Boise (670 KBOI News) – The City of Boise actively worked against a bill which would limit its ability to build the proposed new main public library and the proposed downtown sports stadium.
The Idaho Statesman is reporting it obtained public records which showed city officials lobbied lawmakers and advocates to stop House Bill 217, which would require a 60% vote before Urban Renewal dollars could be used to build municipal projects.
At one point, the City said 217 was a partisan attack on their effort to build the library and stadium, but Amber Pence, Director of Intergovernmental Affairs for Mayor Dave Bieter, warned that requiring citizens’ approval could affect other cities’ plans, too.
She said the bill was “not productive.”
House Bill 217 has passed both houses of the legislature, and is now on Governor Little’s desk, but he hasn’t said if he plans to sign or veto the bill, or let it become law without his signature.
670 KBOI reached out to the City of Boise, but the official we talked with didn’t want to comment.
