Million Dollar Donation Announced

Contact:
Adam Park, 384-4402

(Boise, ID) Mayor David Bieter today announced a $1 million pledge over a period of years to the upcoming River Recreation Park from the Neef family, in memory of Harvey Neef’s son Ray.

In his 2008 State of the City Address, hosted by the Boise Metro Chamber of Commerce at the Boise Centre on the Grove, Mayor Bieter outlined Boise’s achievements over the last year, unveiled the design sketches for the new Region IV Substance Abuse and Crisis Mental Health Center, announced his support for a new main branch library, called for the installation of a streetcar to connect downtown, and made a push to submit local option funding for transit to voters should the Legislature fail to enact a workable law in the coming 2009 session.

The mayor discussed the importance of home-grown businesses and entrepreneurship to our local economy, with a strong emphasis on attracting new talent to the Treasure Valley. He also stressed the interdependence of urban and rural communities in Idaho, calling for new partnerships to be formed around the core values and pioneering spirit all Idahoans share.

The River Recreation Park is a planned state-of-the art whitewater rafting facility adjacent to Esther Simplot Park off 30th Street. In addition to the $1 million pledge from the Neef Family, the Mayor also announced donations totaling $200,000 from Dr. Paul Collins. The city of Boise has committed $750,000 of seed money to the anticipated $4 million project.

In remarks prepared for the State of the City Address, Mayor Bieter touched on these major points:

On local option funding for transit:

“Over the next few months, I’m going to be bringing together the Transit Summit mayors again to talk about bringing our efforts together at a statewide level. It’s my hope that next year the Legislature will respect the principle of local control and give communities a real local option bill. And if they don’t, then I will push for a statewide voter initiative, and let the people do what the Legislature refuses to do.”

Calling for a new main branch library:

“Our Library Board earlier this year pegged the potential philanthropic contribution to this project at $15 to $20 million. I believe that’s achievable. … In the next 60 days, I’ll be naming the members of my main library advisory committee, who will help guide our efforts in this exciting endeavor. Now is the time to give our citizens the main library they deserve”

On a new downtown streetcar:

“Boise needs exactly what it had for almost 40 years, from 1891 to 1928. And that’s a streetcar, one that connects the Depot to the Statehouse and Broadway to the west part of downtown. Councilmember Clegg surprised me earlier this year when she pledged to make it happen within four years – but I think she might be right, and I’m going to do my best to help hit that target.”

On Economic Development:

“Idaho is dead last nationally – 51st, behind Puerto Rico – in per capita state investment in university R&D and near the bottom of the list for captured federal R&D dollars…What Boise needs to do to succeed in this arena is to recruit talent, not just companies. …The economic health of our city depends on our ability to deliver the kind of amenities that help us recruit talent, those young, creative people who can take an idea and turn it into product and payroll – and who, when they’re not working, want to engage a wide range of outdoor, recreational and cultural activities. For these folks, livability is the top priority.”

On the future of Idaho’s economy:

The New Economy is not URBAN versus RURAL; it’s not one or the other, and it’s certainly not one at the EXPENSE of the other. Most of us in this room don’t work directly in agriculture, but most of us are not far away from it either. I’m just a generation away from sheepherding. I would not exist if not for agriculture. Urban Idaho needs rural Idaho and rural Idaho needs urban Idaho. … We must end this war against the great “State of Ada.” Too many good ideas have been thwarted by this antiquated kind of thinking. Our cities are the economic engines of this state; they produce the tax base, the infrastructure and the jobs that help preserve a treasured way of life in our rural communities. Our rural areas provide the food, the wildlife, the recreational opportunities and the natural resources that give our cities a reason to exist.

On the recently opened branch libraries:

These two new storefront libraries at Collister and Hillcrest each saw approximately 10,000 patrons come through the doors during the month of April alone. For anyone who thinks libraries are obsolete in the Internet age, that’s about 10,000 people who think you’re wrong. Not only that, but total circulation from all of Boise’s library facilities went up almost 14 percent after we opened those two new branch libraries.

On the Region IV Substance Abuse & Crisis Mental Health Center:

“Partnerships have given us the community detox facility, which has struggled for almost 15 years to get off the ground. Two years ago, in my 2006 State of the City speech, I talked about the need for this facility and promised to do everything I could as mayor to make it happen. Well, with the help of Ada County, the state, our congressional delegation, United Way and many other table partners, we have succeeded and will break ground on this much-needed detox facility later this summer. I’m pleased to reveal, for the first time, the architectural designs for this facility.”

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Contact: Adam Park (apark@cityofboise.org)

Ray Neef, MD Boise River Recreation Park
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