Tracking code caldwell guardian

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Pioneer Irrgation Election /Lawsuit May Get People to Vote Water Costs to Increase 65%



Pioneer Irrigation via their attorney Scott Campbell is girding for a massive lawsuit with the city of Caldwell. One of the board members is up for election this year but the deck is stacked against the average citizen. One man, one vote is not the way it works at PID. One acre equals one vote at PID and may be a questionable legal practice based on prior law in Idaho.

The pending lawsuit is something you may not have paid attention to but it will be costly if it is allowed to move forward and Mr. Scott Campbell is not brought into control by his board and patrons. He has cost ACHD and Settler's Irrigation District $2.5 million so far in a similar lawsuit in Ada County.

A friend of THE GUARDIAN got her new water assessment and it went from $5,000 to $16,000 for this next year. Most folks will likely see a 65% increase in their assessments as well. If you live in Caldwell you get to pay for the lawsuit twice, once for the city of Caldwell to defend this and once to PID as the plaintiff in this deal.

If you are concerned about this needless lawsuit you need to get yourself out to Pioneer Irrigation District and vote you land/acreage and kick out the incumbent in the precinct up for election.

You have to get yourself out to Pioneer Irrigation Offices on Lake Avenue between the boulevard and Ustick Road on November 4th, you can't vote at your regular polling place.POLLING HOURS ARE 1:00PM to 7:00pm.

County Assessors Have a Nightmare Number of Bad Valuations to Correct


Monday, October 27th
By Dave Frazier of the Boise Guardian

As the financial meltdown continues it is becoming obvious that dishonest real estate people from developers to bankers contributed to a financial mess that is just beginning to become known.

People who couldn't’t afford to purchase a home were granted loans in excess of the value of the property they wished to acquire. Here is how it worked:

–At the low end of the food chain, appraisers were told come up with a value that would cover the mortgage rate…there is a case in U.S. District Court of Idaho making that allegation at present.

–Mortgages often included various “concessions” as part of the purchase price. Say a house was worth $100,000 and needed $20,000 worth of repairs or upgrades, the mortgage was for $100,000, but the real purchase price was only $80,000.

–Buyers dishonestly claimed income levels high enough to get loans.

–Brokers often rolled second loans for down payments into the purchase price as well.

–Realtors dishonestly reported the $100,000 purchase price to the county and these “sales” became the value, even though the TRUE value was only $80,000. Sometimes the price was even higher if the 2nd loan was included.

–The mortgage brokers and bankers were dishonestly “covered” with inflated appraisals and sold the loans to the likes of Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae. The bubble was getting bigger, but still intact.

When reality reared its ugly head, the bubble burst and we now have a financial crises. Some dishonestly blamed dishonest stock brokers and bankers in Paris.

Ada County Assessor Bob McQuade told the GUARDIAN a whole new method of determining MARKET VALUE–the legal assessment standard in Idaho–needs to be determined. He said it may take legislation to get the changes made, but he admitted the current system is dependent upon factors which may or may not be honest.

Meanwhile we all await the new property valuations that come out in May based on market value as of December

Friday, October 24, 2008

Commishes and Contributions, Saints or Sinners and Money Changers in the Temple


THE GUARDIAN has been following the latest brohaha over developer contributions to Commishes election campaigns just before a land use case is heard on appeal. We would offer the following for your consideration:

We did not elect these folks because they are saints. On the other hand we would like to think they are looking out for what is best for the folks who put them in office and are taking a long view of what is best in any given situation.

Everyone knows (or should know) we aren't going to be pleased with what our elected officials do 100%of the time. It would simply be an unrealistic expectation for all concerned if you disagree with the previous statement.

The first ammendment to the constitution allows freedom of speech and campaign contributions are a part of that free speech. That said, our elected officials owe it to the people who put them into office to not have even the slightest hint of the "APPEARANCE OF EVIL" on or off the job. When a developer and the realtor of a project contribute money to a Commishes campaign who will hear the appeal, it is more than a little suspect. The money is rightfuly viewed as influence buying of the worst sort by more than a few of the folks these guys work for (that would be the voters).

THE GUARDIAN finds himself agreeing with Mr. Bujack's thinking that no laws were probably broken here due to the free speech issue. However, an exchange of money in circumstances like this is a breach of community trust and calls the ethics of this into question. You can't put Humpty Dumpty back together on this deal. It is hoped the Commishes have learned a valuable lesson in the art of Public Trust with this dreadful episode with the money changers in the public temple.

