Boise (670 KBOI News) – A second group is forming to oppose the way the City of Boise is planning to fund a new downtown library and a proposed sports stadium.
The Idaho Statesman is reporting the group Boise Working Together is writing an initiative to require the City government to get voter approval for big-ticket projects, rather than just doing it on its own.
Former Idaho Attorney General and Lieutenant Governor David Leroy says it’s an interesting clash between the Constitution and state law.
“Article 8, Section 3 of the Idaho Constitution gives the voters, the taxpayers the right to approve major lending of credit, or major debts by a 2/3 vote,” said Leroy. “By the same token, the legislature in 1988 adopted a set of statutes that create Urban Renewal Areas, and allow local economic revenue development income to go to those projects.”
The Idaho Freedom Foundation is already suing the City over the same issue, and the creation of two new Urban Renewal Areas as a fundraising mechanism.
State Senator John Gannon of Boise is a member of Boise Working Together…he says they’d rather not go to court, but get the people to pass the initiative. The City Attorney’s office says the initiative would be unconstitutional.
