Did you see yesterday’s front page Press story about how much property tax is paid by Duane Hagadone, Steve Meyer, Avista utilities and more? Why was this a major story?

It is with joy and a tinge of sadness that my husband and I approach late August. For the first time in 25 years we have no school shopping to do. No textbooks, no new shoes, no high tech gadgets. Our youngest graduated from college last spring, so our kids are all on their own. Do you miss the August new school year excitement / dread?

Any city, county or other issues to bring up?

One of our alert readers sent this article from the Idaho Reporter about the city of CdA planning $50,000 for artwork at the wastewater treatment plant. 50 grand!…now, in this economy, with 12% unemployment in CdA and all the brouhaha about government spending. Do you think this is a good idea? How out of touch are our city officials?

Think the voice of regular people can’t make a difference? When Harry Reid, Democrat Majority Leader in the US Senate, bashes the grassroots effort by citizens who want a reduction in the size, scope and spending of government, and our Vice President, Democrat Joe Biden,compares the same citizens to “terrorists”, I think we’re being heard!

Sure this vote in Congress today is not enough, but it’s a step. Your thoughts on this or any other issue?

river

We might have a few nice weather days ahead…what’s on your mind?

The Federal government can’t seem to get its act together, with the Republicans offering several debt management plans, and Democrat leader Harry Reid pledging to squash the bills coming from the House. Nice mess.

Meanwhile, back in North Idaho, the City of Hayden just proposed a 3% budget increase, adds no new positions and gives no raises to any of their employees. Rathdrum offers a 1% budget increase with no new positions and no pay raises for anyone. Coeur d’Alene has proposed no budget increase but wants a 3% raise for everyone and almost half of them would get up to 8%. The CdA city council will meet this Tues. to decide.  Your thoughts?

It’s summer, but beneath the quiet warm-ish days there are important local issues being discussed.  The city wants to give not only a 3% raise to all its employees, but wants to add 8% merit pay for almost half of them! (latest unemployment figures for CdA = 11.8%)

Last night there was a meeting about the East Sherman neighborhood problem with the Fresh Start homeless center. The neighbors were told by city councilman Mike Kennedy that they, the citizens, need to monitor the problems, take photos, gather evidence and report to the city. Is that the job of citizens?  You can read the Press article here.  Your thoughts on this or any other topic…

CdA has a current unemployment rate of 11.8%. That’s UP  .5% from the previous month. It’s much higher than the state average of 9.4%, but our city officials are now proposing a 3% budget increase so they can give pay raises to the city employees to fulfill the union’s stipulations.

You can read today’s Press article on the proposed budget increase here.
You can read about the latest unemployment statistics here.

What do you think? When’s the last raise you received?

Many folks questioning their local governance are met with incredulous responses like, “Do you think all these people could be in collusion…that would be impossible!” Well, here it is, people:

A state investigation reveals that 200 Atlanta school district officials and teachers  cheated on test score results for the last decade, even winning awards based on their fraudulent results.

You’ve got to read this one in the Washington Times.

This morning’s Press had a great letter to the editor, titled “A Tall Tales of Taxes”, by  Len Crosby.  It is well worth the read.  Len is the past Chairman of the Post Falls Urban Renewal Board, so he knows the subject. He’s also a banker, so he knows money, lending and debt structures.  Len is NOT a fan of using Urban Renewal money for residential development, and particularly calls out LCDC, Dover and even Post Falls.  Here’s an excerpt:

“Indeed, in light of our current abundance of home and condo foreclosures, it is interesting to reflect that the majority of the property tax money we have contributed to the existing Urban Renewal Agencies has gone into residential and condominium development in Dover, along Sherman Street in Coeur d’Alene, in Riverstone, in Mill River (yes, we did get a call center . . .) and even in the East Post Falls district in Post Falls. Residential developments supplemented by tax dollars from homeowners who can’t afford to purchase the high-end residential properties that they are subsidizing! ”   (more…)