Thursday, October 23, 2008

New City Hall Project Will Put Caldwell In Landlord Business


THE GUARDIAN attended the update on the city hall project for Caldwell last night.

The new city hall project has been scaled back to a three story building and will be used by the city, retail and a financial/bank portion of the building. The project cost is now $14 Million down from the first blush of $31 Million and four stories in height. City portion will cost $12 Million when completed.

The City Hall portion will have 39,000 square feet of space in the building but initially occupy 27,000 square feet. The City intends rent out 12,000 square feet of unused city hall spaces. The City will be in the landlord business. This move puts the city in direct competition with folks already trying to lease empty space in town at a competitive disadvantage.

The problem is, the city will pay no property taxes on the "condominium" portion of the building they will own and have put out for lease. Private property owners will be at a competitive disadvantage on lease terms. Somehow this does not seem quite right, owners of downtown property will have to pay property taxes and other assessments and try to remain competetive in the marketplace.

The next issue is that voters have been cut out of any approval of this project. Urban renewal will spend $12 Million of your property taxes without a bond election. It was suggested a voter approved bond election be held to ratify this project but was dismissed as too costly by Mayor Nancolas. The fact that urban renewal usurps 50% of property tax revenue in Caldwell was also brought up and it was suggested urban renewal be disbanded. The city levy rate would then go down by a substantial number.

The notion taxpayers/voters should get the opportunity to vote on a project of this size and cost was dismissed by the Mayor as too costly. A bond election would spread the cost over 20 years. Again, no mention of the levy rate impacts if urban renewal went away in this process. Nor any acknowldegement that voters have been cut out of the capital budgeting process approvals.

FEMA has the project stalled until they can work out the 100 year flood plain issues with the new FEMA maps. There are no alternative sites under consideration for a new city hall at this time. All the eggs are in the 7th and Blaine location.

There will be another meeting of the Downtown Steering Committee on November 19th at noon in the Police Building meeting room.

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

County Offers All Residents a Prescription Drug Discount Card


THE GUARDIAN saw this piece of good news for county residents and wanted to share it with you.

Canyon County will soon introduce a discount card program to help consumers cope with the high price of prescription drugs. The county has signed a contract to make free prescription drug cards available under a program sponsored by the National Association of Counties that offers average savings of 22 percent off the retail price of commonly prescribed drugs.

The cards, which will be available in the next few weeks, may be used by all county residents, regardless of age, income or existing health coverage. Several of the pharmacies in the county will accept the NACo card, and more than 59,000 participating retail pharmacies nationwide will honor it.

“The NACo prescription discount card will offer significant savings for the uninsured and underinsured residents of our county, and even those fortunate to have prescription coverage may use the card to save money on drugs that are not covered by their health plan,” said Board of County Commission Chair David Ferdinand. “Residents do not have to be Medicare beneficiaries to be eligible for this program.”

There will be no cost to county taxpayers for NACo and Canyon County to make these money-saving cards available to residents. Once Canyon County receives the cards, an announcement will be made regarding how and when residents may obtain them.

“Using the NACo prescription drug card is easy,” Ferdinand said. “A cardholder will simply present it at a participating pharmacy. There is no enrollment form, no membership fee and no restrictions or limits on frequency of use. Cardholders and their family members may use the card any time their prescriptions are not covered by insurance.”

The discount card program is administered by CVS Caremark.

Saturday, October 18, 2008

Eighty-five Percent of People Think We Are Headed In Wrong Direction In This Country


Polls in one of the news weekly magazines The Guardian reads referenced that 85% of people polled think we are headed in the wrong direction in this country. That is an astounding number of people who are dissatisfied but it is not what bothers me. What scares me is that there are 10% of the people polled think everything is just dandy.

The Guardian would like some of the stuff this 10% group is taking. Property values have gone up in smoke, retirement accounts evaporating like cheap bacon in a hot frying pan, the government bailing out banks and financial institutions right and left and the ten-percenter's are just fine with all of this.

Even the rich folks have to be feeling a little more poor than they did a few weeks ago. Let's not forget the 5% who just aren't ready to say one way or another about the direction we are headed in this country.

We have a lame duck President, a lame duck congress, and most of them on both sides of the isle are worried more about losing their jobs than they are about doing what is right for the citizens of this country.

