Taxes
Politics Is Tearing Us Apart, City, County, State, And National
Rather than jump at every stupid move by government, we have been reluctant to post much in the way of comments on recent political events…”no news if good news” reasoning. Contrary to popular belief among some politicos, the GUARDIAN does NOT like to have a negative slant on every topic that comes along. However, we […]
Valley Taxpayers To Fund Chamber Of Commerce Sun Valley Junket
For the 20th year citizens of Treasure Valley will be asked to fund a SUN VALLEY JUNKET for various elected officials and government staffers to learn about making Boise and the surrounding area more appealing to businesses and tourists. The Chamber of Commerce website post says: This year’s theme will be: “Building Livable Cities in […]
Star Fire Commishes Resign Amid Tangled Financial Web
The entire Star Fire District board of commissioners has resigned today in the midst of a tangled financial web that is bound to rival that of the Nampa School District mess, although over fewer dollars. Here is the official press release: Commissioners Gunnar Howarth, John Miller and Jeff Sedivec of the Star Fire Joint Protection […]
Pedal Project Poses Payment Problems
By STEVE “BIKEBOY” HULME A year or so ago, Mayor Bieter, an eternal proponent of alternative transportation whether it be a trolley, or valley-wide rail service, or bicycles, proposed a bike-sharing program, just like in the Big City. Unlike the ill-fated “yellow bike” experiment of a few years ago, where volunteers made some donated bikes […]
Ada-Dynamis Deal Runs Out Of Energy, Commishes Kill Project
It isn’t electrifying news, but the new Ada County Commishes have disconnected with Dynamis over the proposed trash-to-energy plant at the county landfill. Dynamis gets to keep the $2 million the previous board paid the private company and agrees to not sue Ada for any future claims. “We fought to get the $2 million back, […]
Governor Forgot Most Important “Stakeholders”
This guest post comes from long time GUARDIAN reader “IDAHOLIC.” He makes a valid point that individual property owners will get whacked in the pocketbook if the personal property tax–paid in large part by big operators like power and telephone companies–is repealed. I can’t believe the lack of information and discussion of this proposal that […]
Where To Find More Local Tax Revenue
We are starting to hear rumblings about assessing property taxes on the Idaho Department of Lands for its commercial enterprises like the 10 Barrel Brew Pub and Affordable Storage operations in Boise. If the legislature abolishes the personal property tax, it will devastate local cities, counties and schools–more so in smaller counties that lean heavily […]
State Salaries Show Spending Priorities
State Controller Brandon Woolf has launched a great new website called TRANSPARENT IDAHO which shines the light of public scrutiny on how our taxes are spent. He built the site for $28,000 using part of his annual budget to do it. That light was glaring with intensity when the GUARDIAN took a look at HIGHEST […]
Personal Property Tax Repeal Could Open Proverbial “Can Of Worms”
Before the personal property tax repeal has even been considered, the GUARDIAN got a call from a guy who has figured out how to beat the system–with a loophole that will be as bad as the current system. He predicts not only a loss of revenue from personal property taxes, but a steep decline in […]
Name Your Favorite Stories For 2012
We trust everyone has opened their Christmas gifts, eaten a hearty meal and is now ready to reminisce about the past year’s news. Without a doubt the Ada-Dynamis energy to trash scandal has dominated the GUARDIAN posts, but there have been plenty of other misdeeds uncovered in government. You can use the search engine at […]
Taxpayers Big Losers When It Comes To “Purchasing Prosperity”
With Wednesday’s news that Micron–Idaho’s largest non-profit company–has failed in its latest government subsidized venture comes a message that taxpayer cash is no ticket to prosperity. The firm announced layoffs of 30 workers and a shutdown of a venture aimed at producing LED lights. The company frittered away $5 million in stimulus money paid by […]
City Seeks $110,000 Lobbyist In Washington Despite Claims Of “No More Earmarks”
Boise’s City fathers and mothers are willing to shell out $110,000 for a “Federal Government Relations Services” contractor (lobbyist) according to a pending RFP–request for proposal. However word from Congress as we creep toward the so-falled fiscal cliff is “no more earmarks” (pork barrel grants). Among the bidders are the mayor’s friends Brian Cronin and […]
Boise Raises Tax Levy, Doles Out Cash To Unions, Elected Officials, One Citizen Calls It An “Exhibition Of Unprecedented Arrogance”
The city council gave each other praise Before voting themselves a nice raise The taxpayers got What they paid for – NOT! Therein the big problem lays. –POET PAUL We haven’t seen a lot in the legacy media, but Tuesday’s council session was sort of like a lottery jackpot for some–at the expense of most. […]
Idaho Has History Of Ignoring Citizens
It should have come as no surprise when the Garden City Council ignored the vote of the people and repealed an initiative requiring public approval regarding green belt use. Consider just these measures which come to mind: –Boise City refused to put the “Ten Commandments” monument removal on the ballot, despite a huge number of […]
Councilors Should Delay Pay Hikes
After our earlier post regarding raises for Boise’s Mayor and City Council, readers prompted us to actually take a position on the proposed ordinance which will be considered today at first reading. The GUARDIAN sent the following letter to each member of the City Council. Ladies and Gentlemen, I posted a GUARDIAN STORY about the […]
Boise Officials To Reward Selves With Raises
We haven’t seen any campaign signs and doubt there has been any public outcry to grant Mayor Dave Bieter a 20% salary hike, but in this non-city election year the Mayor and City Council are granting themselves pay boosts. Not many people are able to give themselves raises. Most folks who work for someone else […]
No Income Tax For Major Ada Employers
NOTE–Boise State Radio is part of a project called “StateImpact Idaho” which does some good non-partisan research. A recent post at Boise State PUBLIC RADIO provides an interesting interactive map of Idaho counties which shows just how much government impact we have when it comes to jobs. Of particular note was Ada County where the […]
City To Hike Electricity Tax By 20%
Those pesky politicos in both Boise and Nampa are raising the tax on your electricity by 20%. The local “franchise fee” only applies if you use electricity and it will increase from 1.25% to 1.50%–an increase of 20%. Currently, 92 municipalities charge the “fee” which is really a tax paid by consumers. It is an […]
Citizens Group Releases Damning Info On Dynamis-Ada Commish Scandal
The group calling itself “Idaho Citizens for a Safe Environment and a Transparent Government” has released a string of documents from a public RECORDS REQUEST which indicate Ada Commishes bought computers, paid consulting fees and much more on behalf of Dynamis and the proposed trash to energy project. Commish Sharon Ullman hand delivered some of […]
Most Ada Salaries Top Those Of State Officials
Look for state elected officials and local coppers to pitch salary hikes during future legislative and city council meetings, comparing state and local salaries as justification for pay hikes. Ada County Commishes approved a budget crowding $200,000,000 last week and bumped up the salaries of elected officials including a 15% hike for Sheriff Gary Raney, […]
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