Growth
Look For Meridian Bond Failure
We look for the Meridian School Bond to fail at the polls Tuesday, but not for lack of trying. Both sides sent mailings to school patrons–a fancy word for taxpayers–and both had reasons to vote their way. The GUARDIAN predicts the vote will actually become a referendum AGAINST growth rather than any judgement for or […]
Train Idea Off Track
What is it about trains and Boise mayors? Brent Coles flitted around the globe riding the rails and came home with the famed “REGGIO SPRINTER” which was doomed even before the city spent $250,000 on a sales pitch. Now Dave Bieter wants to sell locomotives for local trainmaker MotivePower. He appeared in a video wearing […]
Seriously Silly Stinky
Ustick Road has the potential of being a skunk with more stripes than a zebra–but it will still stink, thanks to a “compromise” between the Boise City Council and the Ada County Highway District. Regarding road improvements Boise thinks , “If you don’t build it they won’t come,”. ACHD wants to build their standard 5 […]
Meridian School Bond Battle
The taxpayer snipers have their sights trained on the upcoming Meridian School Bond battle and early indications show the District’s volunteer army may not be as experienced as their tax foe adversaries. The first skirmish had kids used as innocent couriers for a pro bond post card that crowds the line of propriety with a […]
Developer 3, Neighbors 1
After two nights of testimony, punctuated with a medical emergency and many hours of civilized debate, the Boise City Council voted to approve an apartment condominium complex on Peasley Street near the Depot. Only Councilor Vern Bisterfeldt voted with the throngs of people who were overwhelmingly against the size and height of the project which […]
Leaving Town
Idaho Statesman’s Joe Estrella had a well written story in Sunday’s paper about the dilemma faced by Boise City officials and Boise School District on the issue of “urban flight.” “Urban flight” really means people don’t like living in Boise and they are following the advice of old time newspaper publisher Horace Greeley–”Go West young […]
Property Tax Solution
Here is a novel idea which should raise the ire of developers and realtors while offering some relief and hope to current property owners. How about charging the 5% sales tax on real estate transactions–at least NEW RESIDENTIAL units? Before you start screaming too loudly, take a look at the potential benefits. –The 5% tax […]
ACHD Wins One Loses One
The Idaho Statesman and Boise City oppose a planned widening of Ustick road from the current two lanes to a more sensible five lanes. ACHD is gun-shy over the debacle when Curtis Road was built with only two lanes and was over capacity the minute it opened. This time the engineers are planning a BIG […]
Residents Protest Development
A petition with 634 signatures of Ada County residents and other interested parties protesting a 1,500 home development overlooking the Boise River and Lucky Peak was filed Thursday with the Ada County Commission. Anthony Jones, founder of something he calls SaveThePlateau.org. delivered the petition to the Courthouse in a move to get the Commissioners to […]
Statesman “Attaboy”
Bearing in mind the IDAHO STATESMAN had the good sense to dump the GUARDIAN editor 32 years ago, we need to go on record about how much we appreciated the QUALITY of journalism in Sunday’s(July31) paper. –JOE Estrella was well researched and balanced in his story about home sales. Unbridled growth is an issue we […]
Statesman “Attaboy”
Bearing in mind the IDAHO STATESMAN had the good sense to dump the GUARDIAN editor 32 years ago, we need to go on record about how much we appreciated the QUALITY of journalism in Sunday’s(July31) paper. –JOE Estrella was well researched and balanced in his story about home sales. Unbridled growth is an issue we […]
Statesman “Attaboy”
Bearing in mind the IDAHO STATESMAN had the good sense to dump the GUARDIAN editor 32 years ago, we need to go on record about how much we appreciated the QUALITY of journalism in Sunday’s(July31) paper. –JOE Estrella was well researched and balanced in his story about home sales. Unbridled growth is an issue we […]
Statesman “Attaboy”
Bearing in mind the IDAHO STATESMAN had the good sense to dump the GUARDIAN editor 32 years ago, we need to go on record about how much we appreciated the QUALITY of journalism in Sunday’s(July31) paper. –JOE Estrella was well researched and balanced in his story about home sales. Unbridled growth is an issue we […]
Statesman “Attaboy”
Bearing in mind the IDAHO STATESMAN had the good sense to dump the GUARDIAN editor 32 years ago, we need to go on record about how much we appreciated the QUALITY of journalism in Sunday’s(July31) paper. –JOE Estrella was well researched and balanced in his story about home sales. Unbridled growth is an issue we […]
Low Cost Flight To Real Estate Heaven
Like the bankrupt airlines, Idaho government keeps looking for more passengers (residents). Just like the airlines, we have plenty of crowded flights (subdivisions) that don’t pay their way. Just like the airlines it’s good for the aircraft (housing) industry. Never mind the comfortable flights we once knew in the form of great service, real meals, […]
Power to The People
All the rampant growth being encouraged by local government officials has created a need for more unsightly power lines to provide electricity to new residents. The existing residents don’t like their views of the foothills blocked–apparently they can’t see the ridges being flattened as easily. They protested to the Idaho Power monopoly and the company […]
Stop This Insanity Now!
Kuna has run out of sewer capacity, Meridian has run out of classrooms, Eagle Road is a parking lot, Boise needs code enforcement and all these cities battle one another to see who can grow the most and the fastest. Then they all want to get together and pay big bucks to “consultants” who will […]
Bench-Depot Neighborhood Update
Folks opposed to a major apartment-condo complex near Crescent Rim and Peasley are well organized and adament about their objections. They have organized a Garage Sale set for July 9, a neighborhood rally July 11 and a massive turnout for a city council hearing July 13. The basic concern is the size and density of […]
Screw the Public!
After voters twice denied the Greater Boise Auditorium District bonding authority for a new convention center, the board agreed Friday to take a lesson from Boise City and do an end run around those pesky voters. The deal calls for developer Gary Christensen to pay one dollar to lease valuable public land at 13th and […]
Developer To Make Own Laws
Young developer David Hale has made his mark in Boise cramming tiny two story houses into existing neighborhoods to the delight of growth advocates and the consternation of some preservationists. Now he has aimed his creative sights on some older buildings on the western edge of downtown in a newly created urban renewal district managed […]
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