Urban Renewal
Library Petition Drive Appears To Succeed
The following is an open letter from David Klinger, one of the organizers of the petition drive to allow citizens a vote on the proposed library and sports stadium projects. Dear Concerned Neighbor, Petitions for ballot initiatives have to be signed on paper, and attested to, in person, before a notary public. Online signing isn’t […]
Library Architect Fined By State
Timing is everything. The architectural firm awarded the $11 million contract to build the Boise Library was not licensed in Idaho at the time they solicited the job. A partner in the architectural firm Safdie and Associates has paid a $500 civil fine and $600 in legal fees to the Idaho Bureau of Occupational Licenses […]
“Independent Body Corporate And Politic”
Urban renewal agencies were originally created to insulate federal finances from municipal finances. It was mandated by the Feds so cities didn’t commingle funds intended to fight blight with tax revenues intended to cover expenses like libraries, fire stations, and other municipal structures. Under Idaho law urban renewal agency membership prohibits the city council from […]
Urban Renewal Battle Continues…
Guardian reader “Chicago Sam” offers this news bulletin on the progress of House Bill 217, the measure to force urban renewal agencies to gain citizen permission to go into debt for construction of public buildings. HB 217 just forwarded to House of Representatives with a DO PASS. I believe the vote was 14-2. A packed […]
Urban Renewal Under Attack By Legislators
UPDATE–Nampa city council endorsed the bill during Monday night’s meeting. Two bills before the Idaho Legislature, clearly aimed to restrain Boise City councilors and the mayor, are worthy of support from voters. In a nutshell they seek to require citizen approval before urban renewal funds can be used for construction of either a library or […]
Trust, But Verify Library Vote
With pressure mounting from the GUARDIAN, former BSU Prez Bob Kustra, Vanishing Boise, and Rep John Gannon, Boise City councilors say they will discuss a possible public vote on the proposed library and stadium. See IDAHO PRESS story for details. There is a petition drive underway to obtain 5,000 signatures that would put the question […]
Ludwig Drops Out Of Council Race
Boise City Councilor (and counselor) Scot Ludwig announced Wednesday his decision to leave the Boise City Council at the end of his current term. The move leaves an unexpected opening in the council and to his credit, it looks like the election process will prevail rather than the common practice of resigning and allowing the […]
Boise Schools, CCDC Collusion Over Tax
In a move that can be described only as a “conspiracy,” Capital City Development Corp. (CCDC) has agreed to payoff Boise Schools in exchange for support (non-intervention) in a pair of new urban renewal districts. Hush money? The pay off is couched deep within a resolution: “WHEREAS the District, the Agency and the City desire […]
Boise Faces Urban Renewal Challenge
Boise City and the urbanrenewal agency are facing a lawsuit over the practice of subverting the Idaho Constitution’s requirement to seek citizen approval of debt exceeding a single year revenue. The IDAHO PRESS posted a story with the details. Two new urban renewal districts were created in December which divert taxes on improvements and appreciated […]
Power To The People!
We got a news release Friday from Demo State Rep John Gannon detailing plans for a grassroots movement of Boiseans who want a voice in how their cash is being spent on major public works projects. They have a novel approach these days called DEMOCRACY…these folks want the city mothers and fathers to seek permission […]
Horse Racing Reined In, Ag Park Potential Opens Up
The long touted GUARDIAN plans for an Idaho Agricultural HERITAGE PARK have new potential following the recent announcement by horse racing proponents opting out of their lease of Les Bois race track. Here is the official press release from Ada County:The Board of Ada County Commissioners (BOCC) received notice from Treasure Valley Racing on Friday, […]
Reader Question And History Lesson Worth A Look
QUESTION Editor, could you possibly educate me (and others) a bit about Boise and its real estate swapping? In every other city in which I’ve ever lived, city government tended to focus on the day-to-day, mundane, “unsexy” aspects of municipal government — fixing the street lamps and the potholes, making sure the police department ran […]
Boise Defers To Developer Wishes Yet Again
The politicos at Boise City Hall are at it again, placing their loyalties with the developer community rather than the taxpayer-citizens. They have given the California developer, Local Construct, an extra four years to complete a deal they have so far failed to live up to. After an illegal attempt in 2003 to build a […]
Boise Preys On Auditorium Cash Reserves
The Greater Boise Auditorium District (GBAD) is awash in cash from the local hotel room tax and Boise City’s Team Dave is trying to get their hands on it. The City Council will discuss a scheme at Tuesday’s meeting that would allow them to sell the Grove Plaza and fountain for $8 to 10 million […]
“Rock Star” Contract Costly To Boise Taxpayers
Great research and reporting by Don Day at BOISEDEV on the Rock Star contract Boise citizens have to pay the proposed library architect for upscale travel. Following up on the GUARDIAN story about Boise Mayor Dave Bieter’s “Team Dave” agreeing to make first class payments for architect Moshe Safdie to travel and stay in Boise, […]
Team Dave Favored Business Over Citizens In Library Deal
Our top researcher and reader, “Clancy,” gets credit for dredging up an old GUARDIAN story and a Cynthia Sewell Statesman piece from 2011 calling into question the decision to lease the Boise Library warehouse and parking area to a private company, even though future library plans were well known. Some seven years ago the GUARDIAN […]
Boise Is losing Its Sense Of Right And Wrong
The time has come for Boiseans to step up and CARE about what is happening at City Hall! Dave Bieter won his first race for mayor with a campaign based on ethics. That was after the previous mayor lost his moral compass, traveled the world, abused his expense account, and forgot he had been elected […]
Greenstone Properties Operating Illegally?
After a GUARDIAN reader commented about Greenstone Properties, the developer seeking to build the downtown stadium and related housing and commercial complex, we decided to check the law regarding doing business in Idaho. Here is what the Idaho Constitution has to say about “foreign” (out-of-state) corporations: ARTICLE XI, SECTION 10. REGULATION OF FOREIGN CORPORATIONS. No […]
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 […]
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 […]
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