State Government

This category contains 654 posts

Former Trash Now Fuels Controversy

Seems there just isn’t enough trash to go around these days. When Ada County entered into a deal with Foristar to capture methane gas at Hidden Hollow Landfill and burn it in an engine turning a turbine generating electricity, it made sense. For several years the county has made a couple hundred thousand bucks annually […]

Should State Be In Business of Business?

Here is another opinion piece being presented at the Repub Convention at Twin Falls this week. Disclaimer: The GUARDIAN will gladly post rebuttals, comments, or other topical items from any other party or individual. By Bob Forrey The Idaho State Board of Land Commissioners, Governor C.L. “Butch” Otter, Sec. Of State Ben Ysursa, Supt. of […]

Repubs Consider Urban Renewal Repeal

This post is a copy of a document to be presented at the Republican State Convention in Twin Falls. The GUARDIAN will gladly post similar items from the Dems. By Rachel S. Gilbert Do you wonder why your property taxes are so high and continue to rise year after year? Do you wonder why cities […]

Land Board Rewards Director

Idaho’s state Land Board has bumped state Lands Director Tom Schultz’s salary from $112,800 per year to $120,000. That’s keeping with a promised salary review when he was hired. He seems to be an OK guy, has a good resume and follows the will of the Board. We have a problem with the board’s decisions […]

Former Politicos McGee And Craig Charged

It hasn’t been a good week for GOP lawmakers. Former Repub state Senator John McGee and U.S. Senator Larry Craig were the object of formal charges filed in separate court cases this week. McGee, still on probation for his infamous D.U.I. in a stolen motorhome, has been hit with “disturbing the peace,” by the same […]

Personal Property Tax May End

Idaho’s personal property tax–an annual levy on equipment used in businesses–may end soon if industry lobbyists and Gov. Butch Otter get their way, according to a recent REPORT in the Daily Paper. At a weekend meeting of the Idaho Association of Commerce and Industry (IACI) the Guv said his position is evolving on that issue. […]

Canyon Mayors Quietly Seek Tax Hike

FROM THE CALDWELL GUARDIAN The mayors of Canyon County’s largest cities have been quietly pushing behind the scenes to raise the taxes of their constituents in the wake of declining property values, according to confidential GUARDIAN sources. Caldwell Mayor Garret Nancolas and Tom Dale of Nampa have talked with the Canyon County Assessor about raising […]

Booze Chief Flips Over Polygamy Vodka

One of these days a government politico is gonna come out and say, “Sorry. I screwed up and I was wrong about that.” It apparently ain’t happening at the Idaho Liquor Dispensary. The booze office was threatened with a couple of lawsuits in federal court for banning “Five Wives” vodka, so they blinked. In a […]

Booze Chief Sensitive To LDS Polygamy

The Washington Post features a local AP story in Today’s edition that’s sure to make the Leno and Letterman monologues. Seems there is a new Vodka product on the market called FIVE WIVES. Idaho State Liquor Division administrator Jeff Anderson said the brand is offensive to Mormons who make up over a quarter of Idaho’s […]

Zonda Bus Not Stopping In Boise Anytime Soon

Amid great fanfare last May, Chinese bus manufacturer Zonda announced it had selected Boise as its USA headquarters to make electric buses. The politicos, Chamber of Commerce, Economic Development people all gushed at attracting a major manufacturer of electric buses and up to 1,000 jobs. A year later the bus still hasn’t made its stop, […]

As Predicted, Guv Appoints Case To Ada Commish, ACHD Seeks Replacement For Case

As predicted by the GUARTDIAN, Governor C.L. “Butch” Otter announced the appointment today of Dave Case of Meridian to fill the District 3 Ada County Commission vacancy left by the May 4 resignation of Vern Bisterfeldt. “I’m extremely grateful to the Governor for having the confidence in me to appoint me to this position,” said […]

Dynamis Project Is A Major Power Outage After DEQ Suspends Work On Permit

Idaho Department of Environmental Quality has stopped working on the Dynamis permit–which had been on a fast track application schedule. DEQ officials say the application is incomplete and cite details in a highly TECHNICAL LETTER to Dynamis which was released today. The GUARDIAN has also learned the plan called for water supplied by United Water […]

County Attempts Cover Up On Questionable Land Deal

Ada County officials are squirming over the recent purchase of land without an appraisal mandated by Idaho law. The GUARDIAN has confirmed that neither elected Assessor Bob McQuade nor his chief deputy, Tim Tallman, were consulted about the so-called appraisal and no one with a commercial appraisal license ever supervised the appraisal as claimed in […]

Ada Republicans Eat Their Young

Ada County’s Republican Central Committee–fresh off the first ever closed primary election–snubbed their newly elected County Commish candidate, making him a third rate choice to fill the vacant seat created by Vern Bisterfeldt’s resignation. Gotta admit it is entertaining to watch the dominant political party in the state eat its young and disrespect its elders. […]

Assets vs Liabilities In Banking, A lesson

Boise’s SYRINGA BANK is in trouble and faces a merger or takeover from state and federal regulators because it’s capital level is less than 10% of its assets. Terms used to describe banks are somewhat reverse of what we normally think. When we DEPOSIT funds in a bank–savings, checking, or CDs–the institution shows that as […]

West Neighborhood Hosts Candidate Forum

The West Boise Neighborhood Association is hosting a candidate forum–which will be more of a “meet and greet,” but still a good effort on their part. Date is Wednesday May 2nd at 7:00 PM at Library! Cole and Ustick Here is what they say about the event: We are inviting candidates from contested primaries in […]

Republicans Hijack Primary Election At High Cost

When U.S. District Judge Lynn Winmill ruled that Republicans had a right to determine their candidates at at closed primary election, few people understood the ramifications of that decision. The net result is massive confusion about who can vote for what or whom. Also we predict many voters will be so overwhelmed they will simply […]

AG Needs Permanent Canyon Corruption Office

Idaho’s Attorney General seems to have enough criminal business among Canyon County staffers to open a branch office in Caldwell. A “clean sweep” revealed problems even with the janitor. Our recent memory includes the former prosecutor embezzlement case, another former prosecutor’s son with kiddie porn, a pair of DMV clerks making off with nearly three […]

ACHD To Move Lines For Commishes

Just like the Idaho representatives and Ada County Commishes, the Ada Highway District has to tweak boundry lines for commishes following the 2010 census. They have posted a couple of proposed change options at the ACHD SITE, but there will be little noticeable change since no incumbents will be affected. Option A seems to come […]

Ada Commish Candidate Resigns 16 Year Job Over Conflict With State Anti-Political Statute

BULLETIN 2:25 p.m. Monday– Ada County Commish Candidate Dave Case has announced he has resigned his state job with the Board of Parole. The complete text of his PRESS RELEASE can be seen at the bottom of the page. News outlets in the Boise area including the GUARDIAN got the following message (or a similar […]

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