Does LCDC drive you crazy?
Want to do something about it? Call your legislators down in Boise! See below to find their email address and phone # and CONTACT THEM. Tell them you want urban renewal to be reigned in.
There are seven bills to do just that. They are being discussed in the house legislative committee right now, as I write this. Call NOW!
Here are the bill numbers with a quick description:
H095: Voter approval required to start a new urban renewal district
H096: Allows smaller taxing districts within the URD, like fire, highways, etc, to opt out of a new urban renewal district.
H097*: Requires specific plans for specific projects (not vague like we have now) and returns left over taxes back to the city, county, etc.
H098*: Any money that exceeds the amount necessary for a defined project goes back to the city, county, etc. (now they just “tuck” it away for whatever.)
H099*: Any urban renewal debt exceeding one year must have voter approval, just like the city must.
H110: Public hearings must be held before establishing a new district.
H114*: County wide election of the urban renewal board.
(*= some of my favorites)
Remember: Tony Berns is the only paid employee, ever, at the LCDC (except a part time web site guy and the attorney they hire, with our money, to be their lobbyist in Boise and make sure there are no changes the the laws that would curtail their power.) Tony controls all the paperwork, financial info and records of the LCDC. He’s the only person, other than certain key members of the LCDC board, who’s in on every deal. And he’s paid very, very well. Tony protects information.
Tony makes way more than ALL of the city council AND the mayor, combined. He makes more than the Governor. He’s paid with public tax dollars.
Tony reporting to the Mayor and City Council is like a CEO speaking to mid-level managers.
And the other crazy thing? Last year there was a legal case that went to the state Supreme Court, which decided that urban renewal agencies like LCDC are NOT controlled by the city that appointed them. And they are NOT controlled by the state. They are “independent”, the court said. (Remember, they use public money and they are unelected.) But here’s the craziest part: Our city gave some of our tax money to SUPPORT the case for LCDC’s independence! And, of course, LCDC had their lobbyist working on our dime as well.
So, basically, Mayor Bloem and the council gave away their supervision rights over the LCDC. Who’s in charge? I think that’s obvious.
This is not just a CdA problem, it affects the taxes of everyone in the County. Please Call NOW!
If you live in CdA (district 4) click HERE to get the contact info for your legislators.
If you live in Post Falls area (district 5) click HERE to get the contact info
If you live elsewhere in the County, click HERE and it will take you to a page where you can choose.
What drives me crazy is the fact that the LCDC is going to fund yet ANOTHER rich developer in riverstone to build “low income” housing. It was on the front page of the SR today something like 50 some odd APARTMENTS ! So, Who will OWN this “low income” housing? The people living in them? There are currently 48 homes on the big RE website under $125,000. This is TOTAL BS. It is NOT needed. There are enough rentals in this town. Actually, there are TOO many rentals in this town. It is just another way to give to the slumlords of this area. If they cannot build it on their own dime, then DON’T ! It just drives me CRAZY !
Comment by concerned citizen — February 17, 2011 @ 7:27 pm
BTW, that is 48 in just CdA alone. That is NOT counting mobile and modular homes.
Comment by concerned citizen — February 17, 2011 @ 7:29 pm
CC, I agree completely. I recall the “affordable housing” they were planning to do in Mid-town. When asked, they admitted the price would be well over $200,000. For a condo. What kind of “affordable” is that? Not when the average income here has tanked.
Who owns it? How does LCDC taxpayer money work into the deal?
You should know that many urban renewal districts in Idaho will not get involved in Residential Housing. They say it’s too fuzzy…the mix is too close and they only use public money for structures the public will own, like sewers, water, streets, street lights, sidewalks, etc. LCDC doesn’t agree. They boldly proclaim that they are a “redevelopment company” (remember they are not a private company or corporation at all).
