The City of Boise has threatened at least 10 businesses in Meridian, Eagle, Garden City, and Kuna in response to Covid-related customer complaints, despite having no jurisdiction. 

Last week, the Idaho Freedom Foundation revealed that the City of Boise sent a warning notice to Independence Indoor Shooting, a Meridian gun store and shooting range. Boise officials informed the small business that the city had received a complaint the range was not fully complying with Covid-19 Emergency Health Orders. 

Boise’s letter threatened this business with an investigation, fine, and imprisonment if the city received any further complaints. Oddly enough, Independence Indoor Shooting is not even located in the City of Boise. 

In a recent article, IFF actually gave Boise the benefit of the doubt: While unlikely, perhaps Boise officials simply overlooked the fact their letter was sent to an address outside of Boise. Sadly — and unsurprisingly — Boise’s threats are far from an accident or an isolated incident. The letter to Independence Shooting was actually quite deliberate, it turns out.

Since early December, at least nine other businesses have been the target of identical orders from Boise’s City Hall: A New Leaf, JB’s Restaurant, Quality Inn & Suites, and Walmart, all located in Meridian; Great Scotts Eagle Gas Station, Revel Senior Living, and Winco, all located in Eagle; a Dairy Queen in Garden City; and an Albertsons in Kuna.

In November, Boise Mayor Lauren McLean announced Public Health Emergency Order 20-13. That order encouraged business patrons to call a city tip line and report any business which seemingly did not comply with Boise’s Covid-19 protocols. Since McLean’s order, customers have done just that and have called Boise forwarding their complaints about the above-named businesses.

All that to say, Boise’s letter to Independence Indoor Shooting was no mistake at all. Sadly, McLean and Boise city officials appear to believe so strongly in the cause of Covid-compliance that they’ve made it clear: Boise won’t be constrained by mere city limits any longer.