Public transit by APG-West (Idaho Press)

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BOISE STATE ROUNDUP FACES Bronco football team gets dominating victory at Wyoming, but hoops team suffers first loss of season at Wisconsin

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November 23, 2014

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GETTING FROM Friends HERE TO THERE House PUBLIC TRANSIT AFFORDABLE fills need for NNU students A weeklong series on the future of public transit

Ministry residence hosts exchange students for third year By KELCIE MOSELEY kmoseley@idahopress.com

NAMPA — Hannah Hou wasn’t as shocked by the culture change of moving from China to Nampa as she was by the extreme cold weather and snow. “It’s so dry,” Hou said. “And so cold.” Hou is pursuing a master’s degree in education at Northwest Nazarene University, and she’s a resident at Friends House, a home owned by Rob and Betty King. The Kings celebrated adding a new addition and better heating system to the building with an open house Thursday. The house is a home to four Chinese students and two Tibetan women who are all pursuing education degrees at NNU.

Please see Home, A6

New public defender welcomes transition Harden: It’s been hectic behind the scenes, business as usual in court By JOHN FUNK jfunk@idahopress.com

CANYON COUNTY — From an outside observer’s point of view, the county’s transition to an inhouse public defender service has been a smooth, uneventful one. A few new faces now accompany defendants in Canyon County courtrooms, but otherwise it’s business as usual at the courthouse since the Oct. 1 changeover. Behind the scenes, Chief Public Defender Tera Harden said, it’s been a little more hectic — but she’s assembled a staff that’s more than up to the challenge. “I would say Oct. 1 to about Oct. 16 or 17 required a lot of work internally,” Harden said.

BUT NOT SO CONVENIENT Greg Kreller/IPT

Mat Pride, of Boise, rides the ValleyRide Route 42 as it travels over the Boise River from downtown Boise on the way to Meridian where Pride works.

“

The way the service was designed is to maximize getting people from Canyon County to employment centers in Ada County.”

few months ago, Christina Quinn of Caldwell began riding the intercounty bus to her job in Boise after KELLI FAIRLESS, Executive director of Valley Regional Transit her car broke down and she couldn’t afford to buy a new ty to Boise or Meridian and back. The five intercounty routes are one. She said she was surprised at how much she’s saving by ridaimed at commuters and provide a significant savings for people ing the bus. who can make it work, but the limited system isn’t convenient or “It’s a lot cheaper than I thought,” she said. an option for everyone. Quinn estimated that she saves about $8 a day in gas alone by The intercounty and CanDay 1: Money matters taking the bus. yon County lines don’t run on People who commute between Canyon County and Boise weekends and the last stops are know all too well what it’s like to be at the mercy of traffic, fluctu- at about 7:30 p.m. BOISE ating gas prices and sometimes dangerous winter road condiStill, more people are riding the tions. buses each year. Ridership on the Owning a car and commuting isn’t cheap. It costs about $20 a intercounty routes has increased day to own and operate a small sedan and drive 15,000 miles per 11.9 percent from 2008 to 2013, year, according to AAA. That cost goes up for larger vehicles and according to Valley Regional more mileage. Transit’s 2013 Annual Report. Valley Regional Transit’s intercounty bus routes provide an alternative that cost $2 to $6 a day or less to get from Canyon CounPlease see Public transit, A4

AAA COSTS OF DRIVING 2014 Includes operating costs (gas, maintenance, tires) and ownership costs (full-coverage insurance; license, registration, taxes; depreciation; finance charges):

Small sedan

Medium sedan

(Honda Civic, Ford (Chevrolet Impala, Ford Focus, Hyundai Elantra, Fusion, Honda Accord, Toyota Corolla) Toyota Camry)

$6,957

(46.4 cents per mile)

$8,839

(58.9 cents per mile)

Large sedan Nissan Maxima, Buick LaCrosse, Chrysler 300, Ford Taurus)

$10,831

SUV

$11,039

73.6 cents per mile

Minivan

$9,753

65 cents per mile

Bus

$266

ticket for adults

72.2 cents per mile

NOTE: Costs based on driving 15,000 miles per year. SOURCE: AAA Your Driving Costs 2014

Please see Defender, A6

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Dennis Beckman Bradley Bivins Shirley Dean

Rudy Fernandez Don Hamilton Jose Hernandez

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NEWS

Idaho Press-Tribune • Sunday, November 23, 2014

idahopress.com

Online: idahopress.com/publictransit

Day 1: Money matters

Series graphics by Randy Lavorante/IPT and Freepik.com

Day 2: How it works

Day 3: Rural transit

Day 4: Other cities

Day 5: Local option tax

Day 6: Do nothing

Day 7: The future

Valley Regional Transit struggles to find funding

Rural parts of county have hodge-podge of transit options

How have other cities funded their public transit?

Could local-option tax be a funding solution?

Doing nothing is always an option.

What the future of public transit could be. What do legislators think?

BOISE

Examining the cost difference between riding the bus, driving your car.

A weeklong series on the future of public transit

Public transit

GETTING FROM HERE TO THERE

Continued from A1 here were more than 140,000 boardings in fiscal year 2013 compared to 130,000 in 2012. Limited funding prevents Valley Regional Transit from expanding the lines, said Kelli Fairless, executive director of Valley Regional Transit. Valley Regional Transit is aware that the service isn’t enough, she said, but without more funding, there’s not much they can do to expand it. For example, Route 43 makes two trips in the morning to Boise and two in the afternoon to serve people in Caldwell. “That’s not because that’s all the service that’s needed for Caldwell — that’s how much we can afford given the amount of funding we have,” Fairless said. Boise State University and the College of Western Idaho contribute funding to Route 45, which is an express route designed to haul people back and forth between Boise and CWI’s Nampa campus. Thanks to that funding contribution — $27,500 from BSU and $7,729 from CWI — the route runs slightly later than the other intercounty routes, according to VRT. The first stop at CWI is at 9 a.m. and the last is at 7:57 p.m., with seven round-trips in between. Several riders on one of the intercounty buses said they’ve had to make adjustments in order to make the bus work for them. Quinn said that now that she knows how affordable it is, she would like to keep riding the bus, but it doesn’t exactly line up with her schedule. She works an overnight shift and has to be at work at midnight. She’s able to ride the bus from Boise back home to Caldwell in the mornings when she’s done with work, but she has to find a ride to work at night or take the latest bus and find something to do for a few hours until her shift starts. Jana Nelson of Nampa has been riding the bus to her job in Boise for four years. She turned to the bus when her job in medical billing was transferred from Nampa to Boise. She had to work with her employer to adjust her schedule so she could ride the bus and she said she’s fortunate that her work is on the bus line. Without that, Nelson said she wouldn’t be able to ride it. Nelson chooses to ride the bus so she won’t to have to deal with traffic, driving in the dark and winter road conditions, she said. Plus the $35 cost of riding the bus each month is far less than buying one or two tanks of gas each week. Instead, she drives a short way to the bus stop or has her husband drop her off there then lets someone else handle the driving the rest of the way. “I like being driven,” she said. “It works out well for me.” The hourlong bus ride gives Nelson time to relax and work on her Sunday school lessons, and she arrives at work without feeling stressed, she said. Although Nelson doesn’t mind the hourlong ride, five of her coworkers who used to ride the bus with her couldn’t tolerate it, she said, so they stopped riding. Carol Cramp and CC Schauf, both of Boise, bring their bikes along when they take the bus. Cramp can drive but chooses to ride the bus to her classes at the College of Western Idaho’s Boise campus instead. She estimated it costs her about $10 a day to drive to class, but because she is a student at CWI, Cramp can ride the bus for free. Students just need to get an annual sticker for their student ID cards and show their ID to the driver. “It’s a great resource to have to be able to ride the bus for free,” she said. “You just have to know your routes.” She brings her bike for backup in case the bus is late and she misses her connecting bus. Once, she had to scramble to pick up her child from day care on time for that reason. Schauf takes her bike with her when she rides the bus from downtown Boise to her job in Meridian, because the bus doesn’t run late enough for to her take it back home

Greg Kreller/IPT

Commuters ride the Valley Ride Route 42 that travels from Nampa and Caldwell into downtown Boise. after work, she said. She also gives herself an hour to get to work in case the bus is running late, like it was recently. “It was 20 minutes late, so I had to ask to see if I missed it,” she said. VRT is beta-testing an online service that will show riders where the buses are along their routes on a map. It’s not yet available for the public, but VRT is moving in that direction, said Mark Carnopis, community relations manager for VRT.

INTER-COUNTY BUS OPTIONS There are several routes that provide service from Canyon to Ada County and back. Route 40 starts at the Happy Day Transit Center in Caldwell and makes stops at CWI, downtown Boise and Boise State University. It runs from 5:20 a.m. in Caldwell to 6:36 p.m. Route 42 starts at Happy Day Transit Center at 6:23 a.m. and continues to CWI, to Franklin Road in Meridian and Boise Towne Square Mall. It also makes morning and evening stops in downtown Boise and at BSU. Route 43 makes morning and evening stops in each direction from Caldwell to Boise starting at South 10th Avenue. Route 44 serves Middleton, Star and Eagle in a single express trip from Caldwell to Boise. “The way the service was designed is to maximize getting people from Canyon County to employment centers in Ada County,” Fairless said. Depending on the route, a trip from Caldwell to downtown Boise will take about an hour or longer. The fare for Route 40 is $1 each way, and the other four are express routes, which cost $3 each way. There are 31-day, threemonth and one-year passes available that save riders money compared to paying the daily fare. The 31-day pass, for example, is $36 for Route 40 and $70 for the other intercounty routes. Boise State and CWI students can ride for free with a sticker on their ID cards, which is available through the schools. Local employers also work with VRT to offer incentives for their employees to ride the bus. Through the Premium Pass program, employers can purchase passes for their employees that are good for unlimited rides on all ValleyRide buses for one year. The Choice Pass offers 31-day and three-month passes at discounted rates for employees and there are also discounts for nonprofit organizations and their clients. For complete fare, route and pass information visit valleyride.com.

COST OF RIDING THE BUS n The fare to ride the local bus one way is $1. A one-day pass is $2 for adults and $1 for students ages 6-18, seniors and people with disabilities. The one-day pass can also be purchased from the bus drivers. n A 31-day pass can be purchased at most local Albertsons stores including the store at 2500 E. Blaine St. in Caldwell and at 715 S. 12th Ave. and 2400 W. 12th Ave. in Nampa. The pass is $36 for adults for local service and $70 for universal service, which includes Express and fixed-line services. n Three-month, six-month and one-year passes can be purchased at the Valley Regional Transit office, 700 NE Second St., Meridian. The three-month pass is $93, the six-month pass is $165 and the one-year pass is $266 for adults for local service. n The Transi-Check program is designed to encourage commuters to try an alternative form of transportation, according to the Ada County Highway District. It provides a subsidy of $20 per month for the first three months as a long as a rider purchases either a monthly seat on Commuteride Vanpool or a monthly bus pass for ValleyRide. Go to commuteride.com/Commuters/Transi-Cheks.aspx for complete details.

SOURCE: Valley Regional Transit, valleyride.com/fares/all-fares/

MULTIMEDIA Check out a time-lapse video of the bus route from Nampa to Boise at Idahopress.com/ publictransit.

JOIN A VANPOOL To view vanpool routes and join a van, visit commuteride.com.

