Taxes
ACHD Fee Proposal Needs Two Year Limit Or Face Voter Rejection
We need to expand and clarify our PREVIOUS POST about the proposed ACHD vehicle fee hike which gives a free ride to anything over 8,000 lbs. Some commishes complained that we focused blame on them while they were “merely following the state code.” They are correct with regard to being bound by the state code, […]
Visser Tosses Hot Potato At Commishes
Ada Commish Rick Visser tossed out a hot potato to the Assessor and fellow Commishes Thursday morning when he appeared before the Board of Equalization (comprised of the three commissioners) to appeal his own property tax assessment. Visser was challenging a 21% hike in the assessed value of his home. He said all the houses […]
No End To Local Tax And Budget Hikes
As the budget season reaches full swing it is downright frightening how local officials are conditioning folks for tax and budget hikes. It is also a bit frightening how glibly the legacy media offers reports like this one from the Idaho Press and Idaho Statesman regarding the proposed new Boise Library: “On top of the […]
ACHD Proposes To Give Commercial Vehicles “Free Ride,” Stick Little Guys With Tax Hike
Ada County Highway District Commissioners will consider a craftily worded fee hike proposal at their July 11 noon meeting which places new fees squarely on the back of small passenger car owners while exempting the rigs that chew up our roads. The proposal, which is planned for the November 6 ballot, sets forth a fee […]
ACHD To Propose Tax Hike
The IDAHO PRESS reports Ada County Highway District Commishes are planning to put a tax hike proposal on the November ballot. Before they make the request ACHD would be well advised to work toward a fair tax that would not see us honest folks paying the bill for the commercial users and rental car companies […]
Tax Hike Due This Year AND Next!
The GUARDIAN has received several inquiries regarding property taxes following the assessment notices recently sent out by county assessors. The short version is this. YOUR TAX BILL WILL BE HIKED! Local politicos will brag they have “lowered the levy rate,” but when the value is increased the only way to profit is to sell your […]
Growing To Death Like Cancer
Growing Like Cancer Idaho is experiencing a growth spurt unequaled since the days of homesteading, free mining claims, free cattle grazing, and water rights. Guess what? The modern version of those government give aways come in all sorts of “economic incentives” which has local citizens PAYING corporations to move businesses to the Treasure Valley and […]
Crowd Jeers Stadium Guy Like An Umpire
Dressed in a dark blue blazer and light blue shirt, Geoff Wardle, local counsel for the developer who wants to build a ball park on Americana looked remarkably like a baseball umpire and the crowd treated him like one. They jeered him and challenged most of his statements, cutting him off in mid sentence when […]
Retired Educator Adresses Mayor, Councilors
Most of the following testimony was presented at last night’s Town Hall meeting, but with just a few seconds left to present, Mr. Neil Parker was cut off by Mayor Dave Bieter at the three minute time limit. The entire presentation is posted here as it seems to be an eloquent statement echoing the thoughts […]
Most Speakers Oppose Growth At Town Hall
In a respectful “town hall” meeting at Boise Fire Station #4 on Ustick Road Wednesday night, speaker after speaker told the Boise Mayor and Council they were tired of the growth or the rapid pace of growth. Describing idyllic scenes of the past being blotted out with high density apartments, about 90% of those speaking […]
For Profit School Uses ISU Foundation For Donations
This is an updated version with new information added 4/9/18 We have hit a veritable stone wall when it comes to shining light on the new Idaho College of Osteopathic Medicine (ICOM) at Meridian. The GUARDIAN has raised questions, but can’t get answers to some serious finance issues. The latest one to cross our desk […]
Boise Councilors To Hold Town Hall Meets
Boise’s city council is planning to host a series of town hall meetings around the city in the coming year. They hope to create an opportunity to connect directly with citizens and to engage with them on the future of our city. Each citizen who wishes to address the mayor and council will be given […]
GUARDIAN Library Plan Still Valid After 11 Years
We cannot stress it strongly enough. The citizens of in Idaho are empowered by the State Constitution to control the purse strings of public debt. Boise City and Team Dave have once again launched a public relations blitz to create support for a $70 million edifice to replace the main Library on Capitol Blvd. near […]
Boise Councilors Rotate, Reader Questions
Boise’s City Council will take on two new members and see a female majority as the new year begins. Maryanne Jordan, without question the most knowledgeable member, has now devoted her political efforts to the Idaho Legislature. While legal, we have always questioned the ethics of holding two elected offices simultaneously. Ben Quintana, who we […]
Will Idaho Utilities Share Fed Tax Break?
It will be interesting to see if the electric, water, telephone, and gas companies in Idaho plan to share the trump income tax break which has been reduced by 14% for corporations. (see COMMENT below for detailed explanation of math that is actually a 40% tax cut) The Idaho Public Utilities Commission which regulates those […]
Canyon Jail Math Questioned, Commishes Won’t Take” NO” For An Answer
A group calling itself “Concerned Citizens of Canyon County Committee” has drafted a letter to the Canyon Commishes calling their math into question over a proposed third attempt to secure a yes vote for a nearly $200 million jail. Growth is costly, especially when it comes to criminals. Regional jails sound better all the time, […]
Looking Ahead At 2018
We will start by grouping the standard resolutions: diet, exercise, lose weight, be tolerant of idiots, reduce road rage, work together for the greater good, etc. That said, here are some GUARDIAN resolutions. POWER TO THE PEOPLE–We would like to see more citizen activists working to preserve our city, county, and state. Victories over the […]
What Was Top GUARDIAN 2017 Story?
This is the traditional time to look back at the past year’s news and vote for the top stories. From this side of the computer, the F-35 story wins hands down. The effort and expense to expose the clandestine efforts of the local politicos to land the noisy fighter jet was massive. Other topics we […]
Topic For Legislative Discussion
The issue of tax-exempt status for non-profit organizations has raised its head once again with the J.R. Simplot Foundation challenging a property tax bill on JUMP during the construction phase. The STATESMAN provided a detailed look at the property tax issue. Private hospitals like St. Als and St. Luke’s pay top staffers huge salaries and […]
Meridian Dream (nightmare) Comes True
Ten years ago the GUARDIAN reported on the potential accounting problems when a developer is allowed to divert Idaho sales tax to personal use. That’s what ITD did at the VILLAGE Mall in Meridian. The developer created his own urban renewal district with sales tax from retailers. The resulting traffic, growth, and ham-handed accounting are […]
Recent Comments