Coeur d’Alene mayor Sandi Bloem made her annual State of the City presentation to the Coeur d’Alene Chamber’s Upbeat Breakfast this past Tuesday. Her key word was “risk.” So where is the risk in spending other people’s money?
I don’t believe municipal government should be about risk. After all, as the city’s Finance Director Troy Tymesen says over and over, “We’re in the service business.” I assume if he and Ms. Bloem were on the same page, the mayor’s State of the City address would go something like, “To run a good city you have to provide good services.” I agree with that, but it’s not what she said.
In her speech, she cited the Library, Kroc Center, and Education Corridor as an example of the risks taken.
The Library and the Kroc Center are assets to the community, but not by the process the mayor used to aquire them. That process was only risky in the sense that it outraged citizens who were left standing outside when the decisions were made, and who were not told the entire story about the the costs. Ditto for the Education Corridor. Again, my focus is on the process.
To be responsible to the public means involving them in public decisions. That doesn’t mean that the people vote on everything, but it does mean that the process is transparent. Yes, it is risky for ambitious politicians to respect and honor the wishes of the public, especially when the people may disagree and say no. (They have a right to do that, you know.) By removing the public from the process, Ms. Bloem removed any risk to those projects that could have existed.
The mayor also mentioned that the city would continue to take risks by tackling the problems of homelessness and affordable housing.
While I agree that the issues of homelessness and affordable housing are important, I believe the city can best address those issues by focusing on jobs. By providing solid, career-level jobs to the people who live here now, you can ameliorate those issues and many more.
The mayor and city council could take steps immediately to make Coeur d’Alene a more friendly place to do business. They could use the tool of economic development (aka “urban renewal”) to start attracting quality, career-level jobs to the area. When people are gainfully employed, affordable housing is no longer a major issue.
I would strongly urge Mayor Bloem to focus on the community, basic city services, and open government. Those are the only “risks” she should be taking.
Could it be that the risks the Mayor refers to are similar to the ones the soon-to-be ex-Gov of Illinois routinely took?
Comment by Wallypog — December 10, 2008 @ 11:36 am
Well, I am personally on an ethics agenda/cause and I think Mayor Bloem openly endorce transparency regarding lobbyists and their money. If the LCDC is handing over big bucks and NIC as well to lobbyists, I want to know where it is going.
The topic is also on another OpenCda post regarding Senator Kate Kelly, who has tried to pass legislation regarding disclosure of lobbyist money.
Here is an article on Kelly and her efforts regarding ethics reform.
I wonder if Mayor Bloem would consider this type of legislation a “risk?”
Make the call to all of them before session starts and let them know you want Kelly’s bills passed! Session is just around the corner and I hope by the time session is over this next year, they are sicker than they were before – of me.
Comment by Stebbijo — December 10, 2008 @ 12:56 pm
… Bloem – should – openly endorse …
Comment by Stebbijo — December 10, 2008 @ 12:58 pm
Stebbijo,
Molitor represents several clients as a lobbyist. You can go to the Secretary of State’s website and look up her name here. Somewhere in the LCDC minutes you can find what the LCDC approved paying her to represent the LCDC.
Any legislation without meaningful enforcement provisions and funding is worse than worthless, because it makes the public believe we are protected when we are not.
Comment by Bill — December 10, 2008 @ 1:30 pm
I see that she has several employers but this form is confusing.
I found this Does not even begin to explain what she does with all of her money that so many companies are throwing at her.
Just stinks. I don’t see how anyone can win – when it’s this bad.
Maybe just bill government entities and politicians for your money back. They make enough money with their “other jobs.” And, I hear they may be getting a RAISE this year.
<blockquote.The Membership
Presently, the Idaho Legislature is composed of 35 Senators and 70 Representatives elected for two-year terms. The state is divided into 35 legislative districts, each represented by one Senator and two Representatives. Reapportionment, which must take place soon after the U.S. Census figures are published every ten years, realigns legislative districts proportionately with the census population totals. This had been the responsibility of the Legislature prior to 1994, when an amendment to the Idaho Constitution was adopted creating an independent commission to reapportion starting in 2001 and thereafter.
Elections are held in November of even-numbered years, and the newly elected legislators officially take office December 1 following the election. Representatives and senators must be citizens of the United States, electors of the state and residents of their legislative district for at least one year prior to election.
Legislative compensation is established by a citizen committee, subject to rejection by the full Legislature. Legislators receive $15,646 per year, plus expenses for housing during the session, and $1,700 for office expenses. The President Pro Tem and Speaker receive an additional $3,000 per year.
Poor underpaid babies. I know countless Idaho citizens who live off of that kind of money and less all year long and actually work. How much do they get for housing?
Comment by Stebbijo — December 10, 2008 @ 3:52 pm
Please go see my invoice/bill over on my site. AND – just in time for Christmas!
I added shipping and handling just because I could. All 105 of them would gross me around 22K which is barely a decent year worth of wages for Idaho.
Comment by Stebbijo — December 10, 2008 @ 5:24 pm
What risk was involved in the library building? Perhaps she refers to the $100,000 meeting room that is poorly designed with inexcusably poor lighting and inexcusably poor sound. The risk was in accepting the drawings from the architect without consulting audio visual and lighting engineers. An unnecessary one at that. One item the mayor fails to note is that the value of a library is not the number of visitors nor the number of events or exhibitions it is, in fact, the quality of the collection. Moving a collection to a fancy facility does not improve the quality of that collection.
Comment by Susie Snedaker — December 10, 2008 @ 8:29 pm
On another note, it seems that the permanent park and ride lot for the city will be located in the Salvation Army center. (Remember that Riverstone, in a surprise move, prohibited commuter parking on their site.) Any guess who will now provide the funds for that much needed signal? My guess is either the City of Coeur d’Alene or LCDC. We shall see…
Comment by Susie Snedaker — December 10, 2008 @ 8:39 pm
Curious, Susie. The LCDC has already given $500,000 to the Salvation Army for public use of the parking lot in conjunction with Ramsey park. I would guess, that they would simply re-label that $500,000 as for the public park-and-ride, or do you suspect that another chunk of money will be given to the Salvation Army now for this park-and-ride? I mean, are we paying for the same parking lot twice?
Comment by Dan — December 10, 2008 @ 8:47 pm
Really people…. LIke the Mayor needs any excuse to fund whatever whims she desires. Of course the city will pay for the traffic light. Like the great OZ it shall be as the wizard wants it to be.
Comment by Wallypog — December 11, 2008 @ 8:54 am
Dan, I think the money already spent will cover the park and ride lot. The cost of the signal will be the next expense. I agree with Wallypog.
Comment by Susie Snedaker — December 11, 2008 @ 9:30 pm