Economy
Crapo Seeks Law To Increase Local Debt Load, Tax Burden
Idaho Senior Senator Mike Crapo is pushing to make it easier for Idaho’s local governments to get deeper in debt by making cash available to banks, but he fails to mention Idaho cities have to ask permission of voters BEFORE going to the banks. Those loans from local banks have to be repaid through higher […]
Boise Not A “Tourist Friendly Town”
Our good friend Tim Woodward over at the DAILY PAPER posted a story Sunday with suggestions of “what to do in Boise” for a visitor with a 6 hour layover. What my nice guy friend didn’t mention is the Boise Depot–which he suggested as worthy of a visit–is CLOSED TO VISITORS most of the time! […]
Could F-35s Limit Wind Power Production?
A story comes to us from TEXAS about the potential problems associated with wind power generation conflicting with radar used for both military purposes and weather predictions. Short version is spinning blades of giant windmills can create false radar readings or “shadows.” We are all used to seeing one of the many “chief meteorologists” explain […]
Poet Paul Works Overtime On Economics
THE COST OF SPIN DOCS… Police and School Districts must collar Every way they can save a dollar When the budget axe drops Don’t fire teachers or cops Cut spin docs Hightower, Exline and Hollar! ON BOISE’S DOWNTOWN… DBAn members may think The city is in the pink Perhaps they haven’t found The big hole […]
No Government Paid Ads For Anti F-35
A group opposed to having 73 F-35 fighter jets stationed in Boise has set up a WEBSITE they call “Save Our Valley Now. They have some interesting maps and make claims you won’t see in any of those posters at the Airport or on the Idaho lottery ticket website. In what is just another battle […]
Homeless Panhandler Problem–Any Ideas?
The two comments to the Mayor Hotline featured in the previous post point out the total disconnect on a growing problem in Boise. Both the businessman and the parks worker want “something done.” Team Dave pawns it off on the coppers and their only tool is the law. Problem persists. Mr. Businessman doesn’t like the […]
Mayor Hotline April 10 to 16
PANHANDLERS, F-35, PARKING, HELP ANEEDY NEIGHBOR, NAUGHTY NEIGHBOR Jim Baker Senior VP of Flying J, Inc. Ogden, UT Pan Handlers: Mayor, I did try to contact you personally because I hate to deal with things this way, but we have a property in Boise on Overland Rd.; it’s a small convenience store and that whole area – […]
GUARDIAN Predicts “Rain Out” On Boise Ball Park
The GUARDIAN and reader Dean Gunderson have teamed up to call the Hawks game between Boise and Meridian. Our preseason conclusion is while there may be just barely enough square feet for a park at the 2900 Fairview location on land owned by the city, it will take a ton of money to make it […]
Caldwell To Buy Furniture For Oregon School
Just when we thought it couldn’t get any worse, the Caldwell Urban Renewal folks came up with a plan to bail out Oregon’s Treasure Valley Community College with money to furnish a Caldwell rental property. CALDWELL GUARDIAN Paul Alldredge chased this one down in what has become a long line of spending that raises red […]
Boise vs Meridian In “Screw Thy Neighbor”
We can’t help but chuckle at all the so-called “partnerships” and “regional planning” schemes put forth by local governments when their real goal is to screw their neighbor. Latest battle in what the GUARDIAN has dubbed ECONOMIC CIVIL WAR is Meridian’s quest to lure the Hawks baseball franchise away from Boise–even attempting to get the […]
Volunteers Work To Keep Park Open
Assorted volunteers, including the Brother Speed motorcycle club (officially designated a gang by coppers and corrections) have donated their time and labor to keep Niagra Springs State Park open. It is located along the Snake River on the north side of the Hagerman Valley. Poet Paul took note and offered up this: Park closures we […]
Economy Is Elephant In The Room
Spring is here, the legislature has mercifully left town, there is extra snow at the ski resorts, the Pope has the lowest approval rating in the history of the Catholic Church, Obama has signed a health care law, but the BIG ELEPHANT in the room remains the economy. A one-tenth percent decline in unemployment rates […]
Two Quarters Does Not A Success Make
The Daily Paper devoted the Thursday cover and much of the inside local space to an optimistic piece about Micron making a profit two quarters in a row, quoting sources who thought it spelled a better economic outlook for the area. In our mind, that shouldn’t be news–businesses are SUPPOSED to show a profit. The […]
Boise Joins Growthophobe Movement, GUARDIAN Offers “Back Story”
In a brilliant act to cut development in the Foothills, Team Dave has apparently seen the light and joined the GUARDIAN GROWTHOPHOBE movement. Boise City Council Tuesday made public the purchase of Hammer Flat – a 701-acre wintering range for mule deer, elk and antelope in east Boise – using funds generated by the 2001 […]
School For Pregnant Teens Cheaper Than Welfare?
We’re going to take a big step and post the following information which comes from Andy Hedden-Nicely, a one time Democrat politico for the U.S. senate, and one time founder of the Boise WEEKLY. As with any one-sided post from outside the GUARDIAN fold, we will gladly accept opposing views of approximately the same length. […]
Bruneau Dunes Could Be Abuzz with ATVs
During the Vietnam War an Army officer explained a village had to be burned “in order to save it.” Idaho Parks Director Nancy Merrill finds herself in that same situation today as she considers allowing dune buggies to chew up the tallest free standing sand dune on the continent to possibly make a few bucks […]
Fraud Alert To Educators–Xpress Flex
We are posting this memo sent to Nampa School District employees as a public service to alert others who may do business with Xpress Flex. No word on the scope of the damage, but certainly not good news to folks who thought they were making a wise financial decision. There will no doubt be more […]
We Are In Midst Of Economic Civil War
The Daily Paper’s print edition has competing headlines on the front page today that offer a prophetic sign of the times. “SOME EDUCATORS GET RAISES IN IDAHO” screams the bold type on the left. The message to the right is “FURLOUGHS COMING TO U of I” . Bottom line in good stories by Statesman reporters […]
Amendment Seeks To Deny Voter Rights
The Idaho legislature will soon be considering HJR 005 which looks pretty tame at first glance, but it is designed to deny citizens the right to approve long term debt at airports and allow airports to go into the real estate speculation and rental business. Here is the GUARDIAN’s take on the bill. The net […]
City Has Poor Record On Land Speculation
The Daily Paper ran a lengthy story Saturday detailing plans by Team Dave to sell a bunch of “surplus property” to finance other projects intended to stimulate the economy through GROWTH. The City can’t be trusted to follow through. Since the inception of the GUARDIAN we have watched the city buy land with grandiose plans […]
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