State Government
Idaho Speaker’s Actions Open Him To Humiliation
The following is a lay opinion from the GUARDIAN. Idaho House Speaker Lawrence Denney’s decision to file legal action in the Idaho Supreme Court against Secretary of State Ben Ysursa will probably lead to political and personal humiliation. The speaker has overstepped his bounds in an effort to rid the redistricting commission of a member […]
Idaho Legislative Control May Be Worse Than Most Realize
Our sister blog, the CALDWELL GUARDIAN, has posted an interesting initiative from the neighboring state of Montana. Folks there are tired of the behavior of their legislators and seek to change the constitution to prevent legislators from changing or repealing laws passed by voters. We Idahoans have passed both term limits and a 1% property […]
Repubs “Fire” Redistricting Comnmishes Without Legal Authority
After an attorney General’s opinion was issued last week saying there is “no mechanism in the law” to allow dismissal of commissioners serving on a bipartisan panel convened to map legislative districts, Idaho’s Speaker Lawrence Denney and Repub chair Norm Semenkop “fired” a couple of members anyway, according to John Miller of AP. The issue […]
Idaho Power Adopts Growthophobe Philosophy
It reads like a chapter from the GROWHOPHOBE handbook. Idaho Power is happy to expand its transmission lines to take care of growth, but wants those who benefit and create the demand to pay for it, according to a new filing before the Idaho Public Utilities Commission. Under the proposal, Idaho Power seeks to charge […]
Another Example Of Change To Fit Desire
Take two on the redistricting mess. Republican House Speaker Lawerence Denney wanted to fire his appointee to Idaho’s redistricting commission, former GOP state Rep. Dolores Crow, because party members don’t think she protected their interests. Translation: the lady wasn’t partisan enough. Secretary of State Ben Ysursa, the state’s chief election officer sought advice from the […]
Supremes Nix Redistricting Plan, Governments Just Change Laws To Fit Desires
Two different Idaho panels were unable to come up with a redistricting plan to comply with the constitutional “one man, one vote” ruling of the U.S. Supreme Court. The Idaho Supremes have nixed the latest version after several counties filed suit protesting a split of legislative districts within their counties. This politically charged issue comes […]
All Aboard The Ethics Train
It looks like both the Dems and Repubs are standing on the platform waiting to jump on the “Ethics Train.” After a series of public corruption and criminal cases involving legislators and state officials were reported by the news media, it seems like legislators of both parties can’t get aboard quick enough. Leadership of both […]
Boise Attorney Opposed To Dynamis Deal
Boise attorney Jon Steele has released comments critical of the proposed Ada County “waste to energy” currently before the Idaho Public Utilities Commission. Steele, in a press release was critical of the proposed rate schedule between Idaho Power and Dynamis Energy, the outfit that already has $2 million from Ada taxpayers for the project. PRESS […]
Chinese Communists Pony Up Cash For Hoku Power Bill
The troubled Hoku solar panel plant in Pocatello got a $10 million infusion of cash from its Chinese Communist parent company this week which should allow them to pay their Idaho Power bill before the plug is pulled. In action before the Idaho Public Utilities Commission, Hoku has sought to amend a contract with Idaho […]
A Relaxed Recall Law Would Be Ultimate Ethics Panel
When Idaho’s Republican senators met Wednesday to determine whether or not to leave Caldwell Senator John McGee in a leadership post, they did something that citizen voters are all but denied–vote on the conduct of an incumbent politico. Under Idaho law, citizens must obtain signatures of 20% of the REGISTERED voters just to get a […]
Local Option Tax Hike Bill Likely In Legislature
A bill to bump up the sales tax by 1%–with voter approval–will probably surface in the coming legislative session. Ironic that local politicos and Chambers of Commerce favor allowing voters to approve a sales tax hike when last year they almost uniformly opposed allowing citizens to vote on long term public debt at airports and […]
Idaho Dept. Of Lands Posts Loss On Commercial Ventures
Thursday we asked Gov. Butch Otter about his thoughts on the land board going into the commercial real estate business. Otter stressed that he was adamantly opposed to the state operating enterprises that would otherwise be found in the private sector. He said as long as the state remained in a LANDLORD capacity and avoided […]
Burning Issues And Libraries Maxed Out
Our GUARDIAN staff tax expert has alerted us to possible funding issues in 2012 for some fire districts and libraries. These taxing districts are limited in their legal ability to levy taxes and as property values declined, they have almost uniformly “gone to the max.” City and county governments can raise budgets up to 3% […]
Dark Days Ahead For Hoku?
Idaho Power still has its finger on the power switch at the Hoku solar panel plant under construction at Pocatello, but the Idaho Public Utilities Commision is telling the utility to wait awhile before cutting electricity. Idaho Power Co. had threatened to shut off electricity after the Honolulu-based polysilicon maker missed a $1.9 million November […]
“Buying” New Business Not Worth The Price
We’ve all heard of the husband who purchased a new boat the couple couldn’t afford so the wife gets even by remodeling the kitchen and installing new carpet they also couldn’t afford. That same silly fiscal policy is being advocated by government and editorial writers from Idaho Falls to Boise–if a business isn’t financially sound […]
New Kuna Mayor In Billing Dispute With City
A story in the daily paper Monday portrayed Kuna’s mayor-elect as a pro-business kind of guy when it comes to fees and regulations associated with new businesses and conciliatory toward neighboring city Meridian. However, Mayor-elect Greg Nelson didn’t have much good to say about planning and Zoning Director Steven Hasson and that probably stems from […]
Ada, Canyon Clerks Urge Supremes To “Get ‘er Done”
Ada County Clerk Chris Rich and Canyon’s Chris Yamamoto have filed “friend of the court” briefs with the Idaho Supreme Court essentially urging the justices to act quickly on several lawsuits brought by other counties contesting the newest state and federal legislative district boundaries. The problem lies with the Idaho law which requires candidates to […]
Glider Fans Up In Air Over “Bottum Line” At Hammer Flat Launch Site
By John Kangas For 35 years, silent and beautiful Hang Gliders and Paragliders have graced the Boise skyline above the Highway 21 and the iconic Crow Inn. Many have enjoyed eating steamed clams and just watching the gliders. Generations of Boise gliders have enjoyed their first flights on the Crow’s gentle hill. There is nothing […]
Private Prison Guards Don’t Meet Standards
Corrections officers working at the private Correction Corporation of America facility south of Boise are having trouble meeting standards required to be certified by the Idaho Peace Officers and Standards Training (POST) council. Last week of seven statewide “applications for waiver of standards” brought before the POST hearing board, five were seeking exceptions for CCA […]
Consumer Advocates Need Voice At IPUC
By HUBERT OSBORNE GUARDIAN Reader A recent examination of rate cases before the Idaho Public Utility’s commission on three separate rate cases all involving renewable energy show some startling differences in the electricity rates that have been agreed to between small power producers and the Utility’s involved. A case in North Idaho involving the burning […]
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