boise
Fears, Finances, and Frailties
The dude playing “geocache” games hiding stuff on the Rainbow Bridge near Smiths Ferry not only didn’t make friends with cops, he tied up traffic and touched off a series of events which illuminate our public fears and funding. Just about ANYTHING can trigger a “suspicious package” call these days and often as not it […]
Depot Remains “Private”
When the world’s largest operating steam locomotive came to Boise Sunday, it was banned from parking at the most beautiful Depot in the Northwest. So much for promoting rail transportation. The historic “Challenger” was relegated to a stretch of weed-lined track west of the Depot because a private party had rented the Spanish mission-styled landmark. […]
Boise City 101
With the September 30 filing deadline only four days away, Boise’s November 8 City Council election is the subject of intense disinterest by potential candidates. So far only Jim Tibbs has announced a run against an incumbent. He is challenging Councilor Jerome Mapp. No one else has stepped forward to run against either Vern Bisterfeldt […]
Meeting Host or Guest?
The GUARDIAN asked the folks at St. LuKe’s Regional Medical Center exactly who called the meeting that Sheriff Gary Raney contends was not a meeting, but the Ada Commissioners listed on the agenda as a meeting at the posh private Arid Club on Wednesday. Government and community leaders were set to discuss a proposed drug […]
To Meet or Not to Meet?
Like President Bill Clinton who had trouble with the meaning of “is,” Ada County officials are wrangling with “when is a meeting not a meeting?” In a good faith effort to err on the good side of Idaho’s “Open Meeting Law,” the Ada county commissioners posted a legal agenda item for Wednesday which included a […]
Council Race Off to Slow Start
With the City Council election less than six weeks off, the city is awash with intense disinterest in the people we allow to decide how more than $150,000,000 is spent each year. The only non-incumbent to register as a candidate is former acting police chief Jim Tibbs. He has been attending city council and neighborhood […]
Train Idea Off Track
What is it about trains and Boise mayors? Brent Coles flitted around the globe riding the rails and came home with the famed “REGGIO SPRINTER” which was doomed even before the city spent $250,000 on a sales pitch. Now Dave Bieter wants to sell locomotives for local trainmaker MotivePower. He appeared in a video wearing […]
Pandering To Business
Like the “unknown Democrat” who responds to the President’s Saturday radio address, the GUARDIAN is compelled to put Mayor Dave Bieter’s “state of the city” speech in perspective. You have to realize this cheerleading session is sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce and the mayor raises a gross sum of about $30,000 so businesses can […]
Common Sense 11, Emotion 410
The GUARDIAN endorses common sense and logic rather than political dogma and emotions. Congressman Butch Otter deserves a pat on his tight jeans for voting “no” on the hurricane relief bill. He was among only 11 lawmakers who stood up for not tossing away more money into an emotional quagmire. Everyone in the USA wants […]
Surprise! Micron Expands in Singapore
Those IDAHO tax breaks granted to Micron have really paid off–the company was able to pump $250 million into expansion of a 265,000 square foot production facility in SINGAPORE. The Idaho Statesman barely noted the irony with a business story shorter than this blog entry. The good news is we won’t have to feed, house, […]
Seriously Silly Stinky
Ustick Road has the potential of being a skunk with more stripes than a zebra–but it will still stink, thanks to a “compromise” between the Boise City Council and the Ada County Highway District. Regarding road improvements Boise thinks , “If you don’t build it they won’t come,”. ACHD wants to build their standard 5 […]
Developer 3, Neighbors 1
After two nights of testimony, punctuated with a medical emergency and many hours of civilized debate, the Boise City Council voted to approve an apartment condominium complex on Peasley Street near the Depot. Only Councilor Vern Bisterfeldt voted with the throngs of people who were overwhelmingly against the size and height of the project which […]
Heart Attack on Live TV
Cable TV channel 11 put some real drama in the Wednesday night special City Council meeting when a member of the audience suffered an apparent heart attack on camera. It happened shortly after midnight after about 50 people from the Depot Bench neighborhood had offered testimony against the proposed four story apartment condo project. At […]
Appearances Take Two
The Boise City Council now explains the rush to get their own raises approved was nothing nefarious (for you non-library types that’s wicked or sneaky). It was just a scheduling error. They euphemistically explained to the Idaho Statesman that it was just a “scheduling error” that forced them to waive the required three readings of […]
Leaving Town
Idaho Statesman’s Joe Estrella had a well written story in Sunday’s paper about the dilemma faced by Boise City officials and Boise School District on the issue of “urban flight.” “Urban flight” really means people don’t like living in Boise and they are following the advice of old time newspaper publisher Horace Greeley–”Go West young […]
Appearance Really Matters
In its ongoing quest to garner public confidence and support, the Boise city council offers this little gem in the agenda for the Tuesday August 30 meeting: “FIRST, SECOND AND THIRD READING OF AN ORDINANCE FIXING THE SALARY COMPENSATION FOR BOISE CITY MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS; PROVIDING FOR A WAIVER OF THE READING RULES; AND […]
For You Library Types
The Boise public library is making history by offering the citizens of our fair city a chance to actually VOTE on how their tax dollars are spent. The last bond election was at least 10 years ago when a park bond failed. After that failed attempt, the city switched to a strategy of asking judges […]
Correction on Community House
We ran this little brief last week about homeless problems: COMMUNITY HOUSE The Boise city council turned down a non-cash “equity bid” of $250,000 from Community House Inc. as down payment on the City owned homeless shelter. The council then turned around and GAVE them $206,000 to pay the bills at the privately operated facility. […]
Low Cost Flight To Real Estate Heaven
Like the bankrupt airlines, Idaho government keeps looking for more passengers (residents). Just like the airlines, we have plenty of crowded flights (subdivisions) that don’t pay their way. Just like the airlines it’s good for the aircraft (housing) industry. Never mind the comfortable flights we once knew in the form of great service, real meals, […]
Dancing The Cop Shuffle
Boise top cop Mike “Bat” Masterson is dancing a new step and it sounds like it might catch on. Without hiring more cops, he is beefing up the patrol division by 10% and eliminating some “touchy-feely” services like horse patrol, kindergarten cops in elementary schools, and neighborhood traffic cops. Those guys–and gals–get shuffled to dance […]
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