With vanpool, commuters save by traveling together CALDWELL — Sylvia Marmon of Caldwell has been taking advantage of the Ada County Highway District’s vanpool program since 1981. Last year alone, she saved more than $3,000 by leaving her car at home. “I do just about everything I can do to avoid driving my own car,” she said. More than 170 Canyon County residents hop into 20 vans with other commuters to ride to work through the program. Although it’s run by the Ada County district, the program has routes throughout Canyon County. Marmon volunteers to drive the van from Caldwell to downtown Boise, which means she doesn’t have to pay for the service. She fuels and washes the van and handles paperwork to “pay” for her usage. There are 11 people who ride with her in the van. Most are government workers, she said. Marmon works for the city of Boise. “We’re definitely a family,” she said. “We know when somebody’s parent or child is sick. We bring treats and celebrate occasions.” Marmon first started using the vanpool when her job at Simplot moved from Caldwell to Boise. When she started a new job with the city, there wasn’t a van route that worked, so she carpooled for a while. She’s been on her current vanpool route since 1999. The monthly fare for the vanpool

depends on the route. Caldwell to downtown Boise is $120 per month and from Nampa to downtown Boise, it’s $100. The first month is free for new riders to try out, and some employers offer incentives to vanpool participants that allow them to save $20 for each of the three months’ fare after that, according to ACHD. Vanpool participants can also save money on their personal car insurance, because insurance companies provide discounts when drivers tell the companies they are using a vanpool for their daily commute instead of their own car, according to ACHD. The financial advantages of the vanpool program are important to Marmon, but she also feels good about her impact on the environment and reducing congestion. Marmon enters her vanpool usage into the Idaho RideShare website, which tells her not only how much money she has saved, but also how many gallons of gas and how many pounds of CO2 emissions she’s saved. Last year, it was 8,823 pounds. “I feel great about it,” she said. “... If more people would do it, it would save so much on congestion and air pollution.” The Rideshare website, i-way.org, can connect commuters with other people who share their commute and work times to ride together. It also connects people for single events.

C M Y K

YOTES, CRUSADERS BEST OF TIP OFF AGAIN THE REST

Canyon County rivalry goes to round 2 tonight at NNU SPORTS, B1

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Monday, November 24, 2014

GETTING FROM HERE TO THERE

A weeklong series on the future of public transit

History of Valley Regional Transit

FUNDING FAILURE

By VALLEY REGIONAL TRANSIT valleyregionaltransit.org

BOISE — In 1994, state legislators passed a law giving residents the opportunity to vote on the formation of public transportation authorities. Ada and Canyon county voters approved the authority in November 1998. In December 1998, a Regional Public Transportation Board of Directors was formed in the Treasure Valley. The regional public transportation authority was named Valley InterArea Transportation. In June 2002, the VIATrans Board voted to change the agency name to ValleyRide. ValleyRide continued to evolve and move forward. In November 2004, its board of directors approved changing the name of the RPTA from ValleyRide to Valley Regional Transit. The ValleyRide name was retained to designate the different transit services (such as ValleyRide Boise Transit Services for the Boise bus service and ValleyRide Express Transit Services for intercounty operations). ValleyRide now operates 17 bus routes in Boise on weekdays, eight routes on Saturday, four routes in Nampa/Caldwell (Monday through Friday), five intercounty routes between Ada County and Canyon County (Monday through Friday), and one flex route in Nampa and Caldwell. The Valley Regional Transit Board of Directors consists of 28 appointed representatives from incorporated cities, counties and highway districts in Ada and Canyon counties plus one representative each from Capital City Development Corporation, Boise State University, Idaho Transportation Department and the Meridian Development Corporation. Valley Regional Transit is involved in planning public transportation services for the Treasure Valley and oversees the contract with Professional Transit Management, Inc. to manage and operate the bus system in Boise. In July 2002, all assets of Boise system were transferred to Valley Regional Transit, and it became the grantee and recipient of available federal funding.

Valley transit funding meager, unpredictable compared to peer cities By CHRISTINA MARFICE cmarfice@idahopress.com

ore than 20,000 single-occupancy vehicles carry workers from Canyon County to Ada County every day, according to the American Community Survey. By 2040, a commute that takes about a half-hour today could take well over an hour. A more vibrant public transit system is a possible solution to crowded highways. But in the Treasure Valley, funding for public transit is unpredictable and is falling short, especially compared with other systems that serve comparable populations. Valley Regional Transit’s public transportation system will cost nearly $13 million to operate in 2015. But with no dedicated public transit funding from the state of Idaho, VRT relies on uncertain federal funding and local contributions that basically amount to 2015 SERVICE CONTRIBUTIONS voluntary donations. IN CANYON COUNTY “VRT has had to go to the different jurisdictions and kind Canyon County: $15,027 of ask, kind of hat in hand sort of, City of Caldwell: $113,138 saying what can you give us to keep City of Middleton: $5,425 the system running,” said Walt SatCity of Nampa: $301,836 terfield, associate planner with the Community Planning Association SOURCE: Valley Regional Transit of Southwest Idaho. VRT competes for city dollars with other needs, such as police and fire departments, sewer, water and other services.

2015 POPULATION-

BASED TRANSIT DUES IN CANYON COUNTY County: $20,094 Caldwell: $17,565 Greenleaf: $311 Melba: $193 Middleton: $2,277 Nampa: $31,413 Notus: $200 Parma: $744 Wilder: $570

SOURCE: Valley Regional Transit

Please see Funding, A3

“

(Valley Regional Transit) has had to go to the different jurisdictions and kind of ask, kind of hat in hand sort of, saying what can you give us to keep the system running.”

Day 2: How it works

WALT SATTERFIELD, associate planner with the Community Planning Association of Southwest Idaho

Please see History, A3

ValleyRide Route 45 from Boise to Nampa makes its way onto I-84 from the connector Nov. 18. (Greg Kreller/IPT)

 Deaths Blaine Allen Dennis Beckman

Julie Dennis Jesus Hernandez Edward Koenig

Priscilla Mercado  Obituaries, A7

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C M Y K

idahopress.com

SPECIAL REPORT

Idaho Press-Tribune • Monday, November 24, 2014

Day 2: How it works Day 1: Money matters

Day 3: Rural transit

Day 4: Other cities

Day 5: Local option tax

Day 6: Do nothing

Day 7: The future

Rural parts of county have hodgepodge of transit options

How have other cities funded their public transit?

Could local-option tax be a funding solution?

Doing nothing is always an option

What the future of public transit could be. What do legislators think?

BOISE

Examining the cost difference between riding the bus, driving your car

Valley Regional Transit struggles to find funding

A weeklong series on the future of public transit

GETTING FROM HERE TO THERE

Funding

Shawna Ross, of Meridian, pulls her bike off the bike rack on the Route 42 ValleyRide at the Boise Towne Square Mall Nov. 12 before biking the rest of the way to her job as a house painter.

Continued from A1 ccording to surveys by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, out of the 45 states that do receive some sort of state funding for public transportation, Idaho ranks last. Idaho gives out about $400,000 for transportation out of nondedicated funds, about enough to buy a 40-foot bus. VRT sees none of that money, as it is spread out across the state. While other states, such as Utah, don’t receive money from the state, cities there can install a local option tax. Currently, only resort towns in Idaho can have local option taxes. Looking at peer cities, such as Anchorage, Reno and Spokane, Satterfield agreed that Idaho falls short. “In terms of what we’re investing in, on a per capita basis, we are way below the mark with some of those peer cities,” Satterfield said. Satterfield said cities whose public transit systems serve a similar number of people to VRT’s — around 350,000 — typically have an annual operating budget of around $40 million, compared with VRT’s $13 million. For example, he said, Reno’s system, which serves 327,000 people compared to the Treasure Valley’s, 349,000, spent $93.50 per person in 2012. VRT spent about a quarter of that, or $23.70 per person that same year. VRT’s budget was $7.4 million in 2006, peaked at $8.8 million in 2008 and was $8.1 million in 2012 before going up to $13 million last year. Federal funding accounts for 32.8 percent of VRT’s 2015 budget, while local funding makes up 54 percent, according to Kelli Fairless, VRT’s executive director. The remaining 13.2 percent is made up of fares and auxiliary revenue. Each year, VRT anticipates about a 2 percent increase in its expenses, but because of the unpredictable nature of its funding sources, it can’t be sure of a 2

History Continued from A1

Greg Kreller/IPT

percent increase in funding. Federal funding for public transportation comes from the federal transportation bill, MAP 21, which expired in September and is under a continuing resolution through Dec. 11. “The resolutions usually keep the current funding levels intact, so we know how much we are getting,” Fairless said. “But it makes it hard to budget for the future because we do not know how much funding will be available for local transit until the new authorization bill becomes law.” In 2012, federal funding made up 49 percent of VRT’s budget, and local funding accounted for 39 percent. Since then, funding has shifted so local entities are providing much more than the federal government.

NOT A SURE THING But local funding isn’t a sure thing, either, Fairless said. Each year, VRT requests funding from each of its contributing entities, which include Canyon and Ada counties, most of the cities that fall on transit routes and a handful of highway districts and urban development groups. According to Fairless, each city and county is asked to pay population-based dues at 46 cents per person. On top of that, cities with bus routes are asked to pay service contributions, which directly fund the routes within their borders. “The jurisdictions provide funding voluntarily,” Fairless said. “If they don’t provide the funding for the service, we can’t operate

the fixed-line bus systems in Caldwell and Nampa, along with the intercounty service, were implemented in March 2005. Planned changes to the fixed-line services in Boise and Garden City were implemented on Oct. 1, 2005. n A six-year, long-term plan (Treasure Valley in Transit) that provides for a regional public transportation system. It is a comprehensive plan for public transportation to grow with the Treasure Valley. The plans calls for a transit system that provides new routes in communities throughout the Valley, longer hours of service and more frequent service. The plan also includes express commuter service. In August 2011, the VRT board approved valleyconnect, an updated mobility development plan that provides a blueprint for the growth of alternative forms of transportation in Ada and Canyon counties.

VRT also operated the bus line in Garden City, and, in 2003, entered into service agreements with Treasure Valley Transit and Commuters Bus. Both services operate between Canyon County and Ada County. Those agreements expired March 1, 2005. On that date, First Transit of Cincinnati, Ohio, began providing service in Nampa, Caldwell and between the two counties. MV Transport manages the Nampa/Caldwell and intercounty services. Comprehensive shortand long-term public transportation planning for the two-county region was completed in 2004. This planning project has two elements: n A short-term route restructuring plan that is designed to improve transit services using existing fi- FINDING FUNDING nancial and equipment reWhen voters approved sources. Improvements to the formation of a regional C M Y K

the service. Once they tell us to operate a service, they are locked into it. If we design our operations around that revenue, then they have to provide it. That becomes the base budget, so that’s what we’ll ask for. But everything is voluntary, so they could always add or cut. (If jurisdictions cut funding), then they cut routes.” For the most part, Fairless said, cities are good about contributing their parts. “We do sometimes get less money in dues than projected because a city or other entity has decided not to pay,” she said. “That amount is usually on the smaller scale and not the dues paid by larger cities such as Boise, Caldwell and Nampa.” Contributing to VRT earns each of the local entities a spot on a board or committee, giving them the opportunity to track how their dollars are spent and negotiate for the public transit that’s best for their taxpayers.

