The Capital City Development Corp. board of commissioners could see a new look at its March meeting.
Boise Mayor Lauren McLean will expand the board from seven members to nine. She will also nominate a member to replace Scot Ludwig, who left voluntarily in January.
The mayor will ask the Boise City Council to approve the three nominees during its city council meeting this Tuesday.
As BoiseDev was the first to report, McLean will nominate herself to the panel. During the campaign, she said she didn’t expect to do so, but because former mayor Dave Bieter remains in his post at CCDC, she felt compelled to join.
“If I have to appoint myself to that commission, I will,” McLean said earlier this month. “If there’s a mayor on the board, it should be the current one. CCDC needs to align with the vision of a city.”
Urban Renewal in Idaho
When a city creates a new urban renewal area, the property tax collections inside its boundaries freeze at the time of creation. Any increase in property values and the extra tax it generates goes to the urban renewal agency instead of taxing agencies like schools, ACHD and police.
For instance: Say a property is worth $100,000 and pays $1,000 per year in property tax at the time of the urban renewal area. Over time, it increases in value to $150,000 and the owner pays $1,500 in property taxes. Of that $1,500, $1,000 would go to the regular taxing agencies and the extra $500 would go to an agency like CCDC.
The agency can spend the dollars on a variety of projects like infrastructure, streetscapes and property acquisition.
McLean will also nominate Kate Nelson, who serves as director of economic opportunity at Jannus. A news release from the city said Nelson has “expertise in economic development and strong ties to Boise.”
She also intends to add Latonia Keith, interim dean of the Concordia School of Law. The release said Keith brings “experience in affordable housing and finance” to the table.
“These individuals have the necessary background and commitment to achieve my vision of affordable housing and economic opportunity for everyone,” McLean said.
The new members would join Bieter, former council member Ben Quintana, Dana Zuckerman, Ryan Woodings, former council member Maryanne Jordan and Gordon Jones.
Legislation working its way through the Statehouse could force Bieter, Jordan, and Quintana off the panel. Quintana’s seat expires in May and would give McLean another opportunity to nominate an additional commissioner.
