Boise Streetcar in Election races

October 18, 2009

Mass transit a key issue in Boise City Council races

BY BETHANN STEWART - bstewart@idahostatesman.com

Copyright: © 2009 Idaho Statesman

Council President Maryanne Jordan is seeking another term in Seat 6, opposed by painting contractor Lucas Baumbach and Boise State University student David Webb.

In the Seat 6 race, Vern Bisterfeldt, a retired Boise police officer and Ada County commissioner, is seeking re-election, challenged by Realtor Daniel Dunham and auto parts salesman David "Pappy" Honey.

Here's how the candidates answered three key questions.

What do you think about the proposed streetcar?

Bisterfeldt: He said he is not convinced the trolley is a good idea and that more discussion is needed before he makes up his mind.

Dunham: "If the trolley were a viable idea, private industry would be all over it."

Honey: "We'll lose a lot of small businesses if the streetcar goes through. There'll be two years of construction. It does more damage than good."

Jordan: "The streetcar process is integral (to the public transportation system). The grant application sped up the conversation. We couldn't pass up the opportunity for a $40 million grant. "

Baumbach: "The streetcar is not a commuter solution. It doesn't go anywhere. Go somewhere, please, if you're going to spend that kind of money."

He thinks the cost of the project is underestimated.

Webb: "Why don't we take it to the voters with a simple majority? If they don't want the streetcar, we need to find a different approach to public transportation issues."

What do you think about the city's public transportation system?

Bisterfeldt: He said he would like to see better bus service within the city because for many people it's their only means of transportation.

Dunham: He said the city needs to find a way to make the bus system more user-friendly. "Can we make deal with employers to use buses differently?"

Honey: He said he'd like to revamp the bus schedules and use smaller buses on less-popular routes.

Jordan: "The city's role is to keep the bus system whole."

The city should partner with other cities to keep routes operational and analyze areas where there's been an increase in ridership, she said.

Baumbach: "People on the outskirts of Boise want a commuter solution. Boise is spending too much money for the current ridership."

Webb: He said he would like to see the bus system improve by increasing routes, adding more buses and extending the hours of service.

How would you approach balancing the city budget?

Bisterfeldt: "I've worked with a lot of councils since 1959, and this one is pretty frugal. They're not big spenders. I think we did a good job in the way we allowed people to take (early retirement) to save as many jobs as we could" without hurting essential services like police, fire and sewer.

He voted to take the 3 percent increase in the portion of the budget that comes from property taxes allowed under state law.

"I voted for what we were allowed to take. If you don't vote for it, you'll never get it back. If you don't need it, the next time, you can save the money."

Dunham: He said does not support taking the 3 percent, saying the City Council "needs to show solidarity with what the citizens are going through." He said he would look for opportunities to outsource services, areas where the city is competing with private industry.

Honey: He called the 3 percent increase an "extreme burden on citizens." He said he would not cut police or fire budgets.

Jordan: She said she supported taking the 3 percent only after evaluating the impact on homeowners.

"Going the 3 percent wasn't going to cause an increase in taxes due to the drop in home values. We have to look at all areas of city government to find efficiencies."

The City Council had to weigh "the immediate savings vs. how that might disinvest the community and how that might affect businesses that would come here." If the city hadn't taken the 3 percent, both police and library services would have had to be cut, she said.

Baumbach: He said he would not have taken the 3 percent; he would have made budget cuts.

Webb: "The closer you get to issues like that, the more complicated they become. I would have to analyze the budget to make a better decision."

Bethann Stewart: 377-6393