QUESTION OF USE But in Canyon County, where the system is much smaller than in Ada County, city and county officials say they struggle to find a balance between what their citizens want and will use, and their other tax-funded needs. “The issue for the county is we have so many individuals who would not be using it because they’re outside of city limits and the buses don’t necessarily run out to the less populated and rural areas of Canyon County,” said Canyon County Commissioner Craig Hanson, who plans to

public transportation authority, the new Idaho Code did not provide a funding source to pay for services. A coalition of local elected officials, business leaders, stakeholders and state legislators concluded in 2006 that building the Treasure Valley in Transit Plan

fill Canyon County’s spot on the VRT executive board when it is vacated. “It’s a matter of how much of the population is going to be actually using it, and for the rural setting it’s a lot different than for a city or urban area.” Hanson said public transit funding is similar to school funding —everyone pays whether they use it or not — and the bottom line, he said, is there needs to be a careful balance between the cost and the benefit to the community. “Any time you continue to raise the level of the funding, it’s got to come from somewhere,” Hanson said. “So are we increasing new taxation, or increasing taxation on all the people that live here? How many people are actually going to be using that funding? Some people would use it a lot more than others. At various points I’d say that’s good and at various points I think it’s bad.” In Caldwell, there’s more support for increased public transit, said Public Works Director Brent Orton. “We’re always working to balance what we do,” Orton said. “We want to keep it lean because we’re very conscious of the public’s money that we put to work. But we have increased our contribution in the recent past to allow services to be enhanced in Caldwell that we felt were important to have. I’m pretty pleased with what Valley Regional Transit does. They seem to do a good job balancing and managing. I’m pleased with the way that they monitor so closely their routes and ridership. They seem pretty data driven in the way that they operate and it helps them be a lean machine.”

would require a dedicated local funding source. Attempts in 2007 and 2008 to obtain the legislative authority to ask voters to approve a local option sales tax to fund transportation projects were unsuccessful. In 2009, proposed legislation that would give

Canyon County Highway District: $806 Golden Gate Highway District: $651 Nampa Highway District No. 1: $806 Notus/Parma Highway District: $651 SOURCE: Valley Regional Transit, valleyride.com/fares/all-fares/

2015 CANYON COUNTY EXPENDITURES Wages and salaries: $673,060 Fringe benefits: $113,939 Professional Services: $219,782 Materials and supplies: $300,188 Utilities: $58,290 Casualty and liability: $130,500 Miscellaneous: $17,793 Interest expense: $12,516 Leases and rentals: $2,474 SOURCE: Valley Regional Transit

INTERCOUNTY RIDERSHIP FY 2005: 50,658 FY 2006: 68,712 FY 2007: 77,032 FY 2008: 126,400 FY 2009: 123,573 FY 2010: 125,031 FY 2011: 124,990 FY 2012: 129,804 FY 2013: 141,444 FY 2014: 130,229

CANYON COUNTY RIDERSHIP FY 2005: 59,709 FY 2006: 54,482 FY 2007: 58,378 FY 2008: 66,138 FY 2009: 80,892 FY 2010: 85,285 FY 2011: 73,018 FY 2012: 77,152 FY 2013: 83,149 FY 2014: 70,793 SOURCE: COMPASS

cities and counties the ability to ask voters to approve a local option sales tax went nowhere. Valley Regional Transit, with the help of transit supporters statewide, continues to determine the next steps to take. In the meantime, VRT is devel-

MULTIMEDIA What ValleyRide’s “VRT Getting Groovy” promotional video at idahopress. com.

oping mobility programs under the GoRide name. These services include Canyon County Vanpool, Job Access, Vehicle Sharing, Village Van, Volunteer Driver and Community Link.

SOURCE: Valley Regional Transit

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Tuesday, November 25, 2014

Violence erupts in OFF THE BEATEN PATH Ferguson GETTING FROM HERE TO THERE

A weeklong series on the future of public transit

Public transportation options limited for many in Canyon County’s rural areas

Businesses burned, cars torched, after jury declines to indict officer By JIM SUHR and ANDALE GROSS The Associated Press

FERGUSON, Mo. — Protesters smashed windows out of police cars and businesses, several of which were later set ablaze, and officers lobbed tear gas from inside armored vehicles to disperse crowds Monday as violence overtook protests in Ferguson. Some of the hundreds of people who gathered outside the Ferguson Police Department erupted in anger as St. Louis County Prosecutor Bob McCulloch’s announced that Officer Darren Wilson, who is white, wouldn’t be indicted in the shooting death of 18-year-old Michael Brown, who was black and unarmed.

Please see Ferguson, A7

14 indicted for alleged Nampa, Caldwell gang activity Charges for alleged members of Northside, or ‘Norteno,’ gang include drug trafficking, unlawful possession and transfer of firearms

Greg Kreller/IPT

GoRide volunteer driver Jerry Pinkston assists Helen Bohne, 91, of Parma, from the van he uses to give senior citizens a free ride Nov. 21 to the Parma Senior Center for lunch.

Valley Regional Transit, other organizations try to bridge gap

ollie Iiams spends most of her afternoons eating with friends at the Parma Senior Center. The center serves lunch to seniors from around the area five days a week, but getting to the location or even doctor’s appointments or other necessities can be a challenge. Iiams used to drive the few miles from Apple Valley herself to join others at the popular weekday lunches. But starting three years ago, she began to take advantage of an alternative. She just has to call the center and set up a ride. She said the drivers will

even take her by the grocery store if she needs to pick something up — all because they’re “very nice.” Some of the seniors may no longer drive or don’t want to get out on the roads when the weather is bad. Public transportation for people who live in rural areas of the Treasure Valley isn’t as easily accessible as in Nampa, Boise or Caldwell. But efforts from local senior centers, Valley Region Transit and other organizations, are trying to bridge that gap.

By IDAHO PRESS-TRIBUNE STAFF

Day 3: Rural transit

newsroom@idahopress.com

Please see Rural, A6

Former school bus driver pleads guilty to vehicular manslaughter Collision killed 11-year-old Daniel Cook late last year By JOHN FUNK

jfunk@idahopress.com

CANYON COUNTY — The sound of tears and sniffles filled the courtroom during a slideshow commemorating the life Daniel Cook, an 11-year-old Kuna boy killed in a school bus accident last December. Among those who struggled  Deaths Leonard Bachmann Leo Crabtree Glenn Fordyce Harvey Fost

The damage to a school bus at the corner of Happy Valley Road and Deer Flat Road after a collision with a dump truck that left one child dead and four others injured.

to contain their emotion was Debra Boatwright, the bus’s driver, who had just minutes earlier pleaded guilty to vehicular manslaughter in connection with Daniel’s death. Boatwright will serve 200 hours of community service and two years of unsupervised probation for the misdemeanor conviction, Canyon County Magistrate Judge Jerold Lee ruled.

Ronald Hazlett Shad LeFevre Janice Lewis Norma Lough Delmar Martin

IPT file photo

Please see Bus, A7 Ethel Martin Brenda Olson Beatrice Richardson Irma Shaeffer Walter Spitz

Joanne Stevens Janice Ulrich Wittenboren Dorine Vandeventer Regina Verhage

Keith Walls James Weikert John Winchester  Obituaries, A7

BOISE — Fourteen people have been indicted on gang-related charges as alleged members of the “Norteno,” or Northside, gang in Nampa. The U.S. Attorney’s Office said on Monday that of the 14 individuals indicted, 13 were indicted for drug charges including 22 counts of distributing methamphetamine, three counts of possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, and two counts of conspiracy to distribute. Five individuals were also indicted for firearms charges including five counts of unlawfully possessing firearms, one count of possessing a sawed-off shotgun, one count of unlawfully transferring a firearm, and two counts of possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. The indictments include: n Jose Manuel Menchaca, 35, of Nampa n Nicole Danelle Nieto, 31, of Nampa n Brandi Marie Larrea, 31, of Nampa n Guillermo Farias, Jr., 29, of Nampa n Tara Noelle Rivera, 30, of Nampa n Guadalupe Serrano, 35, of Caldwell n Johhny Lee Martinez, 33, of Nampa n Isaac Bright, 21, of Caldwell n Kenny P. Breedlove, 35, of California n Michael David Bradshaw, 31, of Nampa n Richard Lobato, 51, of Nampa n Veronica Cantu, 26, of Nampa n Jose Enrique Olvera Jr., 51, of Nampa n Ruben Rodriguez, 36, of Nampa

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SPECIAL REPORT

Idaho Press-Tribune • Tuesday, November 25, 2014

idahopress.com

Day 3: Rural transit Day 2: How it works

Day 1: Money matters

Day 4: Other cities

Day 5: Local option tax

Day 6: Do nothing

Day 7: The future

How have other cities funded their public transit?

Could local-option tax be a funding solution?

Doing nothing is always an option

What the future of public transit could be. What do legislators think?

BOISE

Examining the cost difference between riding the bus, driving your car

Valley Regional Transit struggles to find funding

Rural parts of county have hodgepodge of transit options

A weeklong series on the future of public transit

Rural

Continued from A1

here are no bus routes to most of the rural areas in Canyon County, specifically in the western portion of the county, and most people who live outside the larger cities rely on local organizations to get to around. “There’s a real need for transportation out there, and there aren’t many options,” GoRide mobility manager David Pederson said.

VEHICLE SHARING Iiams’ go-to destination is usually the Parma Senior Center’s lunch, but the center’s transportation services actually provide options for people to get rides most places they need to be. Parma Senior Center’s transportation

“

GETTING FROM HERE TO THERE There’s just no transportation option in this neck of the woods. … (GoRide) helps us fill a big void here in the Valley.” LENNY ELFERING, Parma Senior Center volunteer

services cover one of the largest rural areas for volunteer drivers. Covering much of Canyon County west of Caldwell, Parma Senior Center’s volunteer drivers transport hundreds of people each month, Parma Senior Center volunteer Lenny Elfering said. “I really appreciated it because I don’t have to drive my car,” Iiams said. “... Heavens yes, it’s nice to know (the service) is there when I need it.” Elfering, who’s been volunteering for the last six years, said the center’s ability to help transport people who need it really skyrocketed with the partnership with GoRide three years ago. He said GoRide’s Vehicle Sharing Program has been instrumental in the expansion of the center’s transportation abilities. “That program is unbelievable. It

has helped us so much,” Elfering said. “There’s just no transportation option in this neck of the woods. … (GoRide) helps us fill a big void here in the Valley” The Vehicle Sharing Program allows area senior centers, churches and other local organizations to share from a pool of vehicles for use based on their needs. Annual donating members can give an existing vehicle to VRT, and VRT then insures and maintains the vehicle. The local group that donated the vehicle doesn’t give up its rights to using they, however. Organizations do not have to donate a vehicle to participate, but it would have to pay an annual fee or a fee per day of use. “This is for the greater good. (The organizations) have access to a variety of vehicles,” VRT’s Mark Carnopis said.

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Elfering said the program has allowed many people in the rural communities to be more mobile and active with the lowcost transportation option. “We had people before who weren’t really leaving their homes because they just didn’t have the money,” Elfering said. Pederson said there is a good core of senior centers in the Treasure Valley, and GoRide hopes to get them all working together under the Vehicle Sharing Program.

