Ken Dey, the reincarnated business editor at the Daily Paper broke a major story Thursday when he revealed a secret tax deal between the Idaho Tax Commission and Cabela’s.

We all know the quiet way to avoid the Idaho sales tax–now at 6%–is to buy out of state. The GUARDIAN even made mention of the potential loss of revenues if there was a big shift to out of state and internet shopping.

Catalog merchants with physical locations in state like CostCo, R.E.I., Sears and many others collect and pay sales tax. However, the big guns at the outdoor store don’t play by the same rules. They claim it is such a wonderful benefit to have a Cabela’s store that catalog sales should not be taxed.

They got the Idaho Tax Commission to agree that catalog sales are a different company than the retail outlet–despite the same merchandise, company name, etc.

One would think that a store specializing in hunting supplies would be able to recognize that if , “It looks like a duck, walks like a duck, and flies like a duck, chances are it IS A DUCK.”

In their zeal to attract more business, more jobs, more cars, more people, our government agents constantly make concessions to the big boys. This one is simply wrong–if not illegal.

This deal is so wrapped in camouflage the only you can find it is by smell. The tax commission refused to discuss or show the daily paper the concession deal and would not even confirm or deny it exists. That folks, is secret government cloaked in camo.

We don’t want to know any confidential tax return information. This is a SECRET POLICY which Ken Dey has revealed. How many other secret private deals has this commission struck. Does your neighbor get an exemption from income tax because he is richer than you? Secrecy in tax policy destroys any faith we may have in our government. They won’t even tell us the rules!

The shift from property tax to sales tax may not be good news to retailers and consumers, but big business and homeowners will get SOME tax relief. If the GUARDIAN got the decimal in the right place we figure the owner of a $200,000 house with a homeowners exemption will see a tax savings of about $425. On the downside the INCREASED sales tax on a $25,000 car will be $250.

The “proposition one” slated for the November ballot to raise sales tax another 1 percent for schools is probably doomed. Supreme Court of Idaho has pretty much given the legislators free rein to repeal ANY law passed by citizens anyway.

The increase in sales tax could prompt consumers to head west to Oregon for high end purchases. A $1,000 bill spent in Oregon means you save $60 in Idaho sales tax. Technically you aren’t supposed to do that, but you are also supposed to tell the Idaho Tax folks you bought your new GPS on the internet and saved 6% taxes over the Cabela’s store price.

That may be unlikely given the “NEWS” reports print and broadcast media devoted to new store openings like Costco and Cabela’s. You’d think Krispy Kreme had come to town! The daily paper’s outdoor team will have a rough time being taken seriously in the future after turning tricks at Cabela’s.

With a softening of the housing market we could see an end to increased values–and taxes. The speculation continues forever, so let’s hear from some “experts.”

We wondered if the mall was a result of “Smart Growth, Blueprint for Growth, or just Greedy Growth.”
Hard to argue with the mother who gushed that with a mall in the neighborhood her daughter would have a chance at one of the 900 jobs the developer is promising.

No doubt those jobs will all be high paying management positions. Others in the newspaper story were quoted as wanting an electronics store and a Starbucks! Did they forget McDonalds, Borders, Best Buy, and Red Lobster–all well known local establishments.

Then the eye in the sky guy read an ad for the “stealth bus” system which connects the old Karcher Mall with the Boise Mall and a couple hospitals–there must be a link in there somewhere. Can you see all those Christmas shoppers lugging bags from Nampa to Boise and stopping off to visit Grandma in the hospital?

Wasn’t that long ago (1968) that EVERY vehicle traveling from Salt Lake to Portland drove right down Capitol Boulevard and out Fairview or Chinden.

Boise retailers pretty much were able to charge whatever they pleased and if they didn’t have it in stock they could ship it from Salt Lake overnight on the train or the bus. People begged for a shopping mall like they have in Portland or Salt Lake.

Well, they got their mall and half a dozen more. Meanwhile the roads are not keeping up with the massive retailing outlets that are clogging every exit along the only freeway in the valley. Let’s face it, malls are dependent upon huge amounts of car traffic. Does anyone take the bus to Home Depot?

With the completion of the freeway and subsequent shopping malls we became just like Portland and Salt lake and Denver and Seattle and Tucson and Riverside and on and on and on. Progress!

The solution is a by-pass around Boise across the desert south of town. A “Foothills Parkway” is another idea that may be worth a look to serve all the developments in that area. That road could serve as a true LIMIT to the city and be a gateway to the wilds of Idaho above town.

We wondered if the mall was a result of “Smart Growth, Blueprint for Growth, or just Greedy Growth.”
Hard to argue with the mother who gushed that with a mall in the neighborhood her daughter would have a chance at one of the 900 jobs the developer is promising.