Big spenders locally still want to unload mega bucks on pet projects. A new police station and library in Nampa to the tune of $68 Million. Caldwell has the "good news" meeting on a new city hall this Wednesday night 6:00-7:30PM at the Caldwell Fine Arts Center. This project will cost taxpayers about $10 million if all goes well and according to plan. Nampa and Caldwell Policticos must be part of the 10% group! I still want some of the "happy stuff" they are taking to justify all this fast and loose spending with the economy in the tank.

You may or may not be shocked to know that there are 570 homes in the Caldwell area either in foreclosure of preforclosure. Inside the city limits of Caldwell there are 123 home in foreclosure and 370 in preforclosure. The attitude of the politicos is that someone will get title sooner or later and the property taxes will still keep flowing their way. This will keep the Urban Renewal sandbox full of cash not matter the economic weather. It is refreshing to know that taxes and death are still the two definites in this life.

Thursday, October 16, 2008

Nampa and Team Tom Folding Their Tent on Police Station Revenue Bonds But Voters Still Locked Out of Process




It looks like Team Tom and the boys and girls of the Nampa Urban Renewal District have found a new ploy to keep voters out of the loop on a new $27 Million public safety building. Not willing to wait for a "reasoned decision" by Third District Court Judge Trout, they have become keenly aware of Bonner County and Rexburg and citizen intitiated court battles with abuse of urban renewal laws.

Now they want to move forward with a leasing scheme to avoid any voter apporval. If it is a year to year lease with no equity/ownership in the property or buildings and they can walk away with no ownership rights, they can legally do this with your tax dollars. Nampa citizens should be outraged over this move to exclude voters on this deal.

This is another ploy to circumvent voter constitutional rights on the capital budgeting process in Nampa. It is quite simply, abuse of all property tax payers in Canyon County . Team Tom and his band of blind followers want to spend $68 Million before interest and bonding costs when all is said and done. A new library to the tune of $40 Millon is next on their agenda. The good people of Nampa are getting no say in any of these projects. It appears there is no end to what they are willing to do to avoid a proper bond election by the people of Nampa. Whatever happened to "CONSENT OF THE GOVERNED" and consitituional requirements to fund these projects?

Likewise, Caldwell and all the happy smiling people on city council, the mayor and urban renewal board members are about to hitch their wagon to a $30 Million public private partnership in their quest for a new city hall.

Again, there will be meetings with lots of pretty pictures and flowery hyperbole about how good a new city hall will be for our fair city. You citizens can keep your distance and please don't ask about voting a bond election for this project.

The Caldwell Politcos have couched this in terms of a 'CATALYST PROJECT" for downtown Caldwell. Fact is it will do nothing to create a single new permanent job in Caldwell or any new economic activity in downtown. The City of Caldwell's share of this project will be around $10 Million by the time they take occupancy. Again, no vote of the people on any of this stuff. "CONSENT OF THE GOVERNED" is once again trampled upon by the elected and appointed Politicos of Caldwell.

Caldwell will take in $18 Million in property taxes this year with $6 Million right off the top going to the Caldwell East Urban Renewal Board and $12 million going into the general fund. Caldwell Urban Renewal receives a $6 Million annual slush fund that a handful of people decide on how it gets spent. No voter involvement in the capital budgeting process for either city. Voters have virtually no say in how urban renewal monies get spent.

Tuesday, October 14, 2008

County Citizens Pay for Urban Renewal Too! This Just in From Moscow (Idaho)


THE GUARDIAN received the following opinion on Urban Renewal from a Moscow, Idaho reader and we are sharing the insights of the reader with you.

Paul,
Thank you very much for your time, effort, and intelligence in exposing URAs as city departments along with the corruption that thereby occurs.

In addition to the arguments already made, here is another consideration:

For those who live in counties where a city has an URA where incremental tax dollars go to the URAs, the out-of-city taxpayers are being taxed without representation.

When a city places participating properties in a URA district on an incremental tax plan, the general tax collected from those properties is frozen based at the initial value of the properties, even for purposes of collecting the county's share of property taxes. Hence, all taxpayers of the county must make up the difference for this lost of revenue that would occur with the incremental value of the subject propertires.

However, the taxpayers who live outside the city with a URA have no control over the city who appoints all the members of the URA board. Thus, out-of-city taxpayers have no recourse what's-so-ever at the polls if they are unhappy with the URA who is in effect taxing them. They cannot vote against the elected city officials who appoint the offending URA board members.