COMMUNITY LINK

Valley Region Transit’s 2013 to 2018 five-year strategic plan details the ambition to offer a rural route that would make frequent stops every 60 minutes at some point on the horizon. One route would have buses stop at park and ride lots in Notus, Parma, Wilder and Greenleaf and another route to Melba. But in the meantime, people in rural areas who need a lift rely on senior centers, churches and similar local organizations. VRT’s GoRide operates a bit like Uber, but for seniors — and at $3 dollars for each 8-mile segment, it’s also cheaper than Uber’s $1.75 per mile. GoRide’s pool of volunteer drivers already goes out into communities outside the normal ValleyRide routes to transport each month upwards of 300 people. For the most part, these passengers are disabled people, veterans and seniors who have no other means of transportation. People who use GoRide on a daily basis call and set up an appointment for a driver to pick up passengers and drive them to and from destinations such as doctor appointments, social events or even a quick shopping trip. The volunteer drivers are reimbursed 56 cents per gallon if they use their own vehicles. The volunteer drivers may also use one of the GoRide vehicles. “I’ve taken people to holiday dinners, doctors appointments, shopping and really RURAL TRANSPORTATION anywhere they need to be,” volunteer driver OUTSIDE CANYON COUNTY Anna Brandt said. “... IN THE TREASURE VALLEY This is something that is really needed for a lot of Treasure Valley Transit has bus people.” routes in several towns in counties Carnopis said each across southwest Idaho. of the drivers must The Mountain Home Community undergo a background Transit has a route to and from the check and take training base each day from 6-9 a.m. and courses to qualify as a 2-6 p.m. on weekdays. A city route driver. Brandt said she runs throughout the day from 9 was looking for somea.m. to 2 p.m. thing to do and heard about the volunteer In McCall, Treasure Valley Transit position through Craigruns two bus lines. The Green Line sList. She said she loves runs from Cascade to McCall each day, and the Red Line, which is free, to drive, and it was also a way to help out people. runs from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. through“There’s a lot of out the city seven days a week. people with good hearts The transit company also that want to help but operates the Snake River Transit it’s a big challenge,” Carin Malheur County in Oregon and nopis said. Payette County. The individual rides Both lines run from 6 a.m. to 6 are GoRide’s most basic p.m. each day. The transit has 11 functions on a day-today basis. But Pederson stops throughout Ontario, Oregon, said GoRide is working and then it proceeds to Fruitland to build a comprehenand Payette for several stops sive transportation before going back to Ontario. system to ensure that LEARN MORE ABOUT GORIDE people across the Treasure Valley are mobile. To learn more, visit GoRideI“The (transportadaho.com, or to reserve a ride, call tion) need is getting 345-7433. more pressing,” Carnopis said.

JOB ACCESS VANPOOL GoRide additionally began operating a job access vanpool over the summer to provide low-income workers with transpiration to jobs. Carnopis said there is a demand in the Treasure Valley for transportation options for people who can’t afford the transportation to and from work. “There is a need to get people to jobs. For people with lower income jobs it can be hard to get to work,” he said. Over the summer, the vanpool MULTIMEDIA transported recent refugee workCheck out ers to and from the Symms Fruit a time-lapse Ranch in Sunny Slope. Up to 30 video of the workers took advantage of the bus route from service. A major ongoing project reNampa to Boise at volving around getting employees Idahopress.com/ to jobs is the Mobile Village. The publictransit. program aims to provide transportation job training to participants, such as CDL training and automotive and bicycle repair. Some of the participants would be trained to drive the vehicles, and once they own their own, they could help provide more transportation options to those in need.

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Wednesday, November 26, 2014

Turkey Day or Shopping Day?

GETTING FROM HERE TO THERE

A weeklong series on the future of public transit

Numerous retailers announce earlier openings on Thanksgiving this year

SETTING AN EXAMPLE

By TORRIE COPE

tcope@idahopress.com

NAMPA — It takes about a month for the staff at JCPenney in Nampa to prepare for the store’s annual Black Friday sale. This year, “Black Friday” actually starts Thursday afternoon. JCPenney will open its doors to shoppers at 5 p.m. Thanksgiving Day, three hours earlier than last year, and stay open until 10 p.m. on Black Friday, said store leader Rick Aller. The holiday opening is in response to what customers have asked for, he said.

Please see Shopping, A15

Ferguson: Brown family blasts prosecutor, police officer speaks

eno, Nevada, lies a little more than 400 miles southwest of Boise. With a population of about 225,200, compared to Boise’s 214,200, it’s one of our closest neighbors in terms of demographics. Reno’s metro area is a bit smaller than Boise’s — about 425,400 people compared to 616,500, according to the 2010 census — but, like the southwestern Idaho population included in Boise’s metropolitan statistical area, those folks are spread out

over a large geographic area. With a public transportation budget roughly 2.5 times higher than Valley Regional Transit’s, and more than four times the annual ridership, the Washoe County community makes public transit one of their top priorities, and constantly strives to stay a step ahead of growth. “We had an extensive outreach process during the development of the 2035 Regional Transportation Plan, and more transit is something people strongly said

12 buildings burned down, 12 others looted, 12 vehicles torched Monday night after Darren Wilson not indicted

they would like to see,” said Regional Transportation Commission spokesman Joe Harrington. Overseeing transportation throughout the Reno area falls to the Regional Transportation Commission of Washoe County, Nevada. With an operating budget of about $30 million as of 2012, according to the most recent report from the National Transit Database, the commission operates a fleet of 70 RIDE buses.

By TOM FOREMAN JR. and JIM SALTER The Associated Press

FERGUSON, Mo. — Hundreds of additional National Guard troops rolled into Ferguson on Tuesday, a day after protesters looted businesses and set fire to buildings in a night of rage against a grand jury’s decision not to indict the white police officer who killed Michael Brown. Meanwhile, officer Darren Wilson broke his long public silence, insisting on national television that he could not have done anything differently in the confrontation with Brown. In the aftermath of Monday’s violence, Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon more than tripled the number of Guard soldiers sent to the St. Louis suburb, ordering the initial force of 700 to be increased to 2,200 in hopes that their presence would help local law enforcement keep order in the St. Louis suburb. “Lives and property must be protected,” Nixon said. “This community deserves to have peace.” About 50 protesters converged on a barricade guarded by 30 Guard members. The group chanted “Whose streets, our streets,” ‘’This is what democracy looks like” and “Hands up don’t shoot.” Two protesters wearing masks were arrested after refusing to comply with police instructions to get out of the street.

Please see Examples, A8

Above: Salt Lake City’s light rail program TRAX began operating in 1999. (Photo courtesy Utah Transit Authority) Below: RIDE buses and extra-long RAPID buses serve Reno. (Photo courtesy Regional Transportation Commission of Washoe County)

VALLEY REGIONAL TRANSIT Boise metropolitan area Ridership: About 1.5M rides annually Budget: About $12M annually

REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION — WASHOE CO. Reno metropolitan area Ridership: Over 8M rides annually Budget: About $30M annually

BOISE

RENO

UTAH TRANSIT AUTHORITY Salt Lake City metropolitan area six surrounding counties Ridership: About 44M rides annually Budget: About $200M annually

SALT LAKE CITY

Day 4: Other cities

Please see Ferguson, A15

IDOC director announces resignation Idaho Department of Correction head steps down from post as private prison embroiled in scandal By KIMBERLEE KRUESI The Associated Press

BOISE — Idaho Department of Correction Director Brent Reinke announced that he was stepping down from his post Tuesday after leading the department since 2007 through a highly public scandal involving a private prison, overseeing two  Deaths Joe Cox Shirley Dean Paul Franklin

Brent Reinke

executions and enhancing the department’s oversight of contracts. Reinke submitted his resignation letter during a special meeting of the Idaho Board of

Correction. “It’s been an incredible run, but it’s time for me to serve in a different way,” Reinke wrote in his resignation letter. “I’m grateful to the Board of Correction, lawmakers, and the Governor

Frank Freeman Armando Garza Harry Hagler Joe Hassis

Dale Lee Edith Lee Delmar Martin Priscilla Mercado

for supporting corrections. We have truly made a difference for public safety in Idaho these past eight years. The work is not done, but we have a great start.” The news was announced shortly after the three board members met in executive session via teleconference for nearly an hour. The executive session agenda item was added Monday after the members sent out the original meeting alert late Friday afternoon. The board adjourned immediately after reconvening

Stephen Robinson Katherine Stringer Dorine Vandeventer  Obituaries, A9

from executive session and almost everyone from the room —including Reinke— left, which was unusual compared to most board meetings where correctional staffers usually linger in the room talking and answering questions. Instead, department spokesman Jeff Ray remained in the room to inform reporters that the board did not accept Reinke’s resignation and declined to take any official action.

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Please see IDOC, A16

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AP Photo/St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Robert Cohen

Protesters take their pictures in front of the burning Juanita’s Fashion R Boutique on West Florissant Avenue in St. Louis, Mo. early Tuesday.

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SPECIAL REPORT

Idaho Press-Tribune • Wednesday, November 26, 2014

idahopress.com

Day 4: Other cities

Day 1: Money matters

Day 2: How it works

Day 3: Rural transit

Valley Regional Transit struggles to find funding

Rural parts of county have hodgepodge of transit options

Series graphics by Randy Lavorante/IPT and Freepik.com

Day 5: Local option tax

Day 6: Do nothing

Day 7: The future

Could local-option tax be a funding solution?

Doing nothing is always an option

What the future of public transit could be. What do legislators think?

BOISE

Examining the cost difference between riding the bus, driving your car

How have other cities funded their public transit?

A weeklong series on the future of public transit

GETTING FROM HERE TO THERE

Examples

service between stations and level platforms that allow passengers to board the 60-foot-long buses without stepping up. The RAPID buses use the same streets as private vehicles, but they have a few tricks up their sleeves to keep them moving Continued from A1 along their routes. hat includes two ecoFor example, the vehicles have an accorfriendly diesel-electric dion-like articulated joint in the middle, hybrids — along 26 routes which makes it easier to maneuver around covering 136 square miles traffic despite their length. And the drivers between Reno, its neighhave some limited control of traffic signals boring city Sparks and areas as they approach, so they can increase throughout Washoe County. their odds of hitting green lights. Southwestern Idaho’s Valley Regional Stops along the RAPID routes provide Transit’s budget, in comparison, was about real-time arrival information, so if a bus $12.4 million in 2013. is running a little late, those waiting don’t In 2013, about 22 percent of Reno’s have to wonder where it is. funding came from fare revenues. The rest “We even have a service where (riders) came from state funds (44 percent), federal can use their smartphone to text where assistance (33 percent) and 4 percent from they’re at, and it texts back how far away other funds. the bus is,” Harrington said. Four fully-electric buses service downBut Reno’s commission doesn’t just town Reno, Harrington said, and thanks to manage the area’s bus fleets, he said, it’s also a recent federal grant, four more will soon responsible for road and highway planning be added to the fleet to cover routes runin the area. As the community grows, planning between Reno and Sparks. ners can include changes in infrastructure Residents and visitors to the Washoe and vehicle fleets in the same equations. County area take over 8 million rides on Already, Harrington said, the commisthose vehicles every year, Harrington said. sion has future growth planned out until In comparison, VRT only provided just 2035. Public transportation is something under 1.5 million rides in 2013. the Reno-Sparks community consistently When the Washoe County’s transportasays they’d like to see more of, he said, and tion commission offers free rides on special the Blue Ribbon Committee — an advisory occasions — such as Election Day earlier group made up of business and commuthis month — it will get even more riders nity leaders — is constantly looking for new than usual. ways to expand transportation options. “We had 32,874 rides on the system (on The commission’s biggest project curNov. 4), which is the fourth highest riderrently underway — in fact, Harrington ship in RTC’s history,” he said. “It was just said, at a cost of $270 million, it’s the 10 rides shy of tying with the third-highest ridership. The highest ridership we’ve ever biggest in the commission’s history — is the construction of a new, five-mile-long had was approximately 34,000 rides in a roadway between Reno and Sparks. single day, which was another free riderCrews have just completed phase one ship day on Election Day in 2012.” — the first mile of the future Veterans It’s come a long way since bus service Parkway. Once complete, the corridor will began in September 1978 with five buses create a new route between the two cities. operating on four routes. The Regional Transportation Commission didn’t come SALT LAKE CITY along in its current form until the following July, after the Nevada Legislature Salt Lake City, Boise’s demographically consolidated three separate agencies — the similar neighbor to the south, used a local Regional Street and Highway Commission, option tax to implement a light rail system. the Regional Transit Commission and the The system was criticized but quickly saw a Washoe County Area Transportation Study ridership of 55,700 people in 2006 — more Policy Committee. than double what was projected by 2020, according to the Salt Lake Tribune. Within Reno itself, Harrington said extra-long RAPID buses carry more pasThe light rail program, known as TRAX, sengers faster along a five-mile-long corbegan in 1999 operating along one 16-mile ridor running from downtown Reno to the corridor between Salt Lake City and Sandy, Meadowood Mall. Utah. Two additional routes were built in They run all day every day, hitting each 2001 and 2003, with additional extensions stop once every 30 minutes from 4 a.m. to completed in 2011. midnight, and every hour until 4 o’clock The area’s local option tax, like the the next morning. Utah Transit Authority’s service, is spread The service is designed to feel like a out over multiple counties. A 0.625 tax in light-rail commuter train, with non-stop Salt Lake County, and a 0.5 percent tax in

Spokane, similar in size to Boise, has a long history public transportation, dating back to at least 1883. Today, it provides 11 million rides each year with its fleet of 148 buses and 118 paratransit vans.

