State Government
Local Government vs Citizens
Things have been pretty slow at the GUARDIAN of late. Spring break plays a big part to be sure, but we think citizens are fed up with the legislature-governor bickering, cities and counties adversary relationship with citizens, and the never ending presidential race. We took a trip to the Everglades where we made this neat […]
Defending The Idaho Constitution
The GUARDIAN editor appeared before the Senate State Affairs Committee Wednesday to testify against a proposed CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT aimed at limiting citizen oversight of long term debt by local government. To call the experience frustrating is an understatement. In short, they ate our lunch, punched us in the face, yawned, walked out as we spoke […]
Developer Has Illegal Water Company
Ada County developer Greg Johnson has been operating an illegal water system without approval of the Idaho Public Utilities Commission according to 4th District Judge Michael McLoughlin. The judge ruled in favor of homeowners who became ensnared in a property owner nightmare when they hooked up to a community well owned and operated by Johnson. […]
Citizen Rights In Jeopardy
If a proposed amendment to Idaho’s constitution passes, citizens will be denied the right to approve certain long term debts. The constitution MANDATES that local government ask permission of voters. The cities and counties have steadfastly refused to take ANY bond issues to the voters since this decision. I believe BLAINE county passed a bond […]
Commishes and School In Bidding War
Seems that local governments in Idaho have a lot in common when it comes to money management. This piece is from our sister blog the CALDWELL GUARDIAN. By CALDWELL GUARDIAN THE GUARDIAN has determined the Canyon Commishes earnest money offer and announced purchase of the state Job Service building out by Larry Miller Ford is […]
No Bikes Past River McMansions
We have heard from Gary Segers who uncovered Garden City bike path info in records at the State Lands Office. Segers claims the intent of the riverside path is for mix of bikes and pedestrians and a GC councilor says otherwise. Seems the money folks lead by developer/ John Evans want to keep the two […]
Constitution Under Attack
After attending a meeting Tuesday with representatives of Idaho cities, counties, health districts, and banks we came away feeling there is a conspiracy afoot to deprive citizens of the right to vote on local debt (bonds). In a nutshell these people want to remove voter approval for airports, parking facilities, sewer extensions and more through […]
Jail For Sale Deals With State?
REPORTED BY CALDWELL GUARDIAN Looks like the State of Idaho is working on a plan to solve the overcrowding problem at the prisons–have the counties build new and bigger jails. A recent proposed contract deal between county sheriffs and the Corrections Department discussed at an IDAHO ASSOCIATION OF COUNTIES DISTRICT III ELECTED OFFICIALS meeting explains […]
Hop Onboard GUARDIAN Transit Plans
There have been endless meetings, endless surveys, and endless chatter about “mass transit” in the valley. Now the cities are proposing a local option tax (probably a sales tax) to fund both highways and public transit. The legislature needs to exercise plenty of caution on this one. The GUARDIAN posted a plan for an “above […]
Idaho Nukes For California Consumers?
When smooth nuke power promoter Don Gillespie hit the airwaves and pages of the local media with plans for an electricity generating nuclear plant near Bruneau along the Snake River, he didn’t spark much opposition—especially since Jeremy Maxand rolled out of the Snake River Alliance office for greener pastures. With potential cooling towers on the […]
Daily Paper Details Craig Oral History
The Daily Paper sent a nice Christmas greeting to Larry “Thumper” Craig in Sunday’s print edition and promoted web site oral history recordings of cutting remarks from gay blades detailing sexual encounters with Idaho’s most famous senator. The story offered what Dee and other news anchors like to solemnly warn us are “graphic details.” The […]
Taxes To Increase Eagle Rd. Traffic
Meridian politicos are aiming to deprive the citizens of Idaho of at least $15 million in sales taxes to help a commercial developer create more traffic on Eagle Road at Fairview where he wants to build another retail mall. A new law passed by the Idaho legislature to subsidize a Cabela’s in North Idaho will […]
Transit Sounds Good, Costs Too Much
By Ronald M. Harriman GUARDIAN READER Your legislators will be asked this year to allow a local option tax for transit in the Treasure Valley. The transit plan proposed by the local Idaho transit folks is $1.2 Billion dollars over the next 20 years, probably funded with sales taxes. It SOUNDS good…”it will clean […]
Avimor Highway Access Problems?
Attend a public hearing for a proposed real estate development and you will likely hear the developer ask the regulatory authority to waive many of the codes, rules, and regulations pertaining to such projects. When an agency like Ada County or Idaho Transportation Department yields to such requests, a developer gets a good deal, and […]
Air Quality In The Eye (and lungs) Of Beholders
Two writers with opposing views on the air quality issue in the Treasure Valley asked to use the GUARDIAN as a discussion platform. Tim Kempf of Eagle is keenly interested in growth issues and fancies himself as using a scientific approach to issues. Michael Barnett of Nampa sees air quality as being somewhat stable, but […]
Grow Houses With Snake River Water
A Boise engineering firm has beensoliciting developers to fund a $1.5 million feasibility study to take 368 acre feet a day from the Snake River so more houses can be built on the desert between Boise and Mountain Home. According to the brochure in bold red letters: “DEVELOPMENT OF THESE LANDS WILL REQUIRE A NEW […]
Property Tax Woes Explained
GUARDIAN reader Tom Lopez sent us a rather articulate letter he had sent to Guv Butch eloquently detailing what is quickly becoming a TAX CRISES here in Idaho. Your comments are welcome. Since the letter is long, please click on the bottom CONTINUE button to see the entire version. Tom asks readers to write their […]
C. College Vote Means Windfall For CCDC
Unless someone can prove differently, the GUARDIAN is of the opinion that approval of the Community College ballot measure will mean yet another windfall profit for Boise’s urban renewal agency, CCDC (Capital City Development Corp). Here’s how it works. Under the tax increment financing scheme that funds the CCDC (and urban renewal agencies around the […]
Wanna SuperSize That?
Here are some GROWING ideas worth discussing on the GUARDIAN. Growthophiles should have to register and have their photos published on the sheriff’s website. We see a mental disorder in working to increase the population and then spend all your waking hours figuring ways to deal with GROWTH. Boise leaders are ill advised to continue […]
A Third Side to C. College
BY AN INSIDER As an employee of TVCC in Ontario (and an Idaho taxpayer), I obviously cannot comment publicly about the proposed election, but think there are several points being glossed over in the discussion about a community college district for Canyon and Ada county. 1. “Local control” is vastly overrated. Oregon community colleges are […]
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