Growth
Bike Park Costs Mount?
This came in from a GUARDIAN reader today on the bike park near Ft. Boise… Was I the only person in Council chambers during the Bike Skills Park “hearing” who heard Parks Director Doug Holloway, in response to concerns about hidden costs of a “public” park being developed for an Albertson Foundation Board member who […]
Retired California Developer On Impact Fees
GUEST OPINION By Dick Evons Retired California Developer Growth and the resulting problems it causes are a top priority for many voters in the approaching city elections. I haven’t heard any candidates offering to slow the growth or protect those who already live here. Boise and Idaho have been discovered, and are drawing multitudes–just […]
City Election: Many Candidates, Few Issues
We haven’t seen much in the way of controversy in the upcoming city election. There have been plenty of calls for CHANGE, LISTENING, BE KIND, LESS ARROGANCE, RESPONSIBLE SPENDING, but little in specific allegations or cures. Here are some issues we would like to see addressed: –Increase impact fees to slow the growth and make […]
More Expansion Plans At BSU
Boise State University is a “city within a city” with millions upon millions of dollars worth of tax-exempt public buildings. Those buildings and the people who live and work in them are protected by Boise taxpayers. Yeah, yeah, all those people and construction mean jobs for locals and economic benefits for Boise businesses. They also […]
More Sneaky Boise Lease Details
Under the terms of a proposed amendment to a City lease deal with a Salt Lake City developer, taxpayers will be forced to pay for infrastructure costs traditionally borne by developers. The area in question is 159 acres of industrial park land owned by the citizens of Boise. Bieter has signed a lease deal with […]
City Library Vote Off, Project “On Hold”
Wiser heads have finally prevailed on the question of an advisory vote regarding the controversial Boise Library project. Ada County Clerk and chief election officer Phil McGrane sent a strongly worded Letter to Mayor Bieter 8.16.19 to Mayor Dave Bieter Friday refusing to place a confusing advisory question on the November ballot along with a […]
Boise Councilors Oversight Failure
If a development near the airport with as many as 22 industrial buildings is allowed to proceed, Boise citizens will be deprived of property taxes and forced to pay for the infrastructure to benefit the private project, thanks to a contract signed by Mayor Dave Bieter. Here’s how it works. Boise City retains ownership of […]
Library Study: Boiseans Are Fat, Poor
Included in the $12 million design fee for an $85 million library is a $40,000 study completed by Boise-based Vitruvian Planning. We note Chris Danley is the founder of Vitruvian Planning and is a former member of Boise City’s Planning and Zoning Commission. In an unbiased report, IDAHO PRESS reporter Margaret Carmel offers some results […]
Beware Of “Misspeak” From Team Dave
Margaret Carmel at the IDAHO PRESS didn’t pull any punches when she revealed that Boise Mayor Dave Bieter actively opposed citizens who successfully circulated an initiative petition to force a vote on high cost libraries and sports stadiums. Carmel revealed that Bieter formed a political action committee to oppose the initiative, even funding the PAC […]
Boise’s Devious Dirty Deed
No doubt about it. Boise politicos view the citizens as an adversary group when it comes to the library issue. Last night the council passed a “special question” ordinance which is nothing more than an opinion poll to be placed on the November ballot regarding the proposed library and sports stadiums. The law has no […]
Boise Group Opposes NW Development
Guest Opinion By RICHARD LLEWELLYN This Tuesday, July 16, Boise City Council will hear an appeal by developers CBH and Trilogy to overturn the earlier rejection of their 288 unit development along Hill Road known as Prominence. Boise’s Planning and Zoning Commission denied the proposal in May, which included a 130 unit three story apartment […]
Survey Shows “Growing Too Fast”
For years the Boise State University Public Policy Institute survey results served as the justification for Boise’s Team Dave to push for public safety, transportation, and parks to accommodate the growth. The standard response to critics of growth was, “You can’t stop growth. People just want to come here.” Now, more than 70% of those […]
A Different View Of Latest Library Scheme
Team Dave and its leader, Mayor Dave Bieter are trying to sell the idea of “saving interest fees” by simply inserting $50 million cash for the proposed mega-library project. This after several years of economic schemes, projections, and sales pitches. If Boise has $50,000,000 stashed away in a slush fund, we the people have been […]
Library Petition Garners Enough Signatures For Vote
The Ada County Clerk’s office confirmed Thursday that enough signatures have been verified to place the questions of an $85 million Boise library and a sports park project on the November ballot. Mayor Dave Bieter released a statement saying, “I respect the citizen engagement behind it and the passion for our community it represents,” Bieter […]
Property Values Sky Rocket In Ada
Rather than go into a lengthy discussion of the tax system, we will offer a simple formula for property tax estimates and provide a forum to share your recent assessment notices. Property taxes are determined by local government budgets which are limited to 3% increase plus the value of new construction (growth). A levy as […]
Growthophobe Movement Growing
THEY CREATE WHAT THEY SEEK TO ESCAPE. As the Ada County Assessor sends out property value notices this week, we note the values in some areas are up 20%. That can be good news and bad news. IF you are selling, its good news. If you are on a fixed income chances are your overall […]
Growthophobes Surface At The Polls
Any way your cut it, GROWTH is is costly and not what the citizens of Southwest Idaho want to see. GROWTHOPHOBES have sent their message. Amid cries from overzealous local politicos that “A two-thirds approval is an impossible bar to pass,” we are seeing voters adamantly reject bonds with a two-thirds DISapproval! Canyon County’s jail […]
Insider Nominated Over 230,000 Citizens
That old trope of “independent body corporate and politic” is becoming ludicrous when it comes to Boise’s urban renewal agency, CCDC. Tuesday’s city council agenda includes the proposed appointment of the CCDC chairman, Dana Zuckerman, to the city design review committee. The committee reviews major building projects as part of the approval process on new […]
Political Pandemic Plagues Boise
In March we questioned the functionality of local government, noting all levels viewed citizens as an adversary. Turns out the politicos don’t like each other either! Monday saw the political poop hitting the proverbial fan at a record rate. –Reacting to a citizen petition drive and a new law, Boise’s CCDC urban renewal agency pulled […]
Brent Coles Tells P&Z Not To Rezone Library
Don Day at BOISEDEV reports that former Boise Mayor Brent Coles testified before the Planning and Zoning Commission Monday against a rezone of the area near the library and the Log Cabin Literary Center. Coles and about 10 others opposed the rezone. Commissioners agreed and turned down the application to rezone the area which included […]
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