Photo courtesy Spokane Transit Authority

Weber and Davis counties, are added to all non-food sales taxes and earmarked for transportation, according to the area’s regional transportation plan for 2007-2035. The Treasure Valley is about 15 years behind Salt Lake’s population, said Valley Regional Transit executive director Kelli Fairless. And Salt Lake City started designing its public transportation system about 10-15 years before it put the first rail in the ground. “Even if you’re extremely conservative, if you can take the long view about the investment that you’re making, public transportation ends up being a pretty good investment,” Fairless said. Just as light rail was unpopular in Salt Lake, public transit in Idaho could be hindered because Idaho doesn’t have public transit experience, Fairless said. But Idaho does know roads. “Now we’re paying the price for that because we have all these roads that take us places,” Fairless said. “We’ve designed our communities around driving, not walking, biking and public transportation. It’s made it even harder for public transportation to be efficient because of the way we’ve designed our cities.” Salt Lake figured out how much it would cost to not build public transit as part of its overall transportation system, she said. The city built a transit system in a 30-foot right-of-way that can carry up to 250,000 people without ever expanding that footprint, she said. In comparison, traffic on Interstate 84 near the Ten Mile exit has about a 93,000-vehicle count per day. The light rail is only one small part of the Utah Transit Authority, which maintains a fleet of 600 buses, 400 van pools, 146 light rail vehicles, 63 commuter rail cars and 18 locomotives. The authority serves not only Salt Lake City metropolitan area, but also six surrounding counties, which taken together are home to almost 2 million people. These vehicles operate along about 200 routes serving a 1,600-square-mile region encompassing Salt Lake City, Park City, Provo, Ogden and Tooele. The Utah Transportation Authority

operated on a budget of $202 million in 2012, according to a National Transportation Database report. Of that amount, about 22 percent came from passenger fares, 53 percent from state funds, 23 percent from federal funds and 3 percent from other sources. n

By Justin Dalme and John Funk

SPOKANE, WASHINGTON Spokane, Washington, another city with both geographic and demographic similarities to Boise, saw the birth of the Spokane Transit Authority in 1980, although public transportation in the city dates back to at least 1883, when independent businesses offered transportation service via horsedrawn carriages. Public transit has always remained a staple of the Spokane metro area, authority spokeswoman Beth Bousley said. In the 1920s, local utility companies in partnership with transit providers established the area’s first regional transportation network: the Spokane United Railway Company. Streetcars and trolleys moved residents and visitors around the city until the 1930s, Bousley said, when they were gradually replaced by buses and motor coaches. Due to gasoline rationing during World War II, ridership spiked in the mid- to late1940s. Today, according to an annual report released by the authority, it manages a fleet of 148 buses, 118 paratransit vans offering transportation service to the disabled and 111 van pools operating along 34 routes, providing about 11 million rides each year. It operates on a budget of about $56 million, about 18 percent of which comes from passenger fares. Sixty-five percent comes from local funds, 15 percent from federal assistance and 2 percent from other sources. The local portion of the funding, Bousley said, comes from a sales tax in a Public Transportation Benefit Area. When the authority was established in 1981, the amount of sales tax earmarked for transportation was set at 0.3 percent. In 2004, voters approved a 0.3 percent increase, bringing the total levy up to 0.6 percent, which generated about $37 million in 2012, according to a National Transportation Database report. n

By John Funk

Light rail past: Boise Interurban Railway looped through Valley

“N

ow serving the Nampa Depot,” the recorded voice said as the Boise Rapid Transit train car slowed. The doors slid open as a cacophony of sound poured in from the platform. People crowded into the car, quickly snatching up the seats. It left those too slow for musical chairs to stand the rest of the trip into downtown Boise. “Next stop, the Idaho Center.” At one time in the Treasure Valley, electrically powered, metal wheels clunked against the rail that connected the Boise Valley on a 60-mile-plus loop through Boise, Eagle, Star, Middleton, Caldwell, Nampa and Meridian. On May 28, 1890, the city of Boise chartered the initial street railway for what would eventually reach out to Caldwell by 1907 and be known as the Boise Interurban Railway, according to the Idaho State Historical Society.

It was a popular pastime to ride the entire loop on a Sunday afternoon, according to the historical society. A rail car window could frame scenes of burgeoning urban cities like Caldwell and Boise as well as the sage brush country of southwest Idaho. “Loop the loop and see the beauties of the Boise Valley,” an old advertisement reads. In Canyon County, tracks went through the heart of downtown Nampa and Caldwell. Two routes operated from downtown Caldwell, including a line that went to Wilder and another that extended to Lake Lowell. George “Darwin” Symms, of Symms Fruit Ranch, rode the trolley to the Sunny Slope area after Caldwell High School football practice every day, according to the book “Symms Sunny Slope: The Life and Times of the Symms Family.” “At least twice the coach kept him too long, and he had to walk home,” Dick

WHAT ABOUT LIGHT RAIL TODAY?

Photo courtesy of Mark Moore

The Boise Interurban Railway runs through downtown Caldwell at Seventh and Main streets next to the Caldwell Banking and Trust Co. building. Today, the building is home to the Bird Stop Coffee House. Symms says about his father. In May 1928, service on the electric line stopped. Intercity tracks were dismantled. Other tracks were paved over and forgotten. But evidence of yesteryear can still be seen in Middleton and at The Hat on the College of Idaho

campus, which was one of the stops on the interurban line. While the rail line ceases to exist, the route made a lasting impact on transportation in the Treasure Valley. If you line up the COMPASS vision map for 2040 and the old interurban route, you’ll notice the

corridors for high-capacity transit are the same. “I do think it will serve as a foundation and a backbone for where we’re going in the future,” COMPASS Associate Planner Walt Satterfield said. “It’s kind of interesting to see how some old things become new again in certain cases.”

The Community Planning Association of Southwest Idaho, COMPASS, has about $1 million set aside to look at a high-capacity corridor in the Treasure Valley. But in order to even do a study on light-rail, it would cost about $10 million, said COMPASS planner Walt Satterfield. In 2004, then-Gov. Dirk Kempthorne vetoed a Senate bill that would have allowed for the installation of intracity light rail systems on state highways. No serious discussion on a light rail has been brought up in the Legislature since. “For a region our size, we should have had the first commuter rail, sort of designed and ready to go into place the last time we expanded the freeway,” said Valley Regional Transit executive director Kelli Fairless.

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Thursday, November 27, 2014

Festival of Trees spreads its roots

GETTING FROM HERE TO THERE

By CHRISTINA MARFICE cmarfice@idahopress.com

NAMPA — In the days leading up to Thanksgiving, the organizers at the Canyon County Festival of Trees were hard at work making their new home feel like, well, home. “There’s a lot of things we were not prepared for that we’ve had to learn along the way,” said Trish Grohs, who handles marketing for the festival. Learning their way around a sound system that’s different from the one they’ve used for more than 20 years at the Nampa Civic Center was one challenge. Decorating a vastly larger space was another, Grohs added, saying a lot of this year’s festival has been “trial and error.” But Grohs also said community support has been greater this year than ever before. “The community has really gotten behind us for this event,” she said. “We have people coming this year who have never attended our gala before, and that’s really exciting.” According to Linda Clemenger, president of the Festival Board, the timing for the move simply worked out, especially when discounts at the Nampa Civic Center were eliminated this year, causing the rental cost for the festival to nearly double, she said. “We were comparing to see where else we could go to have more space, because we would have double the expenses but no way to make more money,” Clemenger said. “The Idaho Center is more expensive, but much more room.” Having so much extra space allows for more Christmas trees — 39 compared to last year’s 24 — and new events, including a Breakfast with Santa that Grohs said has been “extremely popular.”

LOCAL OPTION TAX

IN C

TA L

Ford Idaho Center provides more space for added events, additional trees

A weeklong series on the future of public transit

C IR

n the list of perennial topics that never seem to make it through the process in the Idaho Legislature, the subject of local option taxes must break the top 10. The idea would allow cities to place an option on the ballot for residents to add on to local taxes, usually sales tax, which could help pay for such things as school improvements, fire protection, or — in the case of this series — public transportation. Taxing authority in Idaho is highly limited; it mostly falls into the property tax arena, which isn’t exactly popular with voters. It is up to the Legislature to make that change if they deem it necessary.

Please see Trees, A15

“

I know the cities and counties are pushing hard for a local option tax, but I haven’t seen the momentum in the Legislature that needs to be there.” REP. GARY COLLINS, R-Nampa

Senate Pro Tempore Brent Hill, R-Rexburg, said when he was a freshman legislator 13 years ago, he was surprised by the notion that the Legislature could place so many restrictions on cities and counties when it comes to raising revenue. The closest the idea came to reality was in 2009, but then-Speaker of the House Lawerence Denney blocked the effort by requiring a constitutional amendment, which was a deal-breaker for supporters. The amendment would have established a two-thirds majority requirement from voters to levy the tax. “There was some opposition, including from some municipalities, about having that in the Constitution because that would preclude them from having some

other majority required,” Hill said. “There hasn’t been a successful effort at trying to allow a local option sales tax because it just hasn’t had any success at getting out of that taxation committee.” That’s been true recently, as well. Sen. Chuck Winder introduced a bill during the 2014 session that never made it past the House Revenue and Taxation Committee. Winder said he has been involved in transportation issues across the state and particularly in Ada County for the past 20 years, and some of the biggest problems urban areas have is that they don’t have the ability to use operational funds for public transit.

Please see Tax, A8

Day 5: Local option tax

Federal officials cancel permit for wolf-killing derby

WHAT IS A LOCAL OPTION TAX? A local option tax is a tax determined by voters to pay for a specific need or project. It is often placed on sales tax, such as a half-cent or full-cent increase to finance road projects, public works improvements, or for something like public transit. For a city to levy the tax, voters have to approve it by either a simple majority or supermajority, something to be determined by the legislature. Idaho law does not currently allow cities to use local option taxes, with the exception of resort towns with fewer than 10,000 residents.

By KEITH RIDLER The Associated Press

BOISE — The U.S. Bureau of Land Management has withdrawn a permit allowing a pro-hunting group to hold a wolf- and coyote-shooting derby on public land in Idaho. Late Tuesday, the agency canceled the permit issued Nov. 13 to Idaho for Wildlife that provided use of about 3 million acres of federal land for the three-day event in early January. The agency says the group modified the derby’s rules, making it unclear if the permit still applied. Derby organizers say the agency caved in to environmental groups but that the event will still be held on U.S. Forest Service land and private ranches in the east-central part of the state near Salmon. The BLM faced two federal lawsuits from conservation groups contending the agency violated environmental laws in issuing the permit.