This is taxation without representation.

Thank you again for your efforts. I hope very much that you will be successful.

Wayne A. Fox
Moscow, Idaho

Monday, October 13, 2008

Meeting On Caldwell City Hall Equals No Bond Election Vote



The elected Politicos of Caldwell are holding yet another meeting on the new city hall project for downtown. The Guardian spotted the notice in the Legal Ads in the IPT today. The meeting is scheduled for the 22nd of this month at the Caldwell Fine Arts Center (the old Catholic Church property)6:00 to 7:30 PM. Team Garret and the Oppenheimer Group will give us yet another presentation of what will be a $30 Million project that will be both a new city hall and retail space at 7th and Blaine Streets.

Has anyone given any thought to why we are not getting to vote this project up or down. The short answer is Caldwell East Urban Renewal rakes in $6 Million right off the top of property tax dollars every year and you get zero say on how this property tax money is spent. The new city hall "meeting" is purely a perfunctory effort to say the public has endorsed spending all this money without voter approval and it will be full speed ahead after the meeting.

If the financials on this project go out beyond one budget cycle for any reason then the city will be in violation of Article VIII sec.3 of the Idaho Constitution. Team Garret and the merry men may find themselves in front of a Judge trying to explain what is going on here. Public private partnership is another way of saying we just signed everyone up for a long term debt. Courts in Idaho have already ruled on this shell game played by cities and urban renewal boards.

Next, there is the issue of $470,000 worth of studies and reports on downtown Caldwell done by various experts in revitalization. All of these studies and for the most part, none of what they had to say is being incorporated in this project.

What Caldwell needs is "economic catalyst" not a new city hall. There is not a single function that will take place in new digs that isn't already happening in current city hall office spaces. The only issue is that city functions occupy two locations about two blocks apart.

Team Garret and his merry men think if they build a new city hall it will somehow spark new economic growth in downtown Caldwell. A better use of urban renewal money would be to buy old buildings and tear them down selling the bare ground to private enterprise in a manner that will put the dirt on a par with virgin dirt outside the city core. Call it a subsidy to economic growth. A new city hall will simply take property tax generating property off the tax rolls in downtown.

More troubling in all of this is that the city will be on the hook for close to $10 million for their share of this new city hall project. You don't get a say on this deal but you do get a nice meeting with some pretty pictures. You have been removed from the CAPITAL BUDGETING PROCESS! Urban Renewal is robbing you of any say in how your tax dollars are getting spent in Caldwell.

Lastly, where is the citizen committee report certifying the need for a new Caldwell city hall?

Saturday, October 11, 2008

Largest Voter Turnout in Idaho History Predicted


If the November 4 election turnout isn't the biggest turnout in history, you can’t blame the local election officials who have done everything possible to make it easy to vote.

The response to their mail-in absentee ballot campaign resulted in thousands of ballots being mailed to registered voters. In addition, early voting for those who missed the deadline is open Tuesday at the County Elections Center at 1102 Chicago Street from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily until November 3.

Election day is November 4, but Canyon County election officials hope to keep the lines short through their early vote efforts. The panic is caused by a new optical scanner ballot system that neither voters nor election workers have previously used. The old “hanging chad” punch card equipment is no longer manufactured or repaired.

A “paper trail” is created with the fill in the dot system, thus avoiding computer problems and providing for easy recount and auditing.

We voted at our kitchen table and hand delivered the ballots to the Elections Office. The crowd of people in the office voting early was astounding with all the office staff at the front desk helping people to register, vote or receive marked ballots. The fax machine in the Elections Office is humming constantly with faxed in absentee ballot request forms. The turn around time has been running about a week to get requested early voting ballots back to voters via USPS.

The following link will get you more info on an absenttee ballot:
http://www.canyonco.org/uploadedFiles/Departments/Clerk-Auditor-Recorder/Elections_-_Passports/Elections/absentee.pdf. You can also go to the county website to get your ballot request forms.

Thursday, October 9, 2008

Urban Renewal Laws Are New Hot Topic



THE GUARDIAN has fielded calls from Coeur d Alene and Moscow, Idaho on Idaho Urban Renewal abuses going on around the state.

