Letters to the editor: Sheriff, taxes, budget, data, guidelines

Sheriff

Take a moment to consider why the beleaguered denizens of Canyon County face a regular begging campaign every few years for a larger jail. Might this relate tangentially to the current leadership at county sheriff?

Some may be content with cowboy law enforcement with all the professionalism of a robber baron, leadership which sees dollars and power in each arrest and reeks of cronyism and corruption within the legal system and which, given the means, would arguably imprison every God-fearing law-abiding resident in the county within its newer, bigger jail notwithstanding its oath to the Constitution (ISC 59-501), a kind of amalgam of Lavrentiy Beria and Barney Fife. If this describes you, vote for the status quo.

If you are committed, on the other hand, to the First Amendment religious liberties of all citizens, to Constitutionally mandated law and order, and to a careful top-to-bottom review of one of the most embarrassingly unprofessional law enforcement outfits in the state, and to standing against tyranny, I invite you to take a close look at Nick Schlader. Canyon County deserves better: It’s time for a new sheriff in town.

Greg Hedger, Nampa

Taxes

I have noticed that in the past few days there has been more news about coming property assessments and taxes. Assessments will go up; the mayor wants to avoid huge increases in budgets.

What about the properties that have come off the tax rolls because they have been sold to government or nonprofit entities, which are exempt from property taxes?

Former Hewlett Packard campus, now the State of Idaho Building Authority, paid $1,309,643 in taxes in 2017 before it was sold to the state.

MK/Washington Group site, now Broadway Park Holdings, was purchased by St. Luke’s. Since they are a “nonprofit,” I assume that this building, like their others, will be exempt from property taxation. Lost revenue? $1,231,936.

So we, the private property owners, will now make up for this lost revenue in addition to budget increases.

I urge you to write, call, meet with the various commissions when they set their budgets. Enough is enough.

Barbara Dawson, Boise

Boise budget

Dear Mayor: Let me say first off that I understand you have a hard job. But the recent information published in the Statesman regarding “only” a 2% budget increase, year over year,” was quite concerning. Many of us voted for you in the hope we would see a change in direction on property taxes, based upon smart spending and fiscal accountability. Instead, we see the City will continue to add to the Bieter snowball. Truly, I think many of us were hoping to see a reduction, not a smaller increase. Budget increases feel unconscionable at a time when the Corona Virus is impacting the livelihoods of so many. When does the city start to tighten their belt, like we have had to do for so many years, and be thoughtful about only spending that which is truly important (at this time)? I am feeling like we are supposed to be thankful that the schoolyard bully is going to punch us only two times, instead of three.

Pat Klocke, Boise

Guidelines

The governor doesn’t see the same environment that I see. In his press conferences he praises Idahoans for following his guidelines. Sure there are Idahoans that do follow the guidelines, but all the more that don’t. There are many people in the grocery stores without masks, and only just recently did the grocery stores start requiring the employees to wear masks. People, without masks, will reach in front of you to get something off the shelf, instead of waiting their turn. If I am out walking, and someone comes my way, I move over to the right as far as possible. Many others also move over, but a large number do not. Home Depot and Lowe’s do not require employees to wear masks. I’m sure many other large stores are showing the same disregard for the customers, as well as the employees. There is a vocal base that talks about their rights to assemble, but don’t the rest of us have the right to be protected from a disease such as COVID 19?

Michael Meyers, Meridian

Data

The governor’s reopening plan relies on several important metrics and the plan states that all data will be on Idaho’s coronavirus website. Yet the data for two of those metrics is missing from the website. The Department of Health and Welfare admits it has the data but seems hesitant to put it online without delay, based on my communications with them. The public is entitled to this data. Without it, there is no way to assess whether the metrics are being calculated and followed correctly. We must have real-time access to the same information available to the government.

Charles G. Brockway, Kimberly