 Deaths Xavier Bowen Thomas Chivers

Eugene Cobell Shirley Dean Bert Gifford

New record store open for business in downtown Nampa Grab bags, discounts available to celebrate Small Business Saturday

Sam Gutierrez changes the music at Collective Vinyl Records and Graphic Novels Tuesday. The store will celebrate its grand opening in downtown Nampa Saturday.

By TORRIE COPE tcope@idahopress.com

NAMPA — In conjunction with Small Business Saturday, a new downtown Nampa business is celebrating its grand opening. Sam Gutierrez and Christina Gonzalez opened Collective Vinyl Records and Graphic Novels in the Village Square building at 1305 Second St. S.

Torrie Cope/IPT

Please see Records, A15 Ramona Jones Dorine Vandeventer Phyllis White

 Obituaries, A7

Classifieds �� C7,8 Comics �� C5 Legals �� C6

Lottery �� A2 Movies �� A2 Opinion �� A14

Outdoors �� C1 Weather �� A2 C M Y K

SPECIAL REPORT

Idaho Press-Tribune • Thursday, November 27, 2014

Day 5: Local option tax

Series graphics by Randy Lavorante/IPT and Freepik.com

Day 1: Money matters

idahopress.com

Day 2: How it works

Day 3: Rural transit

Day 4: Other cities

Valley Regional Transit struggles to find funding

Rural parts of county have hodgepodge of transit options

How have other cities funded their public transit?

Day 6: Do nothing

Day 7: The future

Doing nothing is always an option

What the future of public transit could be. What do legislators think?

BOISE

Examining the cost difference between riding the bus, driving your car

Could local option tax be a funding solution?

A weeklong series on the future of public transit

GETTING FROM HERE TO THERE

Tax

“It would make our economic policies less consistent across the state if you do that, and predictability is something that you really want in taxation,” he said.

Continued from A1

RESORT TAXES

“They don’t have the available money because it’s only the money the federal government might have for buses or light rail or some type of transit,” Winder said. “The purpose of the bill was to say can we have local option, and if we do have local option, it would require that entity to come back to the people and say exactly what they would do with the money.” A study conducted by COMPASS, the Community Planning Association of Southwest Idaho, showed a 1 percent sales tax increase in Ada and Canyon counties would generate about $54.8 million per year, which could help overcome the transportation funding shortfall the organization faces. COMPASS Communications Coordinator Amy Luft said that figure is assuming certain population numbers and no restrictions on taxing amounts or other factors, but it is a generic figure. Winder’s local option bill was modeled after an approach used in Oklahoma City, partly as an answer to fears of debt service or indebtedness. The language of the legislation was more projectbased, more “pay as you go.” That bill went nowhere during the session, not even for a hearing in the Tax and Revenue Committee, chaired by Nampa Rep. Gary Collins. Collins said he voted for the idea in 2009, but he isn’t convinced the Legislature is ready for it at this point. “We had a lot of things going on, and I just didn’t feel it was the right time, and there wasn’t enough support really to do anything,” Collins said. “... I know the cities and counties are pushing hard for a local option tax, but I haven’t seen the momentum in the Legislature that needs to be there.”

Local option taxes do exist for a small portion of Idaho cities: resort towns with a population of fewer than 10,000 residents. Thirteen cities, such as Hailey, Ketchum and Sun Valley, have a local sales tax. In McCall, voters approved a 3 percent local option tax on lodging in 2005 and renewed it in 2011. BessieJo Wagner, city clerk for McCall, said this year that tax generated $340,000. “It helps with events, it helps maintain our parks and different facilities,” Wagner said. “It goes to help with free transit here in town, and some of that goes to help support that transit and it goes to various recreational activities and facilities.” Voters were asked to approve another 1 percent increase in the Greg Kreller/IPT general election this month, but Frank Yabon, of Garden City, checks his cellphone as he rides the Route 42 ValleyRide bus Wednesday morning to downtown Boise. the bond fell just shy of the majorYabon uses the bus to commute home after working an overnight shift at a Meridian business. ity needed for implementation. The extra revenue would have have between the Legislature and in the past because of the county’s is as good as Caldwell can afford, provided for city street, water and the Association of (Idaho) Cities close border with Oregon — a state he said, but it’s also a question of sewer line improvements. particularly, is they want to have with no sales tax. cost and benefit. But Wagner said the existing a simple majority to pass it, and “It’s a Catch 22 situation where Others are supportive but not the Legislature is pretty stuck on if there was a more robust system, tax has helped increase tourism in hopeful that any progress will be some respects. The McCall Winter supermajority,” Collins said. made anytime soon. That includes people would use it, but you can’t Carnival, a popular annual attracGrigg said the requirement afford a more robust system,” he Nampa Mayor Bob Henry and could vary based on the goals of said. “Salt Lake City is an example tion, used to have only one fireCaldwell Mayor Garret Nancolas. the tax, similar to the way school Henry said he has spoken with of that. If it’s there, people will use works show, and the extra revenue now funds two shows — one at the elections take place. it.” legislators about the idea for the beginning of the carnival and one “From my membership’s perSalt Lake City is a prime exupcoming session, but it doesn’t at the end. spective, the preference would be ample of using local option taxes sound promising. to have broad local option authorto fund a transportation system. “They’ve shown there’s more “They’re thinking it’s dead on ity to where they can put the issue arrival for this year,” Henry said. The Utah Transit Authority runs people who stay through the on the ballot before the voters second weekend since they started “And I guess personally, I’ve never a 50-station, 45-mile light rail and have pretty broad discretion system, a commuter rail, a bus had a problem with the local opdoing the second fireworks show,” in how the funds would be used,” system and street car system in the Wagner said. tion tax because you have to get Grigg said. “A lot of folks are interapproval from the voters. I’ve never metropolitan area. Idaho’s sales ested in using it for transportation quite understood why the state tax is 6 percent, while Salt Lake FUTURE EFFORTS projects, but there are lots of other says, ‘Oh, we need to control that.’ City’s sales tax is 6.85 percent to Neither Collins nor Winder issues folks would like to see, too.” I think that’s something better finance all of those services. Voters seemed confident the local option Another problem arises when it controlled by the local entities.” in Salt Lake City have approved comes to taxes that would vary by those tax increases throughout the tax will have legs this year, and Nancolas said he has spoken county and possibly suck busiHill had his doubts, as well. Hill years and created one of the most with legislators about the issue THE STICKING POINT ness away from those areas. If Ada every year since he took office in said he has heard rumors that the extensive transportation systems Seth Grigg has been executive County were to pass a local option 1998, and the status quo remains. in the country. Idaho Chamber Alliance might director of the Association of Idaho tax but one did not exist in Canyon Nancolas said he believes the auSen. Jim Rice, R-Caldwell, make it a priority, and if that hapCities for just a couple of months, County, consumers might elect to thority already exists under Idaho’s disagrees with Nancolas. Rice also pens, it could stir some momenbut he worked for the Idaho Asdo business outside of Ada County Constitution, and an amendment sits on the Tax and Revenue Comtum. sociation of Counties for about five to avoid the extra cost. Winder mittee in the Legislature. is not necessary. Debbie Kling, president and years before this. Grigg said the said if there were a local option tax “It’s a really, really bad idea,” “I’ve always been supportive CEO of the Nampa Chamber of issue between cities and counties passed for transit in the Treasure Rice said, “because what you get is Commerce, said the Chamber of the local option tax, and the and the Legislature largely comes Valley, he envisioned both counreason I am is because it’s publicly patchwork problems being solved Alliance does view it as a top down to how a local option tax ties trying to pass the tax to avoid with a local option sales tax, which priority, and the Nampa Chamber approved,” he said. “I can’t think would work — would a simple ma- that problem. could be very damaging to the of a better way to let the public supports it, as well. Kling has also jority of voters need to approve the western parts of Canyon County determine their own plan.” met with legislators on the issue tax, or 60 percent, or a supermaLOCAL REACTION especially.” Nancolas said Canyon County and plans to bring it up at the jority of 66 percent? Proponents He also said it would also creThe idea still bothers some would benefit from more transporargue a constitutional amendment chamber luncheon next month ate confusion and problems that local officials, including Canyon tation options, but he said that, like giving a concrete threshold is too would stretch beyond the Treasure with local legislators present. County Commissioner Steve Rule, anything else, it comes down to a restrictive, but some legislators “It’s important to remember Valley. who has been opposed to the idea funding issue. The current system have insisted on one. that the community would get to Collins said that is vote to approve a local sales tax,” where the issue has stalled. Kling said. “This could not be “That’s one of the implemented without community sticking points we seem to support and approval.” Still, Hill said he doesn’t see the issue taking flight. “I don’t see it going anywhere in the near future. If we were to raise taxes, I think the general feeling is the needs are greatest in the transportation taxes (for road improvements),” Hill said. “So if there were to be a need for raising taxes, that would be the place to do it.” Winder said he won’t stick his neck out again unless he receives more support from organizations that are pushing the issue, like the Association of Idaho Cities and Idaho Association of Counties. “They’re always saying they’re in favor of it, but like last time, I had asked for a letter of support and I never did get one from either entity,” Winder said. “What I told them is if they’re not going to support it, I’m not going to bring it back again. It’s for them, and if they want MULTIMEDIA it, they’re going to Check out have to a time-lapse stand video of the up and bus route from work Nampa to Boise at in the Idahopress.com/ process.”

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BSU star running back Ajayi and coach Harsin will discuss future after season. SPORTS, 1B

Emergency responders observe holiday in their own way. A4

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Friday, November 28, 2014

Obama’s action FACING THE PRECIPICE could give illegals benefits GETTING FROM HERE TO THERE

A weeklong series on the future of public transit

Staying the course by doing nothing likely will mean longer commute times, congestion

Those who apply for work permits could get Social Security, Medicare By JIM KUHNHENN The Associated Press

Greg Kreller/IPT

Slow-moving morning traffic on I-84 into downtown Boise. In 26 years, Ada and Canyon counties’ population could increase from 581,288 to almost 1.02 million.

“

t doesn’t take a traffic study to know that a drive from Caldwell to Boise in the morning can be a painfully slow chug. Driving back in the afternoon is no improvement. It’s difficult to imagine it could get any worse. But in the event that nothing is done to change the present course of transportation infrastructure and public transit WALT SATTERFIELD funding, it certainly will be. COMPASS planner A future where it takes as many as 70 minutes to drive between Caldwell and is projected funding for only $5.4 billion. downtown Boise is real. The drive from And of the 33 projects that COMPASS Nampa to the Boise Airport, currently has recommended for its comprehensive about 25 minutes, could be 40 minutes to transportation plan, not one is geared tonearly an hour. ward comprehensive public transportaThis is the tough outlook for comtion studies that would lead to a light-rail muters forecast in the Communities in system or dedicated bus rapid transit. Motion study put together by the Com“We are making choices about transmunity Planning Association of Southportation right now that aren’t the most west Idaho. efficient long-view type choices,” Valley The total amount to fund projects to address the issue between 2014 and 2040 Regional Transit Executive Director Kelli is estimated to be $9.7 billion. But there Fairless said.

At this point, because of our funding situation we have enough barely to put together the bus system we have.”

