The City’s Pulse Newsletter

By Mary Souza, May 8, 2008

$10 million dollars is what NIC expects to pay for the Stimson/DeArmon mill site. This price equates to $588,200 per acre, making this old mill site next to the sewage treatment plant among the most expensive properties ever in the State of Idaho. Yet Kootenai County assessed the land in 2007 at only $2.4 million and NIC has not obtained a real estate appraisal on the property. And why does NIC Trustee Mic Armon call it “The Next Tubb’s Hill”? (more…)

The City’s Pulse Newsletter

By Mary Souza, April 24, 2008

Sometimes it’s easier to understand something if you have a similar item with which to compare and contrast. Like apples to apples; like comparing Toyota to Honda. Like the way Post Falls uses Urban Renewal by creating site specific districts that have clear plans with measurable goals that close down when completed, compared to our LCDC here in CdA that has huge districts, vague plans and the maximum 24 year time line allowed by law.

But what I want to discuss today is the upcoming CdA School District levy. The district’s Chief Financial Officer, Steve Briggs has sent two letters in response to my questions. In both letters he clearly states there were no estimates or any written research about the cost to remodel Lakes Middle School rather than build a new one. And in both letters he compares the Lakes project to Spokane’s renovation of Rogers High School.
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The City’s Pulse Newsletter

By Mary Souza, April 17, 2008

There’s a stark contrast of attitudes among our community leaders. On one hand we see the open, honest admission of fault by officials at the County, and we notice the responsible, citizen-oriented use of tax dollars by Post Falls. On the other hand lurks the arrogant attitude of the CdA City Council, the distortion of facts by the CdA School District and the secretive dealings of NIC. The differences are quite remarkable. Any person on the receiving end of the attitudes is instantly aware of which hand is being offered.  (more…)

The City’s Pulse Newsletter

By Mary Souza, April 10, 2008

It could cost $100 million or more for a decision made by a handful of people in a back room. And apparently they don’t have to make it public, even though the taxpayers will be footing the bill.

North Idaho College is negotiating right now to find the first $10 million dollars in order to buy the Stimson Mill (light teal on the map) from developer Marshall Chesrown. It’s a 17 acre property, so that equates to…get ready…$588,200 per acre. That’s about 4 times more costly than other land in the area. Plus, the mill site is right next to the city’s Wastewater Treatment Plant (in yellow on the map), with only partial river frontage.

On the other hand, the City of CdA has been allowing the University of Idaho to lease the Harbor Center (the old Osprey Restaurant building–in red on the map) for $10, yes ten dollars, per year since 2002. The city is offering to let U of I purchase the building and surrounding land for a total of $1.3 million. That’s quite a deal by comparison.

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The City’s Pulse Newsletter

By Mary Souza, April 3, 2008

Education is one of the single most important investments of our lives. I’m a huge supporter of all kinds of education, at every age. So it is with a sad heart that I speak out against the proposed 2008 Coeur d’Alene School District Plant Facilities Levy. (more…)

The City’s Pulse Newsletter

By Mary Souza, March 27, 2008

The wonderful humorist, Mark Twain wrote that “The only difference between a tax man and a taxidermist is that the taxidermist leaves the skin.” I feel his pain. And there could be much more pain ahead for those in our area. Not only is our federal and state income tax day right around the corner, but our school district is asking for a $31.1 million dollar levy and there’s talk of another jail bond coming soon as well. Pouring salt on this taxation wound, North Idaho College is considering the use of forgone taxes to purchase land for the Education Corridor. They hold the right to $2.6 million in foregone taxes.

Now, as voters, we have a voice on the school levy and jail bond issue, but when it comes to foregone taxes, we’ve got nothing. And what in the heck are foregone taxes, anyway? Most people have no idea, so let’s go over the basics.

Here’s a great explanation of foregone taxes, written by my friend Dan Gookin: (more…)

The City’s Pulse Newsletter

By Mary Souza, March 20, 2008

Let’s catch our public officials…doing something good! In honor of Sunshine Week, I’d like to highlight some of the honorable actions taken by community leaders to improve openness, ethics and communication in our local government.

Sunshine Week is an annual national event, this year March 16-22, to enlighten us about our government. The web site, www.sunshineweek.org states they are a “non-partisan initiative whose supporters are conservative, liberal and everything in between.” And they seek ” to enlighten and empower people to play an active role in their government at all levels, and to give them access to information that makes their lives better and their communities stronger.” Sounds good to me.

The following local people and groups have shown courage and/or leadership in standing up for the citizens of our area, so I’d like to give Sunshine Awards to: (more…)

The City’s Pulse Newsletter
By Mary Souza, March 6, 2008

Sometimes good ideas get twisted. They fall in with a bad crowd, take a wrong turn and end up in big trouble. Nice ideas gone wild. Sounds like a raucous Spring Break movie. But here in CdA, while reality is far less titillating than such a movie, it can seem every bit as disruptive. (more…)

The City’s Pulse Newsletter    

Coeur d’Alene’s Mayor Bloem spoke about the Education Corridor today… but just a little bit. It was in a tiny, crowded room in Post Falls. She didn’t give an explanation of the Ed. Corridor, she merely answered the question that both PF Mayor Larkin and I posed: Why has the public been left out of the decision making process on this important issue? There have been no public meetings. (more…)

Day and Night

The contrast between the Post Falls URD and the LCDC, Coeur d’Alene’s urban renewal agency could not be more dramatic. It’s like day and night. One city uses urban renewal specifically and judiciously to achieve their clearly planned goals. The other uses urban renewal broadly with an undefined vision and a flexible plan. The first city has a positive public relationship, the second city cannot seem to establish trust with their citizens. (more…)