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Social Engineering Or Prudent Planning?
June 8, 2014 
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 […]
Apply Emergency Brakes To Train Obsession
It used to be amusing to poke fun at Team Dave’s latest gimmick for a train, trolley, street car, etc. Now its time to derail this fantasy once and for all. The current topic is yet another round of consulting, planning, etc. for what amounts to a “cargo transit center.” The idea is to create […]
Downtown Has Moved To Eagle & Fairview
Eagle Road has become Main Street and Meridian is quickly becoming the new “China” for Boise planners, politicos and purchasers–threatening to either own or control everything from highway dollars to retail market share. While Boise has been preoccupied filling the former “hole in the ground” with a mirrored skyscraper, Meridian (Idaho’s third largest city) has […]
Tradition Of Apathy In Boise Council Races
Boise’s City Council election is barely two months away and to our knowledge no one has announced a challenge to the incumbents and anyone shy of Cecil Andrus would have a difficult time mounting a credible challenge at this late hour. Councilors TJ Thomson, Ben Quintana and Maryanne Jordan are all facing reelection–and presumably they […]
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 […]
Bieter Ignores Public, Seeks More Tax Money From Feds For Pet Train
Ignoring at least two public opinion SURVEYS funded by the city and one conducted by the Idaho Statesman, Team Dave has continued its short sighted quest engineer expensive trains in the Treasure Valley. Mayor Dave Bieter gave away an autographed Kristin Armstrong bike helmet to U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and got a promise of […]
Chinese Electric Bus Factory, A High Voltage Route Or Short Circuit?
This guest post was submitted by a reader known to the GUARDIAN who is well versed in the bus transportation industry. By Jimmy D. Bus, Guardian Transportation Correspondent When it comes to electric buses in America, it appears Communist China’s Zonda Corp. attempted to establish a marketing beach head in the Treasure Valley six months […]
Free Candidate Space And Roster For Boise City Elections
UPDATE 11/1/11 MIKE CUNNINGHAM (first up after “continue reading”) New endorsements UPDATE 10/22/11 TERRY MALARKEY (first up after continue reading) Star mayor race UPDATE 10/18/11 MIKE CUNNINGHAM (first up after “continue reading”) Buckner endorsement UPDATE 10/6/11 LAWRENCE JOHNSON (first up after “Continue reading) Bio from the candidate UPDATE 10/4/11 MIKE CUNNINGHAM (first up after continue […]
What Citizens And Candidates Should Know
Each election cycle, the GUARDIAN tries to stimulate interest in the local Boise City election with a posting about issues, budget, etc. Here is the current attempt–10 days before the filing deadline for council and mayor races. Issues of concern to candidates and citizens alike: –Fire department has taken over the North Ada County Fire […]
Mayor Hotline December 11 to 17
12/12/10 Kelly McDade ISSUE: He took his dog for a run this morning at the park. They were throwing the ball for him to catch when an Enforcement Officer walked up and told him he would be cited because his dog was not on leash. Because Mr. McDade argued with him, he wrote a ticket […]
Tuesday’s Daily Paper A Pleasant Surprise
We honestly doubt the GUARDIAN can take any credit, but Tuesday’s STATESMAN was chock full of local news of substance! They even offered up an editorial opinion. –The Simplot family JUMP project got unanimous approval from the City P&Z commission and in the process the design review committee was publicly spanked for “overstepping the bounds […]
Potential Reduction For 2C Bus Service
Our transportation expert paints a sad picture of mismanagement and missed opportunities in the following GUARDIAN EXCLUSIVE special report. By Jimmy D. Bus Guardian Transportation Correspondent Canyon County residents face the prospect of reduced bus service if Valley Regional Transit plans become reality. The service changes would begin in October 2010 and cover both the […]
Mayor Hotline May 29 to June 4
OVERWHELMING TAX OPPOSITION, PRO GLIDER, PRO SOLAR, STRICT HOME OWNERS ASSOC. 6/3/10 Michael Gibson 3554 N. 39th Boise, ID 83703 Local Option Tax: I just wanted to voice my concern and opinion about the local sales tax. I don’t have a problem with the local sales tax if it’s going to do something that benefits everyone in the […]
Mayor Hotline May 22 to 28
DIRT IN SEWER, HAZ MAT, HAMMER FLAT, BUS, TRADE FOR TABLE ROCK 5/27/10 Mark Hammer Flat: I don’t necessarily need a call-back on this. I just have a suggestion about the Hammer Flats issue. What is the possibility of swapping that land out there, swapping the state for Table Rock. The State Department of Corrections, […]
Mayor Hotline May 15 to 21
NO F-35 NOISE, COPPER DRIVING, BUS, CUT THE WEEDS, FILL BOOT COMPLAINT Jennifer Owen 2717 S. Vista Apt. 105 Boise, ID 83705 941-4835 Code Enforcement: I’ve sent an email, I’ve contacted other people, and I just want to let the Mayor know that I’m grateful for public housing, I need help right now, I do […]
Boise City Continues Quest For Train
In yet ANOTHER attempt at playing trains, Mayor Dave Bieter has entered into a secret negotiation with the Boise Valley Railroad–the shortline that runs through town–to explore building a freight facility on land owned by Boise citizens. Seems that Team Dave can’t get support for a trolley. They also can’t get a downtown “transit center” […]
Boise vs Meridian In “Screw Thy Neighbor”
We can’t help but chuckle at all the so-called “partnerships” and “regional planning” schemes put forth by local governments when their real goal is to screw their neighbor. Latest battle in what the GUARDIAN has dubbed ECONOMIC CIVIL WAR is Meridian’s quest to lure the Hawks baseball franchise away from Boise–even attempting to get the […]
Mayor Hotline Feb 13 to 19
STILL UNANIMOUS “NO” TO TROLLEY, TRASH TALK, FIRE TASER COPPERS, NO F-35s 2/17/10 Nick Brizzi 12105 W. Bowmont St. Boise, ID 83713 Trolley: My call is concerning the trolley follie. I would like to remind the Mayor and the City Council, both, and anyone else that may be concerned on this issue, it’s continually mentioned […]
No Stopping a Runaway Train (Trolley) Enthusiast
Team Dave is still pushing for a trolley, and can’t seem to understand the meaning of NO, despite public opinion and denial of U.S. Government funds. Last week the Feds turned down Boise’s request for about $40 million in “TIGER” funds for the Desire Named Street Car (also affectionately known as the “Trolley Folly”). The […]
City Allows “Other Side” Into Open House
Early visitors to the City’s street car open house had a chance to get information from at least one opponent of the proposed $60 million project. Jim Monihan, known to GUARDIAN readers as “Cyclops,” had made repreated requests of Team Dave’s press agent, Adam Park, to have space at the Street Car Open House being […]
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