MORE PEOPLE, MORE CARS In just 26 years, the area including Canyon and Ada counties is expected to see its population almost double from 581,288 to almost 1.02 million. Nampa and Meridian would see some of the largest single increases of around 70,000 people each. Star would make a jump from just 6,472 residents to 35,644. More people means more drivers on the roads. The Communities in Motion 2040 study forecasts that if left unfunded, many roads in the area could see significant speed decreases from congestion. Major roads such as Interstate 84, Eagle Road and Caldwell Boulevard could see slowdowns of anywhere between 10 and 30 mph. State Highway 44 and Chinden Boulevard could see even more severe slowdowns of between 30 and 40 mph.

Please see Population, A3

TREASURE VALLEY 2040 Transportation Network Characteristics........2013............ 2040 (funded).... 2040 (plus unfunded) Population................................................................600,000...........1 million................. 1 million Employment.............................................................251,000...........462,000.................. 462,000 Vehicle miles of travel, average weekday.................12 million........27.1 million............ 26.9 million Hours of delay, average weekday.............................28,000.............430,000.................. 233,100 Travel time to/from destinations (average weekday) Caldwell to downtown Boise....................................35 minutes......70 minutes............. 50 minutes Nampa to Boise Airport............................................25 minutes......50 minutes............. 40 minutes Can Ada Road in Star to St. Luke’s Boise...................30 minutes......50 minutes............. 40 minutes City of Eagle to St. Luke’s Meridian...........................15 minutes......25 minutes............. 15 minutes

Day 6: Do nothing

SOURCE: COMPASS Communities in Motion 2040

 Deaths Shirley Dean Loren Padgett Jr.

Katherine Stringer Dorine Vandeventer

Ernest Weaver  Obituaries, A7

Classifieds �� C6-7 Comics �� C5 Legals �� A13, C8

Lottery �� A2 Movies �� C2 Opinion �� A10

A&E................. C1-3 Money �� A6 Weather �� A2

WASHINGTON — Many immigrants in the United States illegally who apply for work permits under President Barack Obama’s new executive actions would be eligible for Social Security and Medicare benefits upon reaching retirement age, according to the White House. Under Obama’s actions, immigrants who are spared deportation could obtain work permits and a Social Security number. As a result, they would pay into the Social Security system through payroll taxes. No such “lawfully present” immigrant, however, would be immediately entitled to the benefits because like all Social Security and Medicare recipients they would have to work 10 years to become eligible for retirement payments and health care. To remain qualified, either Congress or future administrations would have to extend Obama’s actions so that those immigrants would still be considered lawfully present in the country.

Please see Immigration, A4

Police take 4 Nampa kids into protective custody IDAHO PRESS-TRIBUNE STAFF newsroom@idahopress.com

NAMPA — Four children were taken into protective custody after being found living in deplorable conditions at a residence in Nampa on Tuesday. The children were found while Nampa police responded to the 100 block of 10th Avenue for a warrant service. Shaun Rimington, 43, was taken into custody for outstanding warrants. While in the home, officers found the four children, all under the age of 8, were found living in what police called dirty and potentially dangerous conditions. Sergeant Joe Ramirez with the Nampa Police Department said lack of food and exposure to drug paraphernalia were also factors in the decision to take the children into protective custody with the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare. Their mother, Melissa Cantrall, 34 was taken into custody. Both Cantrall and Rimington were both charged with four counts of felony injury to a child, felony possession of a controlled substance and misdemeanor charges of possession of drug paraphernalia.

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idahopress.com

SPECIAL REPORT

Idaho Press-Tribune • Friday, November 28, 2014

Day 6: Do nothing

Series graphics by Randy Lavorante/IPT and Freepik.com

Day 1: Money matters

Day 2: How it works

Day 3: Rural transit

Day 4: Other cities

Day 5: Local option tax

Valley Regional Transit struggles to find funding

Rural parts of county have hodgepodge of transit options

How have other cities funded their public transit?

Could local option tax be a funding solution?

Day 7: The future

BOISE

Examining the cost difference between riding the bus, driving your car

Doing nothing is always an option

What the future of public transit could be. What do legislators think?

A weeklong series on the future of public transit

GETTING FROM HERE TO THERE

Population

Continued from A1

ven if all 33 of the projects suggested by COMPASS were funded, congestion is expected to increase in some areas because the population is expected to be so much higher. The drive from Nampa to the Boise Airport currently takes only about 25 minutes, and while leaving all projects unfunded could see that drive time go up to nearly an hour, COMPASS believes the commute still may get up to 40 minutes by 2040. “Sometimes even with those needs funded we have an increase in travel times just because of that increase in population,” said Amy Luft, communication coordinator for COMPASS. COMPASS estimates it would take $359 million per year to meet its existing funding needs for its 33 priority projects — no new public transit included — and $159 million annually is still unfunded. This money would likely have to come from a variety of sources such as taxes and vehicle registration fees. “The funding stream hasn’t been able to keep up,” Luft said. “The $159 million a year sounds like a lot of money, but it’s an additional $2 per household per day. It’s less than a latte.”

PLANS ARE THERE A short-term plan by VRT for Canyon County includes a major transit center near downtown Nampa and a bus route going down Caldwell Boulevard. Other major areas, such as colleges and medical centers, are hit but on longer intervals. The plan also includes intercounty service from Caldwell and Nampa to downtown Boise every hour during peak times and every three hours during the middle of the day. With the short-range plan, which is a basic bus system, it would be about 250 percent more hours of service than the system has today, Fairless said. “That really indicates how far behind we are,” she said. There are several studies and forecasts produced by various transportation groups and agencies that would be responsible for helping put more public transportation in place, such as Valley Regional Transit and COMPASS, but the studies all face the same challenge — there is no funding to move them forward, so they sit on a shelf until they become outdated. Lisa Itkonen, principal planner with COMPASS, said it takes about 20 years to implement a fully functioning light rail system into a town, so planning ahead is key. Even existing bus systems must be in place to help support a more robust public transportation option since there has to be a way for riders to access rail systems. No study, construction or operation can move forward unless it can be paid for. Luft said there are studies for more public trans-

portation systems, but they are limited and really only a first step to get the community moving in a new direction. “With the study is the timing,” she said. “Eventually the numbers aren’t good anymore. So any study done has to be done in an appropriate time so you don’t spend $10 million on a study to have it sit on a shelf for so long that you have to do it all over again because it’s so outdated.”

NEGATING ROADBLOCKS There are several roadblocks to making progress toward a public transportation system in the Treasure Valley. But funding of public transit doesn’t seem to be an issue that the state Legislature will take up any time soon, especially with the shortfall in highway and road funds. State Sen. Jim Rice, R-Caldwell, said he doubts any public transportation funding will be talked about this year. “At this point, because of our funding situation we have enough barely to put together the bus system we have,” said Walt Satterfield, COMPASS planner. Luft said the Treasure Valley doesn’t even have the option of using existing income to fund studies or projects, and a change in how funding is able to be used would start at the Legislature. But funding public transit would sidetrack funding for highway transportation, Rice said. According to a 2010 governor-appointed task force, Idaho needs $287 million more in revenue each year to preserve and restore existing roads. If the state wanted to make enhancements for capacity and safety, it would need an additional $632 million each year. “We have a lot of bridges that we need to get replaced,” Rice said, adding I-84 still needs expansion. There is a bottleneck every day coming into Nampa eastbound after the Garrity exit, he said. But Fairless questions if growing the highway and road system is the best route. “What business person ever builds things they can’t sustain and maintain?” Fairless said. “And then they don’t put any money into it because nobody wants to pay for it.” To have a good transit system, there needs to be investments in roads and public transit, as the state can’t have one without the other, Fairless said. Another reason public transit isn’t on the forefront of the Leglislature’s agenda is because it has not become a statewide issue, Rice said — a fact Fairless knows all too well. “A lot of the legislators see public transportation as an urban issue,” Fairless said. “So we have a little bit of that tension, I think.” But as Valley Regional Transit struggles to find a dedicated funding source, even existing transit systems seem doomed to remain exactly as they are. “It’s difficult to plan an expansion when you don’t know year to year what your funding is going to be,” Luft said. “The emphasis on that dedicated funding source, something that can be planned on and anticipated is really huge.”

Rep. Gayle Batt

Rep. Gary Collins

Rep. Rick Youngblood

Rep. Brent Crane

Sen. Jim Rice

Rep. Greg Chaney

Sen. Patti Anne Lodge

Priority on funding traditional modes of transportation

hat do local legislators think about funding for public transportation? It seems the general feeling is it’s on the back burner for now in favor of other issues.

NAMPA LEGISLATORS Rep. Gayle Batt: “My first priority is finding a reliable funding source for our traditional modes of transportation. I think that’s going to be the hot topic of the Legislature this year, so definitely that’s priority over public transportation. … Not that there’s not value that could be recognized, I don’t want to dismiss it completely. But I think we’ve been looking for a solution to this funding for our transportation needs for a while now, and we’re going to have to figure that one out this year.” Rep. Gary Collins: “(Road improvements are) definitely something that will happen before we start looking at anything like light rail. Maybe improving the bus system would be something we’d look at, I know that’s been talked about before. The commuter ride van and buses are full now, and we could make it a little more accommodating. I assume this hub that’s being built in Boise will have something to do with that, too. Right now, you’ve got to work in certain locales if you’re going to ride the bus or use one of the commuter vans. I think that’s part of the mix that we need to look at, too.” Rep. Rick Youngblood: “We have lots of public transportation today in the Valley. You’ve got Valley Ride, Treasure Valley Transit, you’ve got a ton of entities. … It’s important particularly for our rural communities and senior adults. Does it need funding? Yes. How we get there, that’s up for further discussions. From my perspective, the need would be more for rural communities.” Rep. Brent Crane: “We have to make sure we maintain our current public transit system. I don’t know

where you’d get the money for light rail or if you could get Idahoans to buy into it. … We are very self-reliant people, and Idahoans like to have their own vehicle and drive to work so they can get off work and go where they want to go. So to that end, I think there would have to be somewhat of a cultural shift in Idaho. There’s going to have to be buy in. … I think the need would have to be demonstrated and you’d have to figure out how to pay for it. ”

CALDWELL LEGISLATORS Sen. Jim Rice: “We have other priorities right now. I think the top priority is the dollars for our roads and bridges, and that’s my highest priority for this session. I’m not even thinking about public transportation right now. … We do have some public transportation, and eventually I think you’ll see more movement on it, but I think it’s something that’s going to be more local driven rather than legislative driven.” Rep. Greg Chaney: “We have other priorities we need to take care of. I think the priority right now actually is away from Boise, and we really need to figure out how we’re going to fund Canyon County improvements such as Highway 55, and how we’re going to make sure we’re keeping our infrastructure throughout the state up. We also have some bridges that need help. I really appreciate Valley Ride in Boise and the fact that they’ve been able to expand in Canyon County. I think that’s really key to student populations and to lowincome families that need that option. As we continue to grow, it will become more and more important.” Sen. Patti Anne Lodge: “Right now what I’m hearing from folks is the roads and bridges, trying to make sure the roads are good. I’d like to see more people using (public transit). Many times there’s no one on public transportation, but I’ve also noticed more people waiting at the bus stop on Cleveland Boulevard, so I see that maybe it’s being used more. ... I haven’t heard any comments on public transportation, but the roads I have.”

