Mayor Tells 'Stakeholders' He has sTashed $50 Million for Library despite ballot initiative Prop 1

Why is it that Mayor Bieter is telling a small group of “stakeholders” that he will spend at least $50 million of the new taxpayer money he recently “found” on a library - regardless of what the citizens want? It is remarkable that Mayor Bieter is already enacting a plan to overturn the citizens’ will — before a vote has even taken place!

And why wasn’t this meeting held in the light of day? Why do we only find out that the mayor plans to ignore the will of the people via a public records request by reporter Margaret Carmel?

And just who are the stakeholders that were invited to this meeting? Aren’t ALL taxpayers stakeholders on a large municipal project? 

#VoteYESonProps1and2 #BoiseLetsVote

“To stakeholders in August, Bieter said if the ballot initiative were to pass, the city would likely take it before a judge, according to a set of talking points given to the mayor prior to meeting with stakeholders. The Idaho Press obtained the talking points via public records request.

“… I think one way or another we’ll find ourselves in court,” the talking points for Bieter said. “I don’t ever want to predict what the outcome of a court case will be, because you never know, but we’re pretty confident that (the initiative) would be found unconstitutional.”

David Klinger, a member of Boise Working Together, said the group is confident the language will hold up in court.

“I think we’re on very solid ground,” he said. “This is an accountability set of propositions that asks for greater citizen oversight of their city government. That’s the essence of democracy.”

Thank you Boise!

Whether you signed the petition, got 1 or 100 signatures from your family, friends, and neighbors, if you shared our social media posts, or served on a strategy committee, our immense gratitude to you for your individual contribution to this community-wide effort! We couldn’t have done it - and especially in such a short time - without the help of hundreds of committed Boiseans. Thank you!! We we will now await the results as the county clerk does their due diligence reviewing the signatures. 

MEDIA RELEASE

May 30, 2019

"Today, David Levine, director of the Ada County Elections Division, notified us that his staff had verified 5,610 valid signatures for the stadium petition and 5,698 valid signatures for the Library petition. The number of valid signatures needed to meet the threshold for both petitions was 4,962.

Boise Working Together is gratified that the citizens of Boise have achieved the one thing we promised we would seek for them — an opportunity to be heard, in the form of a vote in November 2019 on two city-altering civic projects, the proposed downtown sports park and the proposed downtown events center/library. The many citizens who signed our petitions now have a better opportunity to more fully inform themselves about the benefits and the drawbacks, the costs and the impacts of these two projects, and then to vote any way they choose. A vote is their right.

“Everywhere, people told us they want to be involved in major city decisions affecting their lives and pocketbooks; they want transparency in city decision-making and they want clear explanations of where money will come from to pay for these projects. They share our trust in the wisdom of the people", said Adelia Simplot, chair of Boise Working Together.

We’re honored to have gotten it for them. Now, over the next five months, our fellow citizens must do their part, by fully educating themselves about the implications of the stadium and library projects before they vote this fall. Boise Working Together will be participating in this open analysis, but — as we have said all along — it is the right of Boise citizens to vote their conscience on the future of their city. Now, they have that right affirmed."

Boise Working Together - Board of Directors: Adelia Simplot, chair; Mark Baltes, John Bertram, Alex Jones, Dave Kangas, David Klinger, Richard Llewellyn, Ed McLuskie, Diane Ronayne.