No doubt those jobs will all be high paying management positions. Others in the newspaper story were quoted as wanting an electronics store and a Starbucks! Did they forget McDonalds, Borders, Best Buy, and Red Lobster–all well known local establishments.

Then the eye in the sky guy read an ad for the “stealth bus” system which connects the old Karcher Mall with the Boise Mall and a couple hospitals–there must be a link in there somewhere. Can you see all those Christmas shoppers lugging bags from Nampa to Boise and stopping off to visit Grandma in the hospital?

Wasn’t that long ago (1968) that EVERY vehicle traveling from Salt Lake to Portland drove right down Capitol Boulevard and out Fairview or Chinden.

Boise retailers pretty much were able to charge whatever they pleased and if they didn’t have it in stock they could ship it from Salt Lake overnight on the train or the bus. People begged for a shopping mall like they have in Portland or Salt Lake.

Well, they got their mall and half a dozen more. Meanwhile the roads are not keeping up with the massive retailing outlets that are clogging every exit along the only freeway in the valley. Let’s face it, malls are dependent upon huge amounts of car traffic. Does anyone take the bus to Home Depot?

With the completion of the freeway and subsequent shopping malls we became just like Portland and Salt lake and Denver and Seattle and Tucson and Riverside and on and on and on. Progress!

The solution is a by-pass around Boise across the desert south of town. A “Foothills Parkway” is another idea that may be worth a look to serve all the developments in that area. That road could serve as a true LIMIT to the city and be a gateway to the wilds of Idaho above town.

We wondered if the mall was a result of “Smart Growth, Blueprint for Growth, or just Greedy Growth.”
Hard to argue with the mother who gushed that with a mall in the neighborhood her daughter would have a chance at one of the 900 jobs the developer is promising.

No doubt those jobs will all be high paying management positions. Others in the newspaper story were quoted as wanting an electronics store and a Starbucks! Did they forget McDonalds, Borders, Best Buy, and Red Lobster–all well known local establishments.

Then the eye in the sky guy read an ad for the “stealth bus” system which connects the old Karcher Mall with the Boise Mall and a couple hospitals–there must be a link in there somewhere. Can you see all those Christmas shoppers lugging bags from Nampa to Boise and stopping off to visit Grandma in the hospital?

Wasn’t that long ago (1968) that EVERY vehicle traveling from Salt Lake to Portland drove right down Capitol Boulevard and out Fairview or Chinden.

Boise retailers pretty much were able to charge whatever they pleased and if they didn’t have it in stock they could ship it from Salt Lake overnight on the train or the bus. People begged for a shopping mall like they have in Portland or Salt Lake.

Well, they got their mall and half a dozen more. Meanwhile the roads are not keeping up with the massive retailing outlets that are clogging every exit along the only freeway in the valley. Let’s face it, malls are dependent upon huge amounts of car traffic. Does anyone take the bus to Home Depot?

With the completion of the freeway and subsequent shopping malls we became just like Portland and Salt lake and Denver and Seattle and Tucson and Riverside and on and on and on. Progress!

The solution is a by-pass around Boise across the desert south of town. A “Foothills Parkway” is another idea that may be worth a look to serve all the developments in that area. That road could serve as a true LIMIT to the city and be a gateway to the wilds of Idaho above town.

We wondered if the mall was a result of “Smart Growth, Blueprint for Growth, or just Greedy Growth.”
Hard to argue with the mother who gushed that with a mall in the neighborhood her daughter would have a chance at one of the 900 jobs the developer is promising.

No doubt those jobs will all be high paying management positions. Others in the newspaper story were quoted as wanting an electronics store and a Starbucks! Did they forget McDonalds, Borders, Best Buy, and Red Lobster–all well known local establishments.

Then the eye in the sky guy read an ad for the “stealth bus” system which connects the old Karcher Mall with the Boise Mall and a couple hospitals–there must be a link in there somewhere. Can you see all those Christmas shoppers lugging bags from Nampa to Boise and stopping off to visit Grandma in the hospital?

Wasn’t that long ago (1968) that EVERY vehicle traveling from Salt Lake to Portland drove right down Capitol Boulevard and out Fairview or Chinden.

Boise retailers pretty much were able to charge whatever they pleased and if they didn’t have it in stock they could ship it from Salt Lake overnight on the train or the bus. People begged for a shopping mall like they have in Portland or Salt Lake.

Well, they got their mall and half a dozen more. Meanwhile the roads are not keeping up with the massive retailing outlets that are clogging every exit along the only freeway in the valley. Let’s face it, malls are dependent upon huge amounts of car traffic. Does anyone take the bus to Home Depot?