IACI president says public transit options not immediate priority

ardner Company executive Tommy Ahlquist hopes the downtown transit center his company is building in Boise will create momentum for more public transportation across the Treasure Valley. Ahlquist is chief operating officer of the Gardner Company, which is in charge of a large downtown project called City Center Plaza, a two-building area with space for offices, retail shops and more. The transit center will be part of that space, and construction is scheduled to begin in July. Ahlquist said it should finish by June 2016. Valley Regional Transit will use the underground space for eight buses, and the hope is to increase ridership and build momentum for public transit. “It’s designed to be the downtown site for pick-ups and drop-offs,” Ahlquist said. He hopes the hub will have an effect on public perception of taking the bus, and increase routes with ridership. Ahlquist said a recent United Way community assessment showed public transportation is one of the highest needs. “There’s no doubt we need public transportation desperately in the Valley all over C M Y K

the place,” he said. “... The question is, how does it get funded?” Idaho Association of Commerce and Industry President Alex LaBeau said he and his staff are constantly in contact with legislators on the issue of transportation, but not so much on the subject of buses and trains. Their concerns fall more along the lines of roads and bridges. “There are a couple of areas when it comes to transportation issues that we certainly are concerned about,” LaBeau said. “There are bridges that are in need of reconditioning, and that’s certainly a significant concern when you can’t move enough in single loads. You have to continue to upgrade your transportation system in order to move commerce.” Ahlquist said he is aware there isn’t a lot of commitment or investment in public transit at the moment, because it is focused on LaBeau’s priorities of roads and bridges. The solution will involve the government making it a priority and establishing a strategic plan, but it will also need investment from the private sector, Ahlquist said. “The hard thing for legislators is they’ll say ‘That’s just an Ada County problem,’” Ahlquist said, “and a lot of legislators don’t have their focus on what happens here. That’s the tricky part, is where does this leadership come from and how do we go forward?”

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Saturday, November 29, 2014

Idaho pot advocates push for legalization by 2016

GETTING FROM HERE TO THERE

A weeklong series on the future of public transit

THE FUTURE STARTS NOW

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

MOSCOW — A new group is beginning a statewide campaign effort to legalize marijuana in Idaho by 2016. New Approach Idaho is the latest pro-marijuana organization to emerge after a string of failed attempts by other groups over the years to legalize marijuana in Idaho. The new group is focused on allowing medical marijuana, but the longterm goal is full legalization, the Moscow-Pullman Daily News reports.

Please see Pot, A14

2 charged in connection with ‘Black Thursday’ shoplifting case By IDAHO PRESS-TRIBUNE STAFF newsroom@idahopress.com

NAMPA — Two Oregonians face multiple charges after police say they tried to steal from a Nampa store Thursday night. Officers responding to reports of a shoplifting in progress apprehended Gregory R. Redner, 48, of Ontario, Oregon, as he tried to flee the North Marketplace Boulevard store on foot, Nampa Police Department officials Gregory Redner said in a news release. Suspect A second suspect, Camilla E. Hunt, also of Oregon, fled to a vehicle and drove away, nearly striking two officers with her car. Police briefly pursued, but called off the chase because of crowded holi- Camilla Hunt day shopping events. But Suspect Hunt continued to drive in circles around the parking lot, where officers used a spike strip to deflate two of her tires. She abandoned the car and tried to flee on foot, but was caught and taken into custody. During the investigation, police said, Hunt was found to be under the influence of an intoxicating substance. She faces charges of aggravated assault on law enforcement officers, burglary, felony eluding, driving under the influence, driving without privileges and petit theft. She also had an outstanding probation violation warrant at the time of her arrest. Redner was booked on charges of burglary and petty theft.

 Deaths Russell Cuttlers Shirley Dean

Juanita Gonzalez Helen McCloy William Potratz

Photo illustration by Randy Lavorante/IPT, compositing downtown Boise photo by Greg Kreller/IPT and metro train AP photo by J. Scott Applewhite

magine this: A man lives in Caldwell and needs a ride to the airport, but he doesn’t want to leave his car in a parking garage for a week. Instead, he catches a neighborhood bus into Caldwell’s downtown and walks a block to a train platform. Then for just $2.50, he purchases a ticket for the 30-minute ride to the airport. This scenario could be duplicated for residents in Nampa, Meridian, Notus, Star and Boise. And it’s not far-fetched. There are transportation groups such as the Community Planning

Association of Southwest Idaho with well-researched plans to transform the Treasure Valley into an interconnected hub — all they need now is the funding.

IMPROVING MOBILITY Unlike the electric trolley used around the area the 1920s, a new rail system in the Treasure Valley could look like a Siemens S70 train system like the kind already being used in neighboring Salt Lake City or Portland. They are quiet, quick and typically inexpensive for riders. Portland’s TriMet system charges anywhere from $2.50 for an adult two-hour ticket and $100 for a one-month ticket. TRAX operated by the Utah Transit Authority charges similar fares for use of its system. MaryAnn Waldinger, a principal planner with COMPASS, said implementation of public transit systems doesn’t negate the need to upkeep existing road systems. Instead, it offers more options for people to get around.

“It’s really about giving people choices,” Waldinger said. Ideally in the future, people would not have to drive across the Treasure Valley to get from their home to their job. Lisa Itkonen, also a principal planner with COMPASS, said a major part of the organization’s Communities in Motion 2040 plan is to incorporate land use, environmental protection and livability into the future of the Treasure Valley.

Please see Future, A3

Day 7: The future

Futuristic IPT photo illustration

Canyon County Festival of Trees adds new dimension this year Idaho Center provides opportunities to expand By ZACHARY CHASTAINE zchastaine@idahopress.com

NAMPA – It took little time for the Ford Idaho Center to fill with people in the opening hours of the Canyon County Festival of Trees. Visitors filed in to see dozens of bright and colorful trees filling the festival’s new venue at the Idaho Center, which orFrances Roundy Katherine Stringer Michael Warren

Ellen Landreth, of Nampa, dressed as Mrs. Claus, looks at the trees on display at the opening day of the Canyon County Festival of Trees Friday afternoon at the Ford Idaho Center in Nampa.

ganizers say is offering the festival new opportunities and a chance to grow. The Canyon County Festival of Trees is a fundraiser for Meals on Wheels in Nampa and Caldwell. Event chairwoman Linda Clemenger said the aim is to grow and expand to be able to do more for their cause, and the festival’s new home at the Idaho Center has already provided space for expansion.

Please see Trees, A14

Dorothy West  Obituaries, A7

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Money �� C1 Weather �� A2

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SPECIAL REPORT

Idaho Press-Tribune • Saturday, November 29, 2014

Day 1: Money matters

Day 7: The future

Series graphics by Randy Lavorante/IPT and Freepik.com

Day 2: How it works

Day 3: Rural transit

Day 4: Other cities

Day 5: Local option tax

Day 6: Do nothing

Valley Regional Transit struggles to find funding

Rural parts of county have hodgepodge of transit options

How have other cities funded their public transit?

Could local option tax be a funding solution?

Doing nothing is always an option

BOISE

Examining the cost difference between riding the bus, driving your car

What the future of public transit could be. What do legislators think?

A weeklong series on the future of public transit

Future

Continued from A1

ll of this is intertwined with how people get to and from their residence and workplaces. Waldinger said there are roughly 30,000 jobs in downtown Boise. That number is unlikely to change, but moving forward, services and jobs can be established closer to homes. Land-use plans envisioned by COMPASS work toward accomplishing that goal, she said. Waldinger said many people, for example, work at major job locations such as St. Luke’s downtown, Boise State University and the Ada County Courthouse. She said these job locations are not likely to diminish over time. “We’ll still have some of those challenges when you think about the density, and that’s a vibrant downtown,” Waldinger said. “But at least if we provide other services and jobs near where new homes are going, they have opportunities for shorter trips.” A future transit system in the Treasure Valley would likely connect the area in a loop that would run close to Interstate 84 from Caldwell and every town between to the Boise Airport. It would loop around State Highway 44 connecting Garden City, Eagle and northern communities like Star. Neighborhoods would have bus lines — if the existing Valley Regional Transit system were expanded — so people in suburbs and apartment complexes could access the rail lines to connect the Valley. Routes similar to this have been explored by Valley Regional Transit in past studies.

GETTING FROM HERE TO THERE

“

The West, especially the rural West, is certainly a very carfocused society, but studies show that new generations, especially with the millennials, are much, much more interested in transit.” AMY LUFT COMPASS communication coordinator

KEEPING UP WITH THE TIMES This mix of communities, workplaces and living space planned between existing farmland and homes depends on a robust transportation system to help make it a success, especially with younger generations. “The West, especially the rural West, is certainly a very car-focused society, but studies show that new generations, especially with the millennials, are much, much more interested in transit,” said Amy Luft, COMPASS communication coordinator. “They have a significantly lower rate of car ownership. They’re also more interested in living in downtowns where they can walk instead of driving.” Luft said developers are adjusting to market trends. While someone may work in Boise but live in Nampa where they could afford housing, the trend is to find housing closer to sites of employment. “If you live in one area and work in another area because that’s what you thought you could afford, you may be spending more because your commuter costs are higher,” Luft said. “In some cases, even when the housing itself is a little more

Above: This 2013 artist rendering shows the look and feel Meridian Development Corporation envisions for downtown Meridian in the distant future. (Submitted rendering) Below: Traffic backs up in the westbound lanes of Interstate 84 near Northside Boulevard exit 35 during a commute April 25, 2012. (IPT file photo) expensive, overall it’s still maybe more affordable because people aren’t having the long commute times, paying the gas, the insurance the wear and tear on their car.”

WHY IT MATTERS If the Treasure Valley planned well, it could have a robust bus system planned around a rail system so that all of the infrastructure necessary to support the system is in place by the time it is built. That way no one system is lacking, and it all is up and running at the same time. Itkonen said as these systems came into place, bike lanes and sidewalks would to fill the gaps for pedestrians and people with short trips to train stations, but also

parking lots for motorists who want to break up their commute between car and train have to be built. These lots are called park and ride lots and are part of the bigger transit picture. “One of the things this vision also calls for is some high-capacity transit,” Itkonen said. “There is a call for that kind of thing, because we’re forecasting that the Valley will have just over a million people by 2040 and just half a million jobs.” Itkonen said the year 2040 is the wrong time to start making plans. “It’s a long process, and to have something like that in place by 2040 when we would really truly need it with the population we’re forecasting, we would need to commit to it now,” Itkonen said.

TO LEARN MORE To learn more about the Communities in Motion 2040 plan and how neighborhoods could be planned in the future, go to compassidaho.org.

MULTIMEDIA Check out videos of the 10 most traffic-congested cities in the world and an example of traffic in India at idahopress.com.

Comment on paratransit standards

BOISE — Valley Regional Transit, the regional public transportation authority for Ada and Canyon counties, is completing an update to its ACCESS paratransit transportation operations plan and is seeking public comment on service standards. Open house meetings have been scheduled for the following dates: n 3-7 p.m. Dec. 10 at Boise City Hall main lobby, 150 N. Capitol Blvd. n 3-7 p.m. Dec. 11 at Nampa City Hall Council Chambers, 411 Third St. S. Information about the draft ACCESS operations plan and standards is available at www.valleyride.org/special-services/ paratransit. Those who can’t attend an open house can still provide comment by filling out the comment form on the web page listed above, comC M Y K

pleting an online survey that can be accessed at the web page or by contacting Mark Carnopis at 258-2702 or mcarnopis@valleyregionaltransit.org. Deadline for comment is Dec. 12.

Idaho rockslide halts passenger, freight trains

BONNERS FERRY (AP) — A rock slide has closed a main BNSF Railway connection between Washington state and Idaho. BNSF spokesman Gus Melonas says a large slide 14 miles east of Bonners Ferry covered the tracks about 12:30 p.m. Friday. Amtrak passenger trains running from Seattle and Portland to Chicago have been halted for 48 hours. Freight traffic has also been temporarily suspended. Melonas says about 20 railway personnel along with heavy equipment have been brought in to clear the debris.

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