Growth
Reader Question And History Lesson Worth A Look
QUESTION Editor, could you possibly educate me (and others) a bit about Boise and its real estate swapping? In every other city in which I’ve ever lived, city government tended to focus on the day-to-day, mundane, “unsexy” aspects of municipal government — fixing the street lamps and the potholes, making sure the police department ran […]
Boise Defers To Developer Wishes Yet Again
The politicos at Boise City Hall are at it again, placing their loyalties with the developer community rather than the taxpayer-citizens. They have given the California developer, Local Construct, an extra four years to complete a deal they have so far failed to live up to. After an illegal attempt in 2003 to build a […]
Boise To Accept Library Written Comment
Folks who feel they are being steam rolled into building a “Taj Mahal” library and moving the Literary Cabin tell us there is one final shot at being heard by the City Mothers and Fathers. Written e-mail comments are being accepted at librarycampus@cityofboise.org until November 27. Feel free to comment on the GUARDIAN, but be […]
Business Interests Double Down On Unfair ACHD Fee Hike
Looks like the business community has ponied up more than $180,000 in the move to convince Ada County Highway District voters to pass a 70% vehicle fee hike that exempts the heavyweights over 8,000 lbs. The Idaho STATESMAN’S Sven Berg reports on the latest contributions and it leaves little doubt where the loyalties of the […]
Build It And They Will Come, but Where?
The IDAHO PRESS published a story today revealing there are ongoing talks between developer Chris Shoen and BSU acting president Martin Schimpf over a joint baseball park. GUARDIAN reader Larry Rincover has offered his own thoughts on a baseball stadium and it is pretty much “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” GUEST OPINION By […]
Thoughts From Half A Century Ago
By DAVID R. FRAZIER, editor I wanted to share a personal walk down memory lane which began 50 years ago today, ironically enough at what today is Memory Road–the overpass on I-84 near Micron. It was 50 years ago today in 1968 when I drove from Ypsilanti, Michigan with all of my earthly possessions in […]
Trash Talking Boise Scooters
Long-time reader Steve “Bikeboy” Hulme is a full-time bicycle commuter and obviously not a fan of motorized scooters or bikes, even with electric motors. He has shared his thoughts with the GUARDIAN. He opens with a memo from the Downtown Business Association. Hello! Boise will soon join a growing number of cities offering E-bikes and […]
Boise Coppers To Purchase Gay Bar
Boise’s City Council has approved the purchase of a “gay bar,” the Lucky Dog Tavern, at 2223 Fairview with the intent of using it as a future substation. Appropriately enough, the location was also once a donut shop. The city acquired the property for $1.15 million but the city has an agreement that will allow […]
New ACHD HQ Building In The Works
GUEST OPINION BY By Marisa Keith The highly publicized Ada County Highway District vehicle fee increase on the November ballot suggests that the agency needs more revenue to maintain and construct the county road system. However, there are other plans in the works at the agency that seem to suggest that the bank account may […]
Developers Dump Big $$$ For ACHD Fee Hike
Property developers have paid many thousand dollars to the “Citizens For Better Transportation” PAC in an effort to pass a proposed Ada County Highway District vehicle fee hike on the November ballot. It comes as no surprise to the GUARDIAN that big developers seek to raise fees for the average automobile owner while exempting all […]
Boise Preys On Auditorium Cash Reserves
The Greater Boise Auditorium District (GBAD) is awash in cash from the local hotel room tax and Boise City’s Team Dave is trying to get their hands on it. The City Council will discuss a scheme at Tuesday’s meeting that would allow them to sell the Grove Plaza and fountain for $8 to 10 million […]
“Rock Star” Contract Costly To Boise Taxpayers
Great research and reporting by Don Day at BOISEDEV on the Rock Star contract Boise citizens have to pay the proposed library architect for upscale travel. Following up on the GUARDIAN story about Boise Mayor Dave Bieter’s “Team Dave” agreeing to make first class payments for architect Moshe Safdie to travel and stay in Boise, […]
Free GUARDIAN Election Guidance
We have tried hard over the years to offer information while not endorsing candidates. We will stand by that policy, but several ballot measures need to to be addressed. PROP 1 knows as the “instant (or historical) racing vote is nothing more than an attempt to garner public approval of slot machines. Slots are outlawed […]
Boise Schools To Launch Marketing Campaign
Boise Schools has taken a page directly out of the Team Dave play book by seeking an advertising agency to create a demand for their services. The district will dedicate $175,000 for an advertising campaign in 2018-19, with an ongoing commitment for at least three years, according to documents obtained by IDAHO EDUCATION NEWS. Advertising […]
Library Hidden Costs Leave Bad Taste
We have had several readers contact the GUARDIAN expressing concern about the library proposal. Chief concern is the funding plan which is as “loosey-goosey” as the the fire department bond which was approved by voters, but failed to live up to its promise. Here is an excerpt from the preliminary contract with the “world class […]
Boise Fire Dept. Inept On Finance Plans
Long time GUARDIAN readers will recall “we told you so!” when it comes to recent revelations about Boise Fire Dept. financial ineptitude disclosed by the Idaho STATESMAN. In his Statesman Thursday piece, reporter Sven Berg said Boise officials spent twice as much as they promised four years ago in a bond proposal. The bon d […]
Treat The Cause, Not The Disease
We note Mike Wetherell’s Statesman OPINION regarding planning for mass transit failed to get to the core cause of our “transportation woes”–GROWTH. Rather than create more cancer treatments and simply concede “cancer will always be around,” let’s eliminate some of the causes. Wetherell’s admonitions to clear freeway medians and expand rights-of-way along State Street sound […]
BSU To Use A “Forced Out” For Baseball Field
Even with the home team advantage, Boise State University has been unable to get to first base with several property owners over attempts to build a baseball field. Owners of properties at the following locations have loaded the bases during negotiations: A)–1104-1108 South Grant Avenue, the current location of an eight-unit apartment complex, owned by […]
Idaho Growth Defies Logic
By DAVE FRAZIER, editor I have lived in Boise for 50 years. All but two of those years in the same house. I am the oldest guy on the block and number two for length of residency behind a neighbor who was born here. I have pretty much lived my entire adult life in Boise […]
GUARDIAN Editorial–ACHD Fee Hike Wrong!
Passion about a particular cause can be an admirable trait, but use of elected office to manipulate public opinion on a ballot issue demonstrates a lack of respect for voters and a questionable use of financial authority on the part of Ada County Highway District commishes. WHAT’S THE PROBLEM? The commishes took a lesson directly […]
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