NAMPA, Idaho — In a recent video update, Nampa Mayor Debbie Kling addressed the community after a contentious public debate emerged following the City of Nampa's announcement that they hope to transfer ownership of the Ford Idaho Center to the College of Western Idaho.
Recently, Nampa City Council members indicated that the Ford Idaho Center is currently operating in the red.
Mayor Kling cited legislation passed in 2021 and 2022 as the primary reasons for what she says is a nearly $6 million budget shortfall in the city's budget. She did not cite specifically what legislation was responsible for the deficit.
She also explained that the Ford Idaho Center requires approximately $25 million in deferred maintenance to continue operating at current levels.
Kling went on to call the recent public discourse "very negative" and decried the "personal attacks" on public officials in Nampa.
"I think the key in life is [that] as we work through hard issues, we respect one another."
