State Government
Hope For State Detox Compliance
We are not certain why the state of Idaho has decided to suddenly comply with the legislative mandate to act as the state authority to provide alcohol detox and substance abuse services, but we hope it was in part due to light shined on the problem by the GUARDIAN. When Ada County Sheriff Gary Raney […]
STATE IGNORES DETOX LAW
An audit of state drug abuse treatment services released by the Idaho Legislature’s office of “Operational Performance” concludes the Governor’s office and the Department of Health and Welfare have knowingly and brazenly ignored state law–for 10 years. State officials have been able to flip the bird at the legislature and with good reason. While the […]
Kudos to Kemp
State Rep. Jana Kemp stood up for the people last week when she “kept her seat” in a committee room while her fellow Republicans legislators retired to caucus behind closed doors. The issue at hand was about changing the overall structure of state employee’s pay system–important stuff. With the overwhelming Republican majority, a party discussion […]
Commishes Legal Fees Climb
The Ada County Commissioners have spent $6, 480 in taxpayer funds so far to defend themselves against civil penalties of $150. They have been charged by the Attorney General with violating the Idaho open meeting law when they went into executive session last June and discussed the Emergency Medical Services program and what it would […]
Contractor Law Pressures Cities
An unintended effect of the new contractor registration law which goes into effect January 1, 2006 places cities throughout Idaho in the position of encouraging contractors to be dishonest or forget about building permits. While there are no provisions (or funding) for cities and counties to enforce the new law, these local governments issue building […]
Contractor Registration Law
Looks like some Idaho building contractors stand a chance of being “hoisted by their own petard,” thanks to a contractor registration law the Associated General Contractors lobbied through the past legislative session. (For non library types: hoist with (or by) one’s own petard means to have one’s plans to cause trouble for others backfire on […]
Give Me More, Give Me Bigger!!
Like the odor from the sugar factory and feedlots, we have become inured (for you non-library types that’s “accustomed to something unpleasant”) to the effects of growth in Idaho. Easy to sound like an old fart that wants to return to the “good old days” on this issue, but folks we are assaulted daily with […]
State and County Need to Talk
Looks like the Ada County Commishes and Sheriff along with the Idaho Dept. of Health and Welfare have been training with the Bush administration and Katrina States when it comes to coordinating detox services. Sheriff Gary Raney and Commish Chair Rick Yzaguirre narrowly averted a public meeting at a private club just over a week […]
Surprise! Micron Expands in Singapore
Those IDAHO tax breaks granted to Micron have really paid off–the company was able to pump $250 million into expansion of a 265,000 square foot production facility in SINGAPORE. The Idaho Statesman barely noted the irony with a business story shorter than this blog entry. The good news is we won’t have to feed, house, […]
Disaster Want and Waste
Try as we might to be positive about Idaho efforts to offer assistance to disaster victims in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, the use of a gas guzzling Idaho Air Guard C-130 to haul water across the USA is the epitome of government waste. This relief effort is devoid of common sense and leadership. The […]
Payback Time
Gov. Dirk Kempthorne is not running for office, but companies favored with tax breaks and road projects are still investing capital in the Capitol. Latest campaign finance. reports show Tamarack Resort made payments of $2,500 to Kempthorne while Albertson’s and Washington Group each kicked in $3,750 for whatever they may need from the Governor’s office. […]
Who IS Big Brother and What Does he Know?
A GUARDIAN reader tells us the Idaho State Liquor Stores have a new toy that scans the information off driver licenses and he hates it more than an Albertson Preferred Card. We contacted the folks at the Liquor Dispensary and they were proud to explain the new system is sold to them by an outfit […]
Idaho Flim Flams Feds For Funds
We have to admit the following is based on a STATESMAN piece by business writer Melissa McGrath and we have to figure she got her facts right. However, the spin of the story and the headline “GRANT WILL HELP EX-HP WORKERS” misses the whole point. The real story is, “IDAHO FLIM FLAMS FEDS FOR FUNDS.” […]
A Legislator Who Can Write!
(First appeared in the Idaho Post Falls Register newspaper and circulated by known conservatives on the web) This is kind of long for the Guardian, but the lady can turn a phrase. I almost feel bad about the story on the Minneapolis Stadium. CANNIBALS WITH MANNERS By Rep. Lenore Barrett (R-Challis) The governor is quoted […]
Recent Comments