Urban Renewal
Social Engineering Or Prudent Planning?
The DAILY PAPER had a good story by reporter Sven Berg Sunday detailing plans by Boise officials to offer “developer welfare” for downtown apartments catering to young professionals. We see it as social engineering. Efforts to increase population density — not to mention traffic and urban crowding — have not been particularly successful due to […]
Fate Of Downtown Boise Unknown In 2017
The GUARDIAN has been doing some preliminary inquiries regarding the fate of downtown Boise after the Central District urban renewal project expires in 2017. As it sits currently, no one can offer us a definitive answer to questions of ownership, management, and responsibility for certain Capital City Development Corp. properties. For instance, CCDC owns 8th […]
GUARDIAN Reader Seeks Second Opinion
Calling himself “Boise Cynic,” a long time GUARDIAN reader has taken it upon himself to seek a 2nd opinion on how downtown Boise should be managed with regard to traffic, pedestrians, and bikes. BY BOISE CYNIC Request to ACHD, Boise City, CCDC and/or BSU: Please pay for urban planner Robert Bruegmann to come to Boise […]
Is Boise Losing “Small Town” Flavor?
With all the pressure Boise’s Team Dave is putting on the Ada County Highway District, Urban Renewal, Autitorium District, and Valley Transit, we growthophobes have to conclude their efforts are aimed at justifying a TROLLEY through urban growth. While they try to make a case for trains, trolley, street car or circulator there seems to […]
Nampa Urban Renewal Run By Out-of-County Residents
In yet another revelation of urban renewal misdeeds, word comes from Nampa that members of the local Urban Renewal Agency Board not only don’t live in the city, they don’t even live in Canyon County. The GUARDIAN has long been an opponent of urban renewal districts because they have no oversight by ANY government agency. […]
City Provides Parking Revenue Stats
Boise’s parking department has kindly provided the GUARDIAN with statistics we requested about revenues for meters, all parking fines, and overtime parking ticket fines. Here,s the breakdown: ‐‐Most recent year’s revenue for parking meters: FY12 ‐ $630,952 FY13 YTD* ‐ $503,934 ‐‐Most recent year’s fines in total revenue for all parking violations: FY12 ‐ $1,254,972 […]
Boise Bench vs Downtown War Brewing
We joke that “Downtown is so crowded that nobody goes there anymore,” but perhaps its time for everyone to just be honest about the intent of the city mothers and fathers and admit the rivalry (war?) between The Bench and Downtown. The latest chapter in the parking wars is a good example. The City is […]
Team Dave In Near Total Control Of Local Government
Regardless of your politics, you have to hand it to Boise Mayor Dave Bieter when it comes to political acumen. John Brunelle, who serves as Mayor David Bieter’s assistant for economic development, has been offered the position of executive director of the Capital City Development Corp., the agency announced Wednesday…recently Bieter appointed himself as a […]
Does Anyone Care About Voter Apathy?
Top winners in the Tuesday GBAD election captured about 1.5% of the registered votes. Not only were most voters in Ada County asleep when the Greater Boise Auditorium District (GBAD) votes were tallied last night, they napped rather than vote at all. Only 9,457 of the registered 175,849 voters (5%) bothered to exercise their right […]
Boise Has No Authority For Trolley
Looks like that pesky IDAHO CONSTITUTION has gotten in the way of Team Dave once again. Mayor Dave Bieter is set to ask the City Council Tuesday for funds for yet another street car, trolley study. What he should be doing is sucking up to the ACHD Commishes because that group holds ALL the cards […]
Team Dave Suporters Run For G-BAD, Is Baseball Park The Motive?
While the upcoming election for the Greater Boise Auditorium District board is like a massive dose of Ambien to most folks, we see a potential behind the scenes “take over” by Team Dave which could be a dream or nightmare, depending on your point of view. Incumbents Stephanie Astorquia and Rob Perez are seeking reelection […]
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 […]
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 […]
Time Running Out On CCDC Tax Gravy Train
The DAILY PAPER ran a piece recently about Anthony Lyons, the new director of CCDC (Capital City Development Corp) who was quoted as saying, “We want a city that has lots of cranes, lots of scaffolding, lots of construction signs. That’s the sign of a city that’s moving forward.” Part of the motivation to get […]
Hoku On Trickle, Zonda Misses The Bus
The Pocatello Hoku plant that was set to make photovoltaic cells is in its death throes as the NASDAQ stock exchange has forced the firm to delist its stock which most recently has been listed for less than a dime. While it is sad to see any company go under, the GUARDIAN feels we don’t […]
A Sign Of Things To Come?
The day job took the GUARDIAN to the resort town of Traverse City, Michigan last week where we enjoyed an easy visit thanks to directional signs posted at nearly every intersection. The locals call them “way signs,” but regardless of what they are called, they are just what we have been calling for in Boise […]
Repubs Consider Urban Renewal Repeal
This post is a copy of a document to be presented at the Republican State Convention in Twin Falls. The GUARDIAN will gladly post similar items from the Dems. By Rachel S. Gilbert Do you wonder why your property taxes are so high and continue to rise year after year? Do you wonder why cities […]
GBAD “Directional Plan” Keeps Visitors Aimless
Since the GUARDIAN has advocated directional signs at major Boise intersections for more than 5 years, we were encouraged to receive the minutes from an April 6 Greater Boise Auditorium District (G-BAD) meeting which discussed “directional statements.” We read things like, “…meetings to determine directional statements…make sure we are on the right path…state how where […]
A New Month Brings Hope For Future
This morning we awakened to all sorts of good news. First it was Team Dave announcing they have abandoned plans for not only a downtown baseball park, but they also promised to not use any public money to further the desire named Streetcar (also known as the Trolley Folly). Next thing we heard was the […]
Urban Renewal Put To Death In CA
Here’s a LA Times article on the California Legislatures move to shut down all 400 of the “redevelopment agencies” (Urban Renewal in Idaho) as of February 1, 2012. The legislation was upheld by a 6-1 vote in the California Supreme Court. A caretaker will be appointed to pay off all remaining debt of each agency and […]
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