I believe the most important role a news outlet can have is that of watchdog. There's too little of it in the mainstream media. So I was actually impressed by the Statesman's report on the streetcar, that the paper had actually requested documents, found something noteworthy and wrote about it. The questions posed by the story were legit. There's still a lot of watchdog work to do, most notably on the streetcar. We've tried to pose some of the questions and report the answers at the Idaho Freedom Foundation via our own investigative reporter. I'd encourage you to keep going, to be more quizzical about things, more skeptical about expenditures and policy statements made by ALL elected officials. As for Larry Craig, I think it's always reasonable to ask questions and report about the expenditure of public dollars, especially in salaries and bonuses, and report the findings. My only criticism is the story was oddly timed (11 months after leaving office).

Snarky? Have you considered examining your defensiveness rather than your current posture of righteous indigniation at the response to The Statesman coverage of the street car contract? If these stories pass YOUR watchdog test but not your readers', well then what does that tell you? Are we just a bunch of morons? Do you suppose it might be possible that your readers don't care because there's not much of a story here? Maybe your readers don't agree that phrases such as "thoroughly bungles" and "glaring omissions" are apt descriptions of the issue. Oh my word is the sky really falling? Apparently not.

To my knowledge, The Statesman is the only local media outlet that gave this story any time at all. Why is that?

If The Statesman really wants to demonstrate its concern for how taxpayer dollars are spent, why doesn't Cynthia Sewell report on the relationship between the City and ACHD? Has ACHD provided an accounting for how it's spent the City of Boise's money? Or how about the Pam Lowe / ITD debacle? Is the State of Idaho going to spend taxpayer dollars to defend itself in this lawsuit? How much? Has the Statesman done an investigation into the truth of her allegations?

Or how about a plain old balanced article about the pros and cons of the street car? One that accurately characterizes expert opinion? (As opposed to the type you printed this summer, written by - surprise! - Cynthia Sewell, after which the expert who was quoted felt compelled to submit a rebuttal because his opinion was so grossly mischaracterized in her article.)

Watchdog- yes.

Bolstads Craig story is ALL about Craig.

But in your OWN words, here is THE story:

"And the bonuses point to a larger trend on Capitol Hill. Craig isn't the only retiring lawmaker to award such pay raises, with little fanfare and no form of checks and balances.

That's why I find the bonuses troubling. This story has nothing to do with the well-documented circumstances surrounding Craig's retirement. It has to do with how elected officials spend your money while they're heading out the door.""

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So Bolstad missed the real story. Instead she shines a light on Craig, an outgoing politician. Even if your readers got in an uproar, so what? He's done. It's too late to do much about it. The story is the process allows such waste. If you want to be a watch dog, monitor the current congressmen regularly and report the staff salaries- all of them,,, fairly and objectively.

And yes, any additional Craig story is beating a dead horse. You can thank Popkey for that.

The streetcar stories is actually a good story.

And from reading the first page (of many) comments I see readers agree. "something smells" "rats" etc.... so why do you KR, think the readers are not responding as you expect.

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And the story is not so much the streetcar contract, but the mindset of the politician who think they can pull strings and do whatever they want. The Statesman is VERY inconsistent on local govt reporting for this issue. ACHD is a prime example.

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Even when you do get a good watchdog story, so what?
And then what???? The Statesman floats a story and then let's it die. The voters forget about within a week. And worse, you and your op/ed board then endorse the idiot candidate that made news the previous year for not remitting their sales tax, etc.

Theres' no follow-through to create and build the public opinion/action.

Watchdog and help educate.

My bet is 99% of the Boise residents do not understand CCDC, how it is run, or how it is funded. Just one of many govt and quasi govt agencies that use our taxdollars with little public scrutiny.

This is an example of how the Statesman (any media) can help people understand how and why things happen. Throw a spotlight on CCDC and WHY they want a streetcar, and voters can develop a more informed opinion.

and report. But with a concept of relevancy and significance. I thought the Craig piece was important enough for a blurb but given that Craig's defense made the Statesman a part of that story, even to the point of injection into it, the criticism was certainly expected.

Lots of folks are still confused by the Sewell story because there was little context on whether it was out of the ordinary. My understanding is that Cronin was available for some brainstorming in which that firm was able to give some media advice on the streetcar opportunity with the stimulus money. He billed and received payment for his time. Thereafter he competitively sought and obtained a much larger contract involving the same subject matter. Have I got it right so far?

But more to the point are shrew's comments on Cynthia's editorializing in the article. When a reporter doesn't rely solely on the facts and starts using adjectives and adverbs in an obvious attempt to foment outrage, then she doesn't appear objective and really has crossed a line.

Yes some of the City representatives had previous associations with Brian Cronin. Its a small state and an even smaller city. But given the revolving door ethics on the state level with officials moving directly into lucrative lobbying positions to lobby the same office they just came from, surely you live in a target rich environment. Most of us don't see the outrage Cynthia's trying to portray on this deal, other than some minor missteps, giving her the benefit of the doubt, by the city in giving her the information she's seeking piecemeal. A little smoke but no fire.

Personally, I'm still waiting for someone to do the analysis on where we'd be right now fiscally had the Risch tax shift never taken place. That might be of interest, even if no change was discovered. At least it would be informative on the budget process. I also agree with pimp2 on CCDC and the way it operates.

