County
State Treasurer Candidate Faces Credit Card Revocation
April 17, 2018 
EDITOR NOTE–Due to formