M3 Developers Owe City of Eagle $57,000

A public records request by the GUARDIAN has revealed the mega development in the hills north of Eagle is behind at least $57,000 in past due payments to the City for various plan reviews, attorney time, and staff time. We checked and the Eagle has not offered any payment deferrals like Boise has done with […]

Should Boise CCDC Members Live In Boise?

We posted a brief notice last week about Boise City Councilor David Eberele moving from the North End to new digs in Garden City. He confirmed the move in a front page story a few days later in the DAILY PAPER, saying he planned to remain on Boise’s urban renewal board–CCDC (Capital City Development Corp.). […]

Balukoff Wants Tight State Rules, But Don’t Impede Local Leaders Wishes On Tax Breaks

Last week we posted a piece after having a coffee chat with A.J. Balukoff, the Boise businessman who is running as a Dem for the office of Governor. We talked about various tax breaks, including the practice of the Idaho Land Board owning businesses and leasing tax exempt state-owned buildings to commercial businesses. Balukoff suggested […]

Eberle To Leave Boise Council Post?

Word on the street has it that Boise City Councilor Dave Eberle is seeking refuge in Garden City. We have it from several sources that Eberle is building a home in Garden City and his north end digs are up for sale. This will leave yet another seat up for appointment by Team Dave’s Mayor […]

SkyWest Will Lease City-Financed Structure Tax-Free

The GUARDIAN confirmed Tuesday that SkyWest Airline will lease a planned $23 million maintenance facility tax-free from the city of Boise. This means Boise Schools, City of Boise, Ada County, and ACHD will forego an estimated $380,000 in taxes on the city financed project EVERY YEAR! Thanks to a constitutional amendment passed three years ago, […]

Meridian Minority of Minority Prevails

Rebranding the Meridian School District to be called the West Ada District apparently didn’t help when it comes to bond debt votes. Voters in the district turned down a proposed $104 million bond debt which requires a 2/3 majority, or 67% approval. The tally was 63 % in favor and 37% opposed. Opponents of the […]

Horseless Racing, Slot Machines In Disguise

Acting on a tip from a GUARDIAN reader, we visited the game room at Les Bois Park recently and found a room with 200 slot machines being passed off as “Historic Horse Racing.” Folks, we urge you to take a dollar or two out there — perhaps during the Western Idaho Fair. Put your money […]

Boise Council Fumbles Ombudsman Job

Almost a year ago on October 17, we inquired about the lack of oversight on Boise Police with the departure of the OMBUDSMAN in June 2013. Council President Maryanne Jordan told the GUARDIAN, “The position is important to the community. Next steps should be forthcoming shortly.” The next step apparently came in January of this […]

GUARDIAN Offers To Referee Puck Issue

With the latest slap down of Boise City by ACHD commishes, it would appear the good offices of the GUARDIAN with years of institutional memory are needed to serve the interests of citizens. The city wants to place hockey puck-shaped sensors in the streets to sense car movement from parking spots downtown and erase any […]

Face Off Likely In ACHD-City Hockey Puck Issue

Boise City officials and Ada County Highway District are still at a 0-0 tie going into the third period, making a center ice face-off likely in court over the issue of remote sensors for parking meters buried in the street. Boise’s parking department placed 68 hockey puck-shaped sensors in the ACHD street in May 2013 […]

Last “Newspaperman” Goes To the Dark Side

Just yesterday a group of political has-beens and news junkies were chatting over coffee bemoaning the state of local journalism. “Popkey still has some pretty good sources. He is pretty much the go-to-guy at the Statesman if you want something printed,” said one of the old-time news guys. He added, “He has a list of […]

Ada Commishes To Payoff Bonds They Never Owed

Former Ada County Commishes created an end-run around voters some 23 years ago when they convinced an out of county judge that “annual lease payments” to the Capital City Development Corp. (CCDC) were not long term debt. The current Ada County Commishes see it differently. They are proudly planning to payoff the “Ada County Courthouse […]

New GUARDIAN Banner Photo

After years of sticking with the same picture for the banner, the GUARDIAN has caved to reader suggestions and updated the image above. While the old photo was what we liked about Boise–a clean view of the foothills over the downtown–the new one is much more compact, thanks to the intent of local politicos and […]

BOI Could Build $30M SkyWest Facility

We would eagerly welcome a $30,000,000 investment by regional airline SkyWest to build a maintenance facility in Boise as announced by Mayor Dave Bieter Friday. Taxes on a $30 million structure could amount to more than $500,000 a year for Boise Schools, ACHD, Ada County, and Boise City. But it is unlikely it will happen. […]

ACHD Joins Boise In Gardner Fee Defferal

One thing Boise and Ada County Highway District officials seem to be able to agree upon is special treatment for the Gardner Development Company. Boise fees of about $500,000, and ACHD impact fees of between $1.2 million and $1.4 million are due before Gardner is allowed to occupy its a two-building, office/retail/parking/convention project, atop an […]

Boise City Governance Based On Power Plays

There are many factors at play with regard to the debate over the bike lane experiment which goes beyond a simple “car vs bike” issue. We support the “wait and see” attitude of the ACHD. The agency which maintains and manages 2,100 miles of streets in Ada County has not ruled against accommodating bikes in […]

G-BAD Seeks To Skirt Voter Approval For Debt

The Greater Boise Auditorium District (G-BAD) is tiptoeing around the law once again. This time they are aiming to deprive voters of their constitutional right to approve long term debt for a $38 million dollar kitchen and ballroom. Article VIII, Sec 3 of the Idaho Constitution requires a vote of the people to approve debt. […]

Simplot, Gardner Projects Differ In Funding

The announcement by the J. R. Simplot Company to build a nine story headquarters at 11th and Front while Gardner plans a new project at 8th and Main brings to mind the differences in funding. Simplot’s project won’t depend on public money like the Gardner project which depends of lots of public money–just for the […]

Here is the official word on primary election early voting from Ada County Elections. Early Voting in Ada County will be open on Saturday, May 10, 2014. · Hours are 10:00 am to 4:00 pm County’s early voting site is located at: · 400 N Benjamin Lane, Boise Voters are asked to bring photo identification. […]

Candidate Election Space

Keeping with the long standing policy of the GUARDIAN, we will offer free space for candidates and supporters. As I make the offer, I am in communist Vietnam looking at a red flag with a yellow star. –Dave Frazier, editor ACHD Commish Sara Baker sent the following on behalf of Ada Treasurer Vicky McIntyre. When […]