You're going to get detractors for pretty much anything you do.

The story about "outgoing bonuses" was an important one, and I agree with "pimp2" that it could have been about more than just Larry Craig's generosity with taxpayer dollars on his way out of his government job.

I detracted for the Craig flogging when you picked up the WSJ's blogger's snark, but was an unnecessary diversion.

As for streetcar P.R., I thought you struck a reasonable balance. The contracting seems to have been legal enough, but not transparent enough; city leaders can do better, and they can use your encouragement to meet a higher standard.

into brown bags. Alotta Dem cash on the Street, in Edge City and the mob has taken notice. Forget prostitution and drugs. Future Woodward and Bernstein are ACORN raiders who are yet to be discovered. They will get there voice after the crash.

We tend to whisper at the diner. New america on the Edge.

I don't know anyone or any organization in Idaho capable of doing it. Wait, how about those two kids who exposed ACORN!

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Like a midair collision with a tugboat

Journalists report on facts! They relay those facts to the public so that we may be better informed. No one should disagree with a journalist if they are doing their job. Editorial boards are for opinions, as is this blog. Ideally, everyone would be pissed at an editorial on 1/2 the issues. I, for one, don't want an editor to agree with me all the time. If that were the case, I would not be exposed to other points of view. But I expect to read both sides of that issue. Sewell has gone a long way to restore my faith in reporting facts in an informative, thoughtful manner. Even you Mr, Richert, seem to be open to more alternatives than in the past. So keep it up! I, for one, appreciate it. In closing, Shrew is either, by Webster's definition,a "nagging, ill-tempered woman", or Adam Park in drag! Either way, they are incorrectly reading the general public.

Keep the dogs on the street, in the files, and FOIing all over the Valley. What's left?

Work a little more on accuracy and less inflammatory headlines which are sometimes refuted in the piece. Too many corrections being issued a day or two following but at least acknowledged.

Example: Headline: 36% Approve Trolley (implying 64% do not). Story: 36% approve, 13 undecided, 51 against. In other words 51% against and 49% either approve or undecided with a margin of error of 5% (after the next day correction) and 90% confidence level. More balanced headline: City undecided on streetcar.

Enjoy the lack of appreciation -- martyrdom can lead to salvation.

Sewells piece seemed entirely unsubstantiated and inflammatory. "The Mayor didn't have time to comment.."? WOW. Yah, I'd say that's snarky. It just undermines her credibilty as a "reporter". People see beyond that; at least I hope. We really already know why you really commissioned the new poll- to smack down the Boise Weekly reporter who dared question your first, biased poll.
The facts are that it was within the staff's recommendation to assign a contract to the best firm and that "transparancy" isn't the issue. You seem to want to push the public to outcry and demand a vote, when, as in the past, there is no vote legally required to initiate an LID or CID. There are several larger, publicly funded projects than the $20M for streetcar, one being the airport.
The Statesman keeps perpetuating this myth that the city is wasting money on streetcar when, as all the readers to helpfully point out, we need a better bus system. Unfortunately people, that is not what the grant is for. A light rail? Great, but we need to have the first piece in place to support that.. AKA.. the streetcar. These are not some bumbling jerks at city hall. The outreach exists to educate the public as to why the time is now to begin piecing the transportation puzzle together and take advantage of the federal dollars. The grant is designed to jumpstart the local economy, move people who work downtown efficiently from one place to another without using their car and be the cornerstone to a truly great transportation piece; all things the people of Boise say they want. Yes, perhaps not politically popular, but the right thing for our leadership to start adressing.

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Like a midair collision with a tugboat

The reason we have a free press in this country is our founding fathers new that was the only way to keep government in check. I do not believe the Statesman should be concerned with how readers feel about watchdog type stories. It is incumbent upon the Statesman to do them. I only wish you had more time for Dan Popkey and Cynthia to investigate local and state government abuses of taxpayer monies.

It is time for the paper to do something on CCDC. How they are funded, how they operate, who they answer to, etc.

boiserunner, is a 60 million from nowhere to nowhere trolley in the "hopes" that someday, maybe, hopefully, wishfully, It will be the final phase in a valley regional transit system! Really!

Idaho, Eli Lilly drug whistleblower... found dead on the street in Seattle.

Well since he was a personal friend of mine and lived Boise, when he blew the whistle, & helped many IDAHOANS, I'm sure your interest in his death is less important to YOU. That doesn't surprise me at all. Idaho might be interested even though a news organization with WATCHDOG ASPIRATIONS may find it a bit curious. But then as our mental giant, you’re probably right since he was found on the street w/ a gash to his head. It did happen in Seattle, and that doesn't make it news at all. So there you go!

As usual, Brad gave his life and career for the lives & health for people of Idaho .. but then again your from Oregon.. you're not intrested in anything but those Oregon cheap shots.. who else would display their IQ on their helmets as a badge of courage and honor? QUACK.. 0.. QUACK

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Like a midair collision with a tugboat

Who is we? Have you ever considered how all the advise you spew, is recieved by your fellow bloggers here? When they can understand you QQ. Everyday YOUR genius attraction seems to become more & more popular. You just enjoy yourself!