Growth
Ada Commishes Nix Jail Plan
The GUARDIAN offers kudos to Ada Commishes Ryan Davidson and Rod Beck for not endorsing a plan by previous commissioners to subvert the Idaho Constitutional mandate to seek voter approval for debt to build a jail expansion. Margaret Carmel at BOISEDEV has a detailed account. Under former Commish Dianna Lachiondo, a plan was hatched to […]
Reader’s Open Letter To Legislators
The following is a self-proclaimed rant by Dave Kangas about the state of the Idaho legislature and legislators. GUEST OPINION By Dave Kangas There have been few times in my life, when I have been as outraged by actions or proposals of or by government officials as I am now. The current bills limiting local […]
Former Boise Councilor Seeks City-wide Reps
GUEST OPINION By Sara Baker For years, we Boiseans have been represented on the City Council by those who live basically within spitting distance of each other, the North and East Ends. Those council people never wanted to create districts by geography. So finally, the legislature in 2020 changed the law to require cities over […]
Thoughts On The “Homeless Problem”
The GUARDIAN has thought long and hard on the “homeless problem” and we have concluded its a conundrum with no solution. We figure answers would be forthcoming if the folks living behind Albertson’s at Vista and Overland and along or near Shoreline were to relocate to Warm Springs or Harrison Blvd. or even Harris Ranch. […]
Sky Is The Limit For “Ludwig Tower”
We don’t have a TRUMP TOWER in Boise, but if things go right for a former City Councilor we could have a “LUDWIG TOWER”. Scot Ludwig, the former city councilor and CCDC member, is proposing to build a tall building in Idaho at 5th and Broad Streets. If approved, it could be 19 stories tall […]
Is No News Good News?
Dear GUARDIAN readers, I want to personally apologize for not posting anything lately, but we are aware of only the Orange Man’s cries of “foul” on the election counts, and daily updates on mask vs no mask debates at all levels of government. We will offer some additional topics, but remember, it is only for […]
Fire Chief Choice Ignites Councilors
Boise Mayor Lauren McLean made a point of using buzzwords like “transparency, listening, community outreach,” and similar terms when she took office in January. Now, 11 months later, when it came to naming a new fire chief to head a department with a $57,000,000 budget, she not only failed to allow citizens to be involved […]
Former Commish Raps Jail Finance Plan
GUEST OPINION By former Ada County Commissioner Rick Visser The end run by Commissioners Lachiondo and Kenyon to fund the construction of a new jail pod is a blatant affront to Ada County property tax payers. In the interest of transparency and accountability of a commissioner to her constituents, I ask Commissioner Lachiondo to tell […]
GBAD To Hold Onto Cash, Ahlquist Asks City To Make “The Sky The Limit”
The Greater Boise Auditorium District held a special board meeting Tuesday in which they decided to hang onto their cash reserves until the COVID-19 and slow hotel and convention business did a “pivot.” This came in the wake of an attempt by Tommy Ahlquist and his Ball Ventures Ahlquist development firm to recruit GBAD to […]
Ada Officials Scammed By Developer
A GUARDIAN reader expressed concerns with the Tommy Ahlquist-Greenstone attempt to corner the market on Expo Idaho (Fairgrounds) to the Ada County Development Services. The reader got this well reasoned and measured response Monday: First and foremost, I want to make the following very clear: the co-chairs did NOT meet with Tommy Alquist’s company, nor […]
Foothills Levy Spending Update
The recent purchase of 325 acres of foothill land by Boise City from the family of Gov. Brad Little prompted one GUARDIAN reader to do a little research on the activities of the committee entrusted to spend the $10,000,000 levy. Here are some results of their examination. The (Little) parcel is not within the current […]
Gov Little Family Paid 79 Cents Per Acre In Taxes On Foothills Land
The recently announced deal between Boise City and the family of Gov. Brad Little to purchase family-owned land in the foothills to be set aside for public use points out the need for property tax reform in Idaho. The six parcels are taxed at the rate of 79 cents per acre. The Little’s paid $255 […]
BSU Seeks To Close Boise Streets
EDITOR NOTE: In a meeting July 1, the ACHD commishes changed directions on last week’s street decision. They voted to reconsider the June 24 action as requested by BSU. An insider tells us that doesn’t mean the vote is likely to change and the matter “starts from scratch.” Seems that Boise State University officials won’t […]
Clan McLean Proposes $34,000,000 Budget Cut
Mayor Lauren McLean is offering up a major cut to the city budget, but due to increased property values, most homeowners will still see a tax hike for the coming year. Several of the proposed cuts are long overdue such as an extra command position in the fire department. Even so, she is planning to […]
Dem Opines On Legislative Session
The following was posted as a “comment” on our April Fools edition, but deserves more prominence as a point of discussion. By STEVE BERCH (D) State Rep. Dist. 15 When one party controls 80% of all legislative seats, they have 100% control over determining what bills ultimately get introduced and voted on. The minority party […]
Bieter Joins Gardner Firm
To the surprise of very few, former Boise Mayor Dave Bieter has found employment with a development firm. According to KTVB NEWSBieter is joining Dave Wali at the Gardner Company, the development firm responsible for major downtown Boise projects like the Zions Bank Building and the underground transportation hub, among others. Bieter was mayor when […]
Legislature– Quit Picking On Boise
The Idaho Legislature doesn’t have Dave Bieter to kick aground anymore, so they need to quit picking on us. Former Mayor Dave Bieter was often downright pugnacious with legislators, but he is gone and there is new blood at Boise’s City Hall. The statehouse boys need to give Lauren Mclean an the new council a […]
Too Many People, Too Much Hype
Idaho State PARKS has more happy campers than they can handle, forcing the department to make the wise move to stop advertising for visitors. The GUARDIAN has long held the GROWTHOPHOBE position that state and local governments should do the same thing–stop paying businesses to come to Idaho. It makes no sense to us for […]
The Case For “Term Limits”
We just returned from a visit to Hawaii’s “Big Island” where we observed a public notice sign on Alii Drive–the posh oceanfront street packed with hotels and condos. The proposed project included “60 condos and 20 AFFORDABLE HOUSING units!” That prompted us to ponder just exactly what constituted “affordable” on the trendy real estate? Then, […]
McLean Wins By near SUPER MAJORITY
POLITICAL COMMENTARY By DAVID R. FRAZIER, editor Boise City Council President Lauren McLean is now “Mayor-elect” after trouncing incumbent Mayor Dave Bieter in the Tuesday special runoff election. The win was a foregone conclusion for most savvy observers, fueled by a deep seated “Bieter fatigue” among the electorate. Bieter was able to garner only 30% […]
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