They flaunt the fact that they paid for the Kroc Center parking lot, but we own none of it. The LCDC paid for the fake brick on the Sherman Lofts downtown, but we own none of it. (I don’t think they’re proud of that one!) LCDC subsidized the fancy wrought iron fence around the Ice Plant Townhouses near City Hall, but we own none of it. They subsidized the fountain and outdoor furniture and outdoor patio area and much more at the Park Side Tower, but we own none of it. I could go on and on. Get the pattern of behavior? It makes me crazy!
Comment by mary — February 17, 2011 @ 8:09 pm
My question is, where did tony berns come from or who does he work for that makes him the great and powerful OZ?
Comment by concerned citizen — February 17, 2011 @ 9:22 pm
I’m sure you’ve read the LCDC’s mission statement.
Quality housing? Yeah right. How about making these developers and house flippers build at least to code with materials that have a guarantee of more than five years. How about making the slumlords live in their mold infested, dilapidated projects.
And then is says jobs. It doesn’t just say jobs though, it says QUALITY jobs. Disgusting.
Comment by concerned citizen — February 18, 2011 @ 8:33 am
Tony Berns has a degree in Forestry. He worked in the timber industry as some sort of management. Who does he work for that is the powerful Oz? The LCDC, of course!
Tony does not puff up or appear to be powerful; he’s a very quiet guy who shows little or no emotion. But Tony holds the keys to LCDC, make no mistake about it. And he’s paid very, very well for that confidentiality.
One of Tony’s unique abilities is that he can take a fairly basic idea and by using convoluted language, he can make the issue seem so complicated and intimidating that the average person doesn’t want to take the time to figure it out. This has served LCDC well over the years.
There are just some weird red flags about Tony’s postition at LCDC. First, as I mentioned above, he’s their only full employee, ever. He types out the meeting minutes and answers the phone calls. Tony makes over $120,000 per year with a golden benefits & retirement package. What other multi-million dollar company do you know where the Exec. Director does all the basic clerical work? Why not pay Tony $85k and get an assistant in for $35k? Worried about more eyes on the info?
Tony pays the bills too, which is another odd thing because he writes out the checks by hand. And he keeps the financial records by hand, in an old fashioned ledger book. This is a guy who’s all about the computer for everything else. It’s strange. And the financial books aren’t set up in a regular manner. Dan Gookin and Susie Snedaker poured over the books and were shocked at the unprofessional manner used and the lack of regular accounting methods.
There are banking and business professionals on the LCDC board…how can they endorse this type of business practice with the public’s money?
Comment by mary — February 18, 2011 @ 8:46 am
So, tony is the front man with all of the tricks. But for who?
Comment by concerned citizen — February 18, 2011 @ 8:59 am
I guess my real question is, what are his qualifications to run such an organization such as the LCDC? Where did he receive his manipulation tactics from? Forestry? Sounds more like some sort of Chicago mafia strong arm training.
Comment by concerned citizen — February 18, 2011 @ 9:05 am
CC, I attended the meeting where lcdc agreed to add their funds to complete the transaction for this project. I should add that Renata Mc Leod was there as she aided this developer in the acquisition of HUD financing. This is the second project by this firm and the second involving tax credits, HUD and lcdc. The developer mentioned that the exterior would be cement board. The building pictured was lackluster. This development could have been the epitome of good planning and architecture. I think that John Stone’s refusal to shield the mechanical equipment on the theater from view was a good indication of what was to come.
Comment by Susie Snedaker — February 18, 2011 @ 6:41 pm
Susie,
We do not need more “RENTAL PROPERTIES” in CdA that will just turn into the slums like the ones that we already have. There are no rent protections/controls so, what will keep the slumlords from also pricing these out of reach of those that need it. There is no mention of the occupants owning these so they will just become more apartments. Pride comes from ownership. If CdA was TRULY for all the people then they would establish a rent control and make the slumlords clean up what is already here.
Again, there are almost 50 houses on MLS for sale under $125,000 and as low as $50,000 in CdA alone. That does not include FSBO’s nor mobile/modular homes. We need to QUIT funding rich developers for their “FOR PROFIT” ventures when it is completely unnecessary.
Comment by concerned citizen — February 18, 2011 @ 7:14 pm