With the completion of the freeway and subsequent shopping malls we became just like Portland and Salt lake and Denver and Seattle and Tucson and Riverside and on and on and on. Progress!

The solution is a by-pass around Boise across the desert south of town. A “Foothills Parkway” is another idea that may be worth a look to serve all the developments in that area. That road could serve as a true LIMIT to the city and be a gateway to the wilds of Idaho above town.

We wondered if the mall was a result of “Smart Growth, Blueprint for Growth, or just Greedy Growth.”
Hard to argue with the mother who gushed that with a mall in the neighborhood her daughter would have a chance at one of the 900 jobs the developer is promising.

No doubt those jobs will all be high paying management positions. Others in the newspaper story were quoted as wanting an electronics store and a Starbucks! Did they forget McDonalds, Borders, Best Buy, and Red Lobster–all well known local establishments.

Then the eye in the sky guy read an ad for the “stealth bus” system which connects the old Karcher Mall with the Boise Mall and a couple hospitals–there must be a link in there somewhere. Can you see all those Christmas shoppers lugging bags from Nampa to Boise and stopping off to visit Grandma in the hospital?

Wasn’t that long ago (1968) that EVERY vehicle traveling from Salt Lake to Portland drove right down Capitol Boulevard and out Fairview or Chinden.

Boise retailers pretty much were able to charge whatever they pleased and if they didn’t have it in stock they could ship it from Salt Lake overnight on the train or the bus. People begged for a shopping mall like they have in Portland or Salt Lake.

Well, they got their mall and half a dozen more. Meanwhile the roads are not keeping up with the massive retailing outlets that are clogging every exit along the only freeway in the valley. Let’s face it, malls are dependent upon huge amounts of car traffic. Does anyone take the bus to Home Depot?

With the completion of the freeway and subsequent shopping malls we became just like Portland and Salt lake and Denver and Seattle and Tucson and Riverside and on and on and on. Progress!

The solution is a by-pass around Boise across the desert south of town. A “Foothills Parkway” is another idea that may be worth a look to serve all the developments in that area. That road could serve as a true LIMIT to the city and be a gateway to the wilds of Idaho above town.

Easy to sound like an old fart that wants to return to the “good old days” on this issue, but folks we are assaulted daily with announcements of new developments which–no other way to say it–DEGRADE OUR QUALITY OF LIFE.

Here a few from the mainstream media of the past few days:

–Developers plan 473 homes and a convention center at Garden Valley smack dab in the middle of a cattle ranch pasture. Say so long to the deer and elk at South Fork Landing.

–Tamarack sells $129 million worth of condos in a retail development on West Mountain near Cascade. Meanwhile the state is dealing with the feds to trade 18 square miles of Boise National Forest land so Tamarack will have a better chance at using even more public lands for the French and Mexican developers who are selling to big money out of staters, further reducing deer and wildlife habitat.

–Arizona Developer Sun Cor is nearing approval from Ada County to populate the foothills with up to 30,000 nature loving people at Spring Valley Ranch along Highway 55 on and around Horseshoe Bend Hill. Deer can take another hike.

–There is a “planned development” (love that term) called Hammer Flats stirring above Lucky Peak Dam. Screw the damn deer!

–Kohls department store is seeking to put up a 96,000 square foot retail outlet at Utstick and Eagle Road. Meridian politicians will be hard pressed to turn it down since taxes are predicted to be $100,000 a year. Like we need more traffic on the busiest road in Idaho!

–Two gas fired electricity power plants are up for approval in Southeast Boise.
–A giant coal fired plant is on the application trail at Jerome. This is a biggie and while the tributary stream media in the Sun Valley area have covered it along with the small stream Times-News in Twin Falls, we have, seen nothing from the main stream Idaho Statesman or Boise TV stations. The application is currently before state regulatory agencies and is moving ahead with little public scrutiny thanks to a lazy press. The applicant, Sempra, is a California firm and apparently the power is destined for the Golden State as well. Talk about Californicate!

All this is just in the past week or so! These things have a common underlying sinister thread: Since nearly two-thirds of Idaho land is government owned, that means 100% of the people have to live on 33% of the land. Very little room to “spread out” upon. More people means more demand for electricity, roads, water, sewer.

Net effect is when population doubles we simply get squeezed tighter. On paper Idaho appears to be “sparsely populated,” but when you consider ALL our population is jammed into relatively small areas which total only one-third of the state, we are just like suburban California or the crowded Eastern Seaboard. Not a pretty thought to many of us.

Developers are learning the secret Idaho ranchers knew for years–the easiest way to use and control government land is to own some private land next door. That way you can get cheap leases and not be constrained to the measly one-third of the state that is private.

Meanwhile Bambi has a smaller and smaller back yard in which to play.

Ed note: The GUARDIAN does not have a position on the power plants, but we offer a link to a site that is AGAINST it as a reader service. If there is a “pro” site we will link to that as well.
http://nocoalforidaho.org/

The Statesman reported, “The project will also boost Boise property tax revenues, create hundreds of jobs and is expected to trigger new Downtown residential and commercial construction.” NOT!

In fact, the new downtown buildings and “improvements” yield NOTHING for police, fire, parks, libraries, and other city services. They just CONSUME services without paying for them.

Truth is, businesses outside downtown have to provide their own landscaping, parking, and lighting. These infrastructure improvements are paid by TAXPAYER funds throughout downtown.

A more accurate story would have been, “Spurred on by subsidized development and active night life, Boise’s downtown area has been the scene of 60% of the city’s homicides this year. Three of the five murders during 2005 have taken place on the streets of downtown Boise.”

Perhaps one of the reasons the cops are so strapped for officers and funds is the HIGHEST VALUE property in the state of Idaho pays practically NOTHING to the city that supports it. All but the school tax on the new buildings goes to the CCDC redevelopment agency to perpetuate and expand itself.
Even the COUNTY courthouse is owned by the CITY.

On the flip side of the coin, the Day family has remodeled and expanded Vista Village, the first Idaho shopping center, entirely with private funds.

In a September 19 posting the GUARDIAN called for dissolution of the CCDC board, noting that all members are appointed by the mayor and council and their funding also comes from city taxes. Yet, the mayor and council continue to hide behind the claim of, “That is CCDC, not city.”

Idaho law permits the council to abolish the board with a simple ordinance and take responsibility for the actions of the agency which is REALLY part of city government.

Incumbent councilor Jerome Mapp is a long time member of the CCDC board and he is seeking re-election against Jim Tibbs. He is a pro-growth planner by trade. It would be interesting to hear his take on BoDo at a candidate forum.

It its never ending quest for more and bigger, we find it absurd the city planners and councilors would approve a megaplex theater, hotel and shops between the two busiest streets in town. We are destined to experience gridlock or intolerable traffic congestion prompting folks to “avoid downtown” like some many of us “avoid Eagle Road.”

To paraphrase former New York Yanke catcher/manager Yogi Berra, “It is getting so crowded no one comes here anymore.”

Ice World indoor skating rink was donated to the city over a year ago and despite having a tax-free facility, they can’t break even financially. The city loses $125,000 a year providing an ice rink for which there obviously is not enough demand. In Minnesota or North Dakota it would be a slick move.

The previous owner, in a sound business move, donated the “cold property” to the city which has been skating on thin ice ever since. The city maintains a retail shop at Ice World investing in inventory comprised of hockey sticks, skates, etc.

A couple months ago Boise cops got a tip from a Canadian cop who got stung on an e-Bay ice skate purchase. That tip, combined with another tip from a company attempting to deliver hockey sticks purchased by the city to a third party led to the arrest of a former employee.

Had the city stayed out of the retail business and leased the store to a private concessionaire, there would never have been a problem.

The City park department also sells golf clubs, bags and related “pro shop” items at the Warm Springs Golf Course. Instead of tying up the public money in speculative inventory, the citizens would be better served if the city leased the space to a sporting goods business as a concession.

While it may be potentially profitable to run a pro-shop in a tax free facility, it is hardly fair and ethical to compete with taxpaying sporting goods businesses.

Word on the street is the city plans to audit both facilities. The GUARDIAN has no info about any dishonesty at either venue. However, there isn’t a retail business around that doesn’t experience shoplifting and “shrinkage” of inventory. In private business it is considered a “cost of doing business.” At taxpayer owned public facilities you are dealing with “government property” and there shouldn’t be a cost of doing business. Best insurance is to never take the risk.

If they can justify selling golf clubs, why not soccer shoes and softball gloves?

We suspect over the years the City has simply attempted to accommodate park users. At Julia Davis Park the paddle boat and food service is a private vendor who pays for the concession. At Willow Lane the city sells government hot dogs. There is no uniformity of policy, but there is a disturbing trend of the park department getting into the retail business, with “marketing plans” to create demand for “services” which often as not compete with the private sector.

Any audit should take a look at the big picture and not just focus on proving there is no problem because none was found.

In the case of Ice World it may be a sound financial move on the part of the city to do what the previous owner did–give it away. A private non-profit foundation similar to Bogus Basin ski area would make a lot more sense than trying to maintain a business that has to be kept “on ice” 24-7 even if no one shows up to skate.