People are finally figuring out Urban Renewal money comes directly from property taxes (right off the top) and is then funneled into a "CITY IN DISGUISE" Board known as urban renewal. Voters are figuring out they have been effectively removed from all capital improvement budget decisions in their cities. Property tax money is thrown around at all manner of pork projects and subsidies for developers all over the state.

Nampa Urban Renewal is waiting for decision that will allow them to issue $68 Million in revenue bonds for a new library and police station via the urban renewal. No Vote of the People is going to take place on this deal if approved by the Judge. The Judge in this matter is wisely taking her time about rendering an opinion. The petition in this case was heard in June of this year. Manwhile, Nampa is buying the old Sundowner Motel site for the new police station for $1.5 Million with urban renewal property tax money. Government fat cats continue to belive they can spend their way into prosperity with your property tax dollars.

Rexburg's multi-million dollar swimming pool complex is in the Idaho Supreme Court over bypassing voters on this project. Again, a blatant case of elected and appointed Politicos wanting to spend huge sums of money without voter approval.

Moscow, Boise and Coeur d Alene are spending tens of thousands of property taxpayer dollars submitting "friend of the court" briefs on the Rexburg case. All of this legal manuevering to get around a proper bond election approved by voters.


You might want to ask candidates for elected office how they stand on the issue of Urban Renewal along with past and present abuses of voters rights to vote up or down big ticket spending. Urban Renewal law in Idaho has degenerated to a dictatorial method to remove you from the capital budgeting process.

Think about it! When was the last time you got to vote a bond election up or down for anything other than a new school? Urban renewal has removed this from you the taxpayer.

The State Legislature will surely have some Idaho Association of Cities lobby people there "helping" our legislators to protect cities in their quest to spend money "at will" without voter confirmations on the process. Last year it was HJR 106 and it got defeated in the waning minutes and hours of the session.

If urban renewal districts in Caldwell and Nampa were to fold up shop tomorrow your property taxes would probably go down by about 50% in Caldwell. Nampa the number would be in the range of about 20% or more. Urban renewal is a sleight of hand process to rob you of any property tax relief and remove you from any say on city capital projects.

Tuesday, October 7, 2008

Mayor Nancolas Responds to R/UDAT Study And City Mgr. Govt. For Caldwell


Update from Mayor Nancolas

Thank you for visiting "The Mayor's Page", a section of the City of Caldwell's website. I hope you find it helpful and full of fun, important information. Please view it regularly for updates on what's happening in Caldwell, including recent and upcoming events and issues from my office and city council. Feel free to contact me for more information at (208) 455-3011.

Generally this section of the website is dedicated to a mix of news, information and fun facts about our great city. Every so often, though, you will find that I decide to focus on one single issue of importance. There has been a lot of discussion lately - on blogs and around town - about the 1991 R/UDAT Study and Caldwell's adoption of those recommendations. If you are interested in a recent review of our implementation of the Study's suggestions, please click HERE. You will find that, despite recent reports, we have actually acted on, in some fashion or another, nearly every one of the recommendations. Some of the suggested actions are simply outdated an no action warranted as the R/UDAT Study was released nearly two decades ago.

You can go to the City of Caldwell website for links to the list of accomplishments noted in the Mayor's comments.

Sunday, October 5, 2008

Judges Violate Nonjudicial Day Law, What Gives Here?


Below is Section 1-1607 of the Idaho Code for your review.

Election day is a "nonjudicial day" in the Great State of Idaho. THE GUARDIAN found the below law when checking to see what can and can't be done in Idaho on Election Day. Seems that some Judges are not following this law upon checking public court records.

"1-1607. NONJUDICIAL DAYS. No court can be opened nor can any judicial
business be transacted on any day enumerated in section 73-108, Idaho Code, or
on every day appointed by the President of the United States, or by the
governor of this state, for a public fast, thanksgiving, or holiday, or on a
day on which the general election is held, except for the following purposes:
1. To give, upon their request, instructions to a jury when deliberating
on their verdict.
2. To receive a verdict or discharge a jury.
3. For the exercise of the powers of a magistrate in a criminal action or
in a proceeding of a criminal nature: provided, that in civil causes orders of
arrest may be made and executed; writs of attachment, executions, injunctions
and writs of prohibition may be issued and served; proceedings to recover
possession of personal property may be had; and suits for the purpose of obtaining any such writs and proceeding may be instituted on any day."

One would have to wonder why the Judges would choose to hold court on a "FREE DAY" prescribed by law. The case number is CV-2008-0001242-C in Canyon County. Other counties have court scheduled as well. What is next, kegs outside of polling places?

Saturday, October 4, 2008

Upside of Job Service Building Purchase



Can a frog be turned into a Prince?

The Job Service Building purchase for $1.25 MM and $470k in renovation costs have some up sides.

The move from Midtowne Plaza is certainly a safer location for ingress and egress of cars and trucks onto the boulevard. It is controlled by a signalized intersection.

The real upside the purchase will be the conversion of third floor offices in the courthouse to new courtrooms. More courtrooms will increase the efficiency of the legal process and may actually reduce the headcount and average length of stay in our county jail facilities. How you ask? People who can't post bond are held in jail until their trial comes up before the court. In general people wo can't post bond end up serving way more jail time for their transgressions than people who bond out.

Moving current offices in the courthouse is likely a short term fix on what is really needed. A capital improvement bond to cover expansion of the courthouse complex and serve the public needs in one location. Another option would be to gear up for more county stuff to be done via the Internet. You can do a fair amount of business over the Internet right now with car licenses and a few other functions but more needs to be added.

Ten years or so down the road we will likely face a decision to consolidate county functions back in one central location.

Thursday, October 2, 2008

City Manager Government In Treasure Valley


THE GUARDIAN attended his usual service club lunch this week. The program about City Manager Government was presented by former Caldwell Community Development Director, Steven Hasson.

None of us ever expect Treasure Valley to look like the photo in this article but pay attention. The demographic people who make a living projecting growth statistics expect this valley to increase in population to the tune of 9 new Nampa's over the next 25 years! We will have 1 million people living here, like it or not. The question begging to be answered is: Are you satisfied with how this last cycle of growth has been managed by our elected city and county Politicos? If your answer is yes, you need not read any further.

All that is required to hold the office of Mayor, City Councilor, or County Commissioner in the state of Idaho is to be at least 18 years of age, be a register voter, and get yourself elected. Pretty slim set of credentials if you ask me. No experience in business, finance, management, or most important, RISK MANAGEMENT are required to get elected. City Managers are professionally trained and educated people that bring a strong professional background and resume to the job of City Manager. Most will have a Master's Degree and 15-20 years of experience with them to the job of City Manager.

Think about this for a moment. If you were looking to hire a CEO of a $50-100 million dollar corporation would you hold an election or would you do a talent search and hire the best possible person you could to manage that corporation. We go through that process for most of the appointed department heads in city government but not always is that the case. Cronyism and nepotism can play a role in certain circumstances. We don't always seek to get the best qualified people, make no mistake about it.

City Managers bring expertise to the three inherent areas of weakness with Mayor-Council forms of government. These weak areas are Growth Management, inherent weak management skills in a Mayor-Council form of government, and diminished administrative ability of Mayors to directly oversee city municipal operations ("face time with subordinates").

Mayor Nancolas in Caldwell serves on about 35 different boards and committees. He is gone from his office and out of town more than he is actively managing the day to day operations of Caldwell. Most of the time he is gone about half of the calendar days in any given month. I am sure the same can be said of other mayors in larger cities in this valley.

A City Manager is a full time city administrator. It is time to start thinking about what lies next for cities in this valley. Growth management and getting it to pay for itself has been a dismal failure of the current Mayor-Council government models in this valley. Risk management (reads litigation) will become a serious threat to all citizen tax dollars.

Caldwell is currently facing a huge legal liability with the lawsuit filed by Pioneer Irrigation District. Check out the PID website and your latest PID billings. Both sides are girding for a long expensive legal battle over city surface water drainage into irrigation ditches and canals. The legal costs for this battle could mount to several million dollars and years of litigation before it gets resolved.

Fifty-three percent of cities over 5,000 people have a city manger form of government. That amounts to 76 million people having made the move to professional management of their cities.

What's next for Caldwell when "Team Garret" leaves office? Will we get a repeat of the 1980's or will we adopt the recommendations in the RUDAT Study and make the change to City Manager Govt. It was on the ballot in the early 1990's and supported by our current Mayor and four other Mayors but failed by 16 votes.

Think what our cities and towns will look like 50-75 years down the road if growth continues to be mismanaged. I have a Pdf of the handout from the presentation for anyone interested. Send your request to me at paul.alld@gmail.com. Don't use the comments section to do your request as I do not get your email address when you post a comment.