Guardian Back On Duty

Apologies to loyal readers of the GUARDIAN for the lack of topics recently. Editor Dave Frazier was in Florida for two months looking for warmth and it turns out the place for that has been Boise. Florida had record cold snap. –We notice Boise is quietly hiring an architect to design a new Main Library […]

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 […]

CCDC Pot Of Gold To Stay “Protected.”

“POWER CORRUPTS AND ABSOLUTE POWER IS HANDY WHEN YOU HAVE IT” Here’s a dirty little secret when it comes to gaining access to the CCDC urban renewal pot of gold (bonding authority). Members are appointed by the mayor of the “governing body” (usually a city). Once appointed, the board is “an independent body, corporate and […]

Solution For Downtown Parking Rate Hike

The Capital City Development Corp. voted Monday to raise parking rates 20% to $3 per hour and the monthly rate from $135 to $170. The reason for the hikes is said to reduce demand–and of course make more money from downtown workers and shoppers. For an office worker making a take home pay of $40,000, […]

GBAD To Hear First Comments On Stadium

While Boise Mayor Dave Bieter has been promoting his pet downtown stadium project to any group that will listen, he has factored in a $5 million payment from the Greater Boise Auditorium District, but the District has never discussed it or been presented a formal proposal. Concerned Boise Taxpayers, the group organized to oppose the […]

CANDIDATE FORUM: Rachel Misnick On Issues

I’d like to give a thank you to the Boise Guardian for giving me the opportunity to address issues that are important in our community. I just recently discovered your news site and have been reading through the articles and comments, which are echoing my concern of City Council under-representation of the areas outside of […]

Fair Idea Ignored By Commishes

In light of the desire of Garden City to takeover the Expo Idaho Fairgrounds and Ada Commishes refusal to give it up, we felt compelled to share this vision which the GUARDIAN editor offered up 10 years ago to the Ada County Commishes. This post is a repeat from 2007 and still worthy of consideration. […]

Boise Council Qualifier 101

The November city election will see some changes in the council regardless of who wins. At the risk of feeding the conspiracy theorists, it appears only one of the three seats will be up for grabs. August 28 is first day to declare candidacy. September 8 is final day to file. To date, the following […]

Everything Old Is New Again

Using the same old tactics of surveys, studies, and lots of manipulation of public opinion, Boise Mayor Dave Bieter’s “Trolley Folly or Desire named Street Car” has risen from the ashes of bad ideas like a Phoenix. IDAHO STATESMAN‘s Sven Berg has the latest edition of the rails-in-the-street plan posted today with an even bigger […]

If You Record At Bus Terminal, Valley Ride Staff Will Hassle You, Standing Room Only

COMMUNITY JOURNALISM Mike Murphy is a stocky guy with a New York accent and attitude who doesn’t like to take any crap. He is a former taxi driver, mayor candidate, and a champion of civil rights–like freedom of speech. In short he knows his way around, but he can be a little rough around the […]

2017 Resolutions Unchanged From 2016.

The new year resolution list hasn’t changed, so we will gladly post anything you wish to add. The GUARDIAN promises to at least try to have a more positive attitude during the coming year. One step in that direction would be fulfilling the following list of New Year’s resolutions: –Boise city council will abandon any […]

Team Dave At Odds With ITD, ACHD Pros

Boise’s urban renewal agency, Capital City Development Corp., and Mayor Dave Bieter’s Team Dave are at odds with both state and county road agencies over how to operate the Front-Myrtle corridor in downtown Boise, according to Don Day’s BOISE DEV website. Day did some really good reporting as he explained how Bieter and crew continue […]

Growthophobe’s Delight In Southern Elmore

GBAD Brags About Denying Citizens Right To Vote

By DAVID R. FRAZIER, editor When the Greater Boise Auditorium District came up with its convoluted plan to expand the Boise Centre convention center without obtaining voter approval for their debt plan, I asked the board to hold an election as the Idaho Constitution requires. The board refused my request, so I sued them. With […]

CCDC Looking To Expand Influence

With the Central District set to expire in 2017, Boise’s urban renewal is looking for new fields to plow, this time on the Boise Bench according to DON DAY who has a website with details of lots of growth–much of it gleaned from building permit applications and planning and zoning meetings–Good stuff! While a group […]

Low Flying News Under The Radar

The GUARDIAN has been enjoying some summer travel, fishing, and other activities–probably much to the delight of elected politicos. In an effort to offer some topics for discussion we will share some items which have popped up at coffee and lunch meetings. BATT CHIEFS of Boise Fire Dept. are highest paid city employees, beating out […]

Downtown Car Noise Bad, Bench Jets Good

We noticed a piece in the STATESMAN claiming guests at The Modern Hotel complain that noise from young “cruise” motorists keeps them up at night as they circle up and down Main and Idaho between Capital and 14th. The former Travel Lodge Motel is at 13th and Grove and is now a hipster trendy motel-bar. […]

Transit Center Design Flaw Prompts Bus Modifications

The GUARDIAN has confirmed that a ValleyRide bus scraped the road surface at the new underground transit center during a test run due to a construction design flaw. Sources tell us the ramp leading up to Main is so steep that buses cannot crest the top without scraping the undercarriage. To be clear, we have […]

GUARDIAN Bus Would Run Every 13 Sec. For Cost Of Trolley

In the quest to make downtown Boise the most “unfriendly car city” in America, Boise’s Team Dave has come up with, would you believe yet another…TROLLEY CIRCULATOR plan. The Boise WEEKLY’s George Prentice offers a look which prompted the GUARDIAN to turn to the calculator for perspective. Using the City’s figures, reported by Prentice, we […]

Wells Fargo: GBAD Deal Too Risky

After countless hours and thousands of dollars spent on legal advice, the Greater Boise Auditorium District learned their bank was no longer interested in making a loan. Wells Fargo Bank backed out of an agreement last month to fund a $24 million construction project that centered around a new ballroom in a building being constructed […]