According to the Shoshone News Press, the Silver Valley understands how urban renewal has been abused in the wake of bad legislation in Idaho and by a failure of the Legislature to correct the opportunities for abuse.  On Tuesday the Shoshone County voters voted down a proposal to create an Urban Renewal Agency.

Here’s an interesting excerpt from the online article:

“—take out this paragraph if voted down—-> The creation of the URA means the County Commissioners will now set about appointing a board with one or two responsible, business-oriented citizens with financial knowledge before the newly-appointed board goes about outlining the district and attempting to secure funds for the planned projects — including improving the infrastructure in the Big Creek area by installing sewage and fiber optic lines under a new, stronger road capable of holding much heavier loads of metals.”

(Apparently the online editor of the Shoshone News Press missed that instruction.  Oops!)

The creation of this URA was heavily promoted by the salesmen who make piles of money as consultants touting tax increment financing but then leave the local citizens to deal with the abuses.   On the other hand, Coeur d’Alene Representative Kathy Sims, Coeur d’Alene City Councilman Dan Gookin, and local real estate representative Sharon Culbreth traveled to the Silver Valley at their own expense to help inform the voters of the realities of the urban renewal scam in Idaho.   Looks as if the Silver Valley voters are a whole lot more astute than many in Coeur d’Alene.

The Coeur d’Alene Press says it’s this.

The Boston Globe says it’s this.

People with too much time on their hands want to know.

The rest of us don’t really care.

“Using the powers of the office of President of the United States, Richard M. Nixon, in violation of his constitutional oath faithfully to execute the office of President of the United States and, to the best of his ability, preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States, and in disregard of his constitutional duty to take care that the laws be faithfully executed, has repeatedly engaged in conduct violating the constitutional rights of citizens, impairing the due and proper administration of justice and the conduct of lawful inquiries, or contravening the laws governing agencies of the executive branch and the purposed of these agencies.” (more…)

If the article in this morning’s Coeur d’Alene Press is even close to accurate and complete, the public’s pocket is being picked by elements of the McScrew’em Park Project.  One source has estimated this pocket-picking’s value to be between $220,000 and $225,000.

But why be concerned?  After all, our City officials built $600,000 for that purpose into the budget.  It’s called the “contingency fund.”  The $600,000 is about 4.1% of the Project’s projected total budget.

Never mind that your pocket is still being picked.  It was planned!  Now, doesn’t that make you feel better?  It shouldn’t.  That means there could still be about $380,000 in the planned pocket-picking account before the Coeur d’Alene City Council would have to vote to approve an increase in the budget.   That’s a lot of money that can still be doled out.  And it might not end there. (more…)

Today’s online Coeur d’Alene Press is running this article bylined Mike Patrick and titled Playing politics in a strange new world.

The article discusses how an unnamed “…organization purchased hyperlinks to the names of candidates that organization does not support.”  The result was that online readers following the link were taken to a website that supported candidates by the organization unnamed in the article.

Why didn’t the Press, why didn’t Mike Patrick name the organization who purchased the misdirecting hyperlink ads?  From following the links remaining in the online article, some people might conclude that the ads were purchased by the same group who purchased the remaining linked ads.  That may or may not be accurate, but the Coeur d’Alene Press and Mike Patrick surely know who did purchase the deceptive links.  Regardless of who that is, fairness to all the candidates requires that the Press identify the misdirection ads’ buyers.  As for the intra-skewspaper discussion reported, shouldn’t that have taken place before the hyperlink ad was accepted?

ADDENDUM:  Some time later this afternoon, the Press article was updated to include a press release from Balance North Idaho which acknowledged it had placed the deceptive hyperlinks.   I wonder if Balance North Idaho’s “well Balanced candidates” endorsed and supported the deceptive practice?   I wonder if Balance North Idaho’s Board of Directors would appreciate having their personal names hyperlinked in alleged news stories to unsavory websites?  No doubt they would not.  After all, appropriation of one’s name or likeness for commercial or political purposes  but without his explicit permission violates his privacy rights in many states.

Governor Otter has issued a proclamation declaring May 2013 as Idaho 2nd Amendment Protection Month, and encouraging arms and ammunition manufacturers nationwide to consider Idaho for potential expansion and relocation.

Anyone really think that the City of Coeur d’Alene will be first in line to seek out arms and ammunition manufacturers to relocate here?

You can also vote your choice in our poll question.

Here is the Agenda for the Coeur d’Alene City Council meeting on Tuesday, May 7, at 6:00 p.m.  Here’s the Addendum Agenda.  Remember,  agenda items can be added during the meeting.

One item especially worth noting is in the Adjournment.  It reads, “Recess to [...] May 20th at 12:00 Noon for a Council Workshop to discuss the Coeur d’Alene Lake Drive property transfer from ITD.

This answers the often-asked question, “Is our City still considering taking on this very costly white elephant?”