 8th and Main recently vowing to “tear down this wall,” he conveniently failed to let citizens of Boise know the private developer will be paid as much as $4 million by Boise taxpayers for his private venture. This is the stuff the […]
More Questionable Spending By Politicos
The DAILY PAPER ran a good page one story Sunday detailing questionable spending by the Idaho Water Users on behalf of its director who is running for mayor of Eagle. The short version is the nonprofit group which represents water users (mostly irrigation customers) has acted as banker on behalf of the group’s executive director, […]
When The “Nonprofit” Saints Go Marching In It’s A Taxpayer Shuffle
A rather straight forward business story in the DAILY PAPER got our attention last week with a look at the tax return of St. Luke’s “nonprofit” medical center. The hospital has been buying up private, for profit medical practices at a rate bound to get the attention of taxing authorities and consumers alike. In the […]
Gateway West Power Line Will Dominate Future News Of The West
GUARDIAN editor Dave Frazier toured the coal fields of Wyoming this summer as part of the day job at his DRFPHOTO.COM His observations in photos and words. ALL PHOTOS AND TEXT COPYRIGHT DAVID R. FRAZIER It falls under the name of “Gateway West, but the issue is electricity, who wants it, who can sell it, […]
United Water Seeks $7,616,015 Annual Fee Hike
Interesting how one can spin the numbers when it comes to making millions upon millions of dollars for a French-owned monopoly company like Suez United Water. We got our water bill today which includes a notice the company has filed for “rate relief” with the Idaho Public Utilities Commission asking for a mere “19 cents […]
Drink Up And Snuff Your Butts
Apart from the intrusion into individual liberties, Boise’s proposed smoking ban is about as likely as the 18th amendment (prohibition) of ever succeeding. Most absurd is the attempt to ban smoking in drinking establishments–debated at a public meeting Wednesday. To put the issue in perspective, consider this: It is perfectly legal to drink intoxicating alcohol […]
Debt, Economy, Just A credit Card Thing
A GUARDIAN reader sent us this economic “comparison” which may be a bit simplistic, but it certainly puts not only our economic woes in perspective, but illustrates why so many Americans don’t see a problem. • U.S. Tax revenue: $2,170,000,000,000 • Fed budget: $3,820,000,000,000 • New debt: $ 1,650,000,000,000 • National debt: $14,271,000,000,000 • Recent […]
Chamber Wants YOU To Pay While Business Gets Tax Breaks
The Idaho Chamber Alliance met in Meridian this week to plan how to influence the legislature. The Chamber of Commerce is a private special interest lobbying group–not officially connected with government. The alliance consists of 21 chambers of commerce from across Idaho, including Boise Metro, Eagle, Garden City, Gem County, Kuna, Meridian and Nampa. Their […]
Can’t Find Local Officials? Try Valley County’s Tamarack Resort
If you can’t find your local mayor, city councilor, or county commish, try looking at Tamarack Resort in Valley County. These members of the “Treasure Valley Partnership”–comprised of local elected officials–are spending YOUR tax money for hotel rooms, travel, and rental houses to meet and discuss a topic near and dear to Treasure Valley residents: […]
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