State Government
Spend the Cash and Spin The Justification
Sometimes we can only shake our heads in disgust. Seems that government just has more money than they can spend. The following item was on the Caldwell City Council agenda. When the Caldwell GUARDIAN sought an explanation, city officials forced him to file a public records request. “4. Approve Resolution authorizing the granting up to […]
Guv: Storage Business Purchase “Was A Mistake”
Idaho Gov. Butch Otter has withdrawn his support for a controversial Land Board decision to own and operate a commercial storage business. The GUARDIAN revealed the state ownership–which competes directly with the private sector–in an EXCLUSIVE story last November. Otter told the IDAHO REPORTER his support of the decision to invest in the private retail […]
Chinese “Takeover” Is Like Japanese Boom Of 1980’s
Conservative American blogs have created a significant buzz over the issue of a “Chinese Takeover” of America and much of the fear mongering is centered in Boise–thanks to statements by politicos seeking the almighty Renminbi. Some of those concerns have a foundation in fact. In reality, the situation so far is much like the Japanese […]
“Table Rock Park” Needs To Be Reality
The GUARDIAN has publicly pushed to make Table Rock a public park for years, but there seems to be a lot of “pushback” from “stakeholders.” Today a survey has deemed it the best spot in the valley to watch a sunset. Ironically, the place voted as the best spot to WATCH A SUNSET in today’s […]
Coppers On Choppers “Have Guns Will Travel”
If you notice any Boise coppers on choppers along the scenic byways of Boise County this summer, they aren’t lost. They’re just using the City-owned uniforms and BMW motorcycles to earn a little overtime–at about $56 an hour. It’s all part of a highway safety grant funded by U.S. taxpayers and administered by the Idaho […]
Megaload Group Curtails Use Of Idaho Official Seal
The Western Legacy Alliance–the “megaload” truckers along U.S. Highway 12–agreed Tuesday to discontinue use of the official Idaho State Seal in advertisements. The GUARDIAN received an inquiry and it turns out the Idaho Secretary of State, the custodian of the seal, was also notified of the appearance of a stateendorsement to the ad which touted […]
State Senator Sits In Slammer
“UNDER PAR” took on a new meaning for Idaho State Senator John McGee, 38, after he left a Boise golf course Saturday night/Sunday morning and ended up in the Ada County slammer charged with DUI and Grand Theft of a 20 foot trailer and SUV. His blood alcohol level was reported at .15 which is […]
Legislative Staffers Get 42% Of All Bonuses
The IDAHO REPORTER has posted yet another hard hitting story you won’t find in the old legacy media. UPDATE— Saturday DAILY PAPER has the story as well as AP. This time they quote Legislative Services Office Director Jeff Youtz (the people who help draft the bills). “Because of these staff reductions and retirements, I had […]
ACHD Spends Tax Dollars On Lobbyist
Those pesky people at the IDAHO REPORTER have revealed yet another case of public tax money being spent by one government to lobby another government–this time it’s $68,000 of Ada County Highway District cash going to a lobbying firm. This disturbing trend reenforces the notion that citizens have little voice in their government. Even government […]
For Politicos It’s All In The Name
Anthony Weiner has dominated national political news with his name recognition so much, we thought it only appropriate to do some mix and match with fellow Dems at the local, state, and federal level who could advise the troubled Congressman. They could even form a consulting group: DINGLE, BIETER, and CHEW…specializing in treating a sick […]
Should Government Spend Tax $$ To Lobby?
A recent story in the IDAHO REPORTER about the Pocatello Auditorium District using $20,000 in taxes to lobby on its own behalf exposes only the tip of the proverbial iceberg when it comes to government influencing government. Perhaps the worst offender in the influence peddling game is the City of Boise. The city is awash […]
Garden City Bike Ban Remains, Court Date Set
City officials in Garden City continue to run up the legal bill to fight bicyclists seeking to enforce an agreement to allow two wheelers to peddle along the greenbelt north shore west of Glenwood. They will have to defend their decision to ban bike riding in a lawsuit filed by the Citizens for an Open […]
Ada Probation Agency Comes Under Scrutiny
The GUARDIAN has received a series of complaints of late regarding Ada County’s misdemeanor probation system and its private for-profit operating company. While several of the complaints are admittedly from offenders who have gotten on the wrong side of the law, we find there is also a philosophical issue with the coppers who get caught […]
Hospitals Dump Cash To Remain “Non-Profit”
After reading the DAILY PAPER story on hospital CEO pay, we thought of all those dedicated candy stripers and others who VOLUNTEER at a place where the big guys are making more in a year than most will make in a lifetime. While the Statesman article on hospital CEO compensation was interesting, of much more […]
A Different SLANT On Election Results
Now that pundits, critics, and proponents have had a day to digest the results of the Tuesday election, it is time for the GUARDIAN slant. The DAILY PAPER’s Joe Estrella did a piece on the Meridian school levy election claiming voters “torpedoed” the tax hike. Did voters perhaps “decline to grant a request to raise […]
Geezer Group Gropes For Gravitas
UPDATE If reader CLANCY’s links to the House WAYS and MEANS are on target, it looks like AARP itself is topped by only three others when it comes to paying off politicos. The lobbyists at AARP put out a press release Thursday with an analysis of state political payoffs after they came out of the […]
Foothills Lockout Not Popular With Neighbors On Eve Of Levy Celebration
Some neighbors in the eastern foothills area purchased by Boise City at a cost of $4 million last year are joining forces to protest a lockout by Idaho Fish and Game on the public land. No two ways about it, Boise has been less than transparent with the expenditure of public funds and the subsequent […]
G-BAD Election Heats Up (More)
Playing by the rules has always been a loose proposition in politics, but the GUARDIAN has copies of a document favoring two candidates for the May 17 Greater Boise Auditorium District election that appears to have crossed the line. The “800 pound gorilla” in the race is over the issue of whether or not the […]
PERSI Scam Not Mentioned In CDA Press
The COEUR d’ALENE PRESS ran a Saturday story that looks to us like it was planted by someone within the Idaho state government aimed at getting government worker retirement raised–or to draw attention away from the political abuse of the system. The GUARDIAN doesn’t know where this story came from, but it is a self […]
Teacher’s Unrest Grows Statewide
Opposition to State Education Super Tom Luna and the reforms passed by the legislature is growing statewide. We got word of the Reject the Luna Laws website today. Teachers are seeking to recall the Super and repeal his legislation through a referendum. As we have noted before, both efforts are an uphill battle. It will take […]
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