Economy
Boise Pays To Ship Recyclables To Portland, Seattle
Information provided to a citizen by Boise City’s Trash Programs “solid waste coordinator” touched off a GUARDIAN investigation revealing Boise is shelling out big bucks for tons of junk. When a GUARDIAN reader inquired about distribution of revenues (if any) from recycling under the new “Curb It” program, a Boise staffer wrote to her, “It […]
Commish Baker Proposes ACHD Budget Cuts
Ada County Highway Department Commish Sara baker has proposed some across the board budget cuts in HER BLOG. She may qualify as a “rebel with a cause” by seeking $1,000,000 in savings. While the local street budget for the county is not the hot button issue of ambulance service, there are many similarities in the […]
Can AMTRAK Pay the Freight?
When it comes public rides, it is hard to find anyone opposed to “PASSENGER TRAINS IN IDAHO.” The politicos know this well, so they have asked AMTRAK to conduct some studies about returning train service to Idaho. Senior Sen. Crapo and Mayor Bieter of Team Dave will hold a public hearing at the Boise Depot […]
Eagle Tries “Credit Card” Transfer Scam
The City of Eagle is attempting to use a clause in Idaho municipal funding law to go into long term debt without a vote of the citizens–a philosophy that is common among local governments in the Gem State. In the latest scheme, the city gets a loan known as a “Tax Anticipation Note” that is […]
PUC Policy Pleases Persistant GROWTHOPHOBES
While many Idaho bureaucrats and developers claim “growth is inevitable,” the Idaho Public Utilities Commission has approved a measure that will force developers to pay their fair share of providing power to homeowners. With only minor modifications, the Idaho Public Utilities Commission has adopted an Idaho Power Co. request to require developers and builders to […]
Wise Voters Behind New Library, Police Digs
Thanks to the wisdom of Boise citizens dedicated to fiscal responsibility, a new library is set to open Tuesday at Ustick and Cole for under $5 million. It joins recently opened store front facilities at Hillcrest and Collister shopping centers. Boise Councilors along with Team Dave wanted to spend $38 million for grandiose library projects, […]
Toll Are Answer To Costly Highways
The GUARDIAN is currently driving around France for the day job and spending more Euros than we like on tolls, but it is obviously the only fair way to finance highways. The surfaces are flawless and drivers are courteous and competent–despite what you may hear about speed and disregard for safety in Europe. The exception […]
We’re #4! We’re #4! YEA!
We love Boise. You have to love it to stay here for 41 years with the kind of politicos and CEOs we have. We have witnessed the rise and fall of MK, Boise Cascade, Ore-Ida, Albertson, and now H-P and Micron. These once great companies were a source of pride before the big guys took […]
Commishes Called Out On Discount Drug Card
Ada Commishes have endorsed a “discount drug card” scheme put forth by pharmacy giant CVS which can cost residents nearly twice what they would pay for the same medicine at COSTCO. The GUARDIAN did “apples for apples” test shopping on three of the most commonly prescribed drugs. Here is what we found: LIPITOR (cholesterol) 40mg […]
GUARDIAN Thoughts After 5,400 Mile Drive
Sorry for not posting more often this past few weeks, but the day job and family demanded our attention. We previously posted some observations and offer more after driving 5,400 miles in two weeks. –Without question the USA is BIG, beautiful, diverse, a true sleeping giant, and probably in for many months of bad economic […]
Simplot Dream Project Has Potential
We’ve seen it all before–the Daily Paper features a huge color architect rendering on the front page with a gushing story about extravagant plans. The plans seldom work out because the hype is just the first phase of what is really a financing scheme. Things like a convention center, hotel, high rise tower, Tamarack, “European” […]
Boise Caters To Contractors–Again
No lesson learned from the “Boise Pit,” Valley County’s Tamarack, or Avimore by Team Dave. The latest move catering to contractors and developers of commercial projects simply defies financial logic. Mayor Dave Bieter is “deferring” building permit and inspection fees on new construction until an occupancy permit is issued. Also, impact fees for police, fire, […]
Local Government Tax Woes Could Worsen
As a follow up on the decline of about $3.5 billion in taxable property values, we did some checking with Ada Treasurer Cecil Ingram and find there is a trend among folks to NOT pay their property taxes, which is no surprise. Ada county has sent out “tax deed” notices for $1.3 million in unpaid […]
Team Dave Sees The Light–FINALLY!
After years of lame excuses and spending thousands of taxpayer dollars in Sun Valley to discuss local problems, Team Dave has finally written the Chamber of Commerce suggesting that just MAYBE it would be a good idea to hold the annual indoctrination of local “leaders” in Treasure Valley. KTVB CHannel 7 had a GOOD STORY […]
High Foreclosure Rates In Boise
Boise made another list today when the Associated Press noted the city of trees ranked #27 in the nation when it comes to home foreclosure rates. Much of that reason is thanks to inept government at tall levels and greedy developers. Local politicos worked hard to accommodate developers and builders with one stop shopping at […]
New Recycle Program Could Be Costly
We need to raise the yellow caution flag on Boise’s new trash program that includes “no-sort recycling.” Austin, Texas, often held up as a “Big Brother” for things Boise politicos favor, adopted the no sort recycle scheme last fall and suddenly finds itself nearly $1 million in the hole due to transportation costs brought about […]
“Rest of Us” Pay For Failed Development Costs
Reporter Cynthia Sewell has an interesting piece in the Daily Paper about life in AVIMOR for the five residents of the so-called planned community of 850 homes. But who pays for that quiet existance? A GUARDIAN reader pointed out “the rest of us” are already on the hook to take care of failed developments like […]
Risky Business In Local Government
Wild projections of economic boom, be they for convention centers, a trolly, retailers in a court house, airport users, condo buyers, or golfers have a tendency to fall short. The weekend Wall Street Journal has a great example in story about funding woes for a golf course in CARLSBAD, CA. Substitute “GOLF” for parking, airport, […]
Avimor Future Looks Bleak
We haven’t heard any specifics yet about the long suffering saga of Avimor, the “planned community” in northern Ada County along Highway 55, but a report in the Arizona Republic about the parent company doesn’t bode well for the subdivision’s future and lends authority to GROWOTHOPHOBE predictions. The GUARDIAN previously posted a report in January […]
Time To Stop The Trolley Folly
Too much tax money has been spent doing surveys, plans, and proposals for a local transit system. Those who administer COMPASS, CCDC, and Valley Transit have demonstrated remarkable ineptness in providing any workable system. Those elected officials who sit on the various committees and boards have demonstrated a remarkable lack of leadership and concern for […]
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