They're Serious

Today I learned that Idaho Entertainment has made its $75,000 annual 2010 lease payment to the County for the use of the horse racing facilities and Turf Club on the Expo Idaho fairgrounds.

Hopefully, an agreement will soon be reached between Idaho Entertainment and the race horse owners so racing can be resumed in 2010. If it is not, I expect Idaho Entertainment will find other uses for the facility, as allowed under the contract they signed with the County back in July of 2009.

Protecting People by Preventing Parking Problems

One of the most rewarding aspects of this position is being able to fix things in the county that are broken. This past Wednesday night, one such fix came to fruition.

Having moved into a local apartment complex in 2007, I soon discovered that parking for the large complex – one space per apartment and no guest parking – was grossly inadequate.

Every apartment in the complex has three bedrooms and two full bathrooms, so tenants include large families, extended families, and groups of adult roommates. I think it would be safe to guess that in almost all cases, there are at least two vehicles affiliated with every apartment.

The inadequate provision of parking at the complex results in a myriad of cars being parked along both sides of the street, directly outside. Although this street parking is legal, it is unsightly and causes safety concerns for vehicles passing between the two rows of parked cars, particularly for emergency services vehicles such as large fire engines. It also creates a hazard for all the kids who have to try to cross the street from between the many parked cars, on their way to the neighborhood elementary school.

During elections, we hear candidates talk about quality of life. Adequate parking for apartment complexes, as well as for commercial uses, directly impacts our quality of life. Our community as a whole is better off if adequate parking is provided when new facilities are constructed.

Last Wednesday evening, my colleagues and I voted to increase parking requirements for residential and commercial development within unincorporated Ada County. Not only are the county’s requirements now more in line with what the cities within Ada County require, but the public is better served, kids are safer and our quality of life is protected.

Changes Will Save $Millions for Drivers

On Wednesday, the Ada County Air Quality Board voted 5-to-4 in favor of reducing the frequency of required emissions testing to every other year starting January 1, 2010. The adopted change also exempts vehicles that are four years old and newer, and exempts pre-1982-model-year vehicles. I have been advocating for similar changes to be made to the program since at least 2001 and view these program changes as a huge victory for taxpayers.

Unfortunately, the same board voted 8-to-1 to raise the maximum allowable charge for the same test from $15 to $20. I cast the lone dissenting vote. Even with the potential of the increased cost, vehicle owners in Ada County will save more than $1.6 million a year.

We also voted to raise the cap from $200 to $300 on how much one can be asked to pay to fix a vehicle to bring it into compliance before being granted a “repair waiver.” I voted with the group on this motion after being reassured that there is also a hardship exemption available for people who cannot afford to pay for repairs to bring their cars into compliance with emissions testing standards.

I also asked about a waiver for people who drive their vehicles less than some established minimum number of miles each year, a concept which I fully support; however, by consensus, the group decided to leave such waiver decisions up to the discretion of Air Quality Board Executive Director Dennis Turner, who can be reached at 377-9191.

Please keep in mind that whether the maximum allowable emissions testing fee is $15 or $20, it is not necessary to pay that much to get one’s vehicle tested in Ada County. I have seen some testing sites that are currently charging $10 for the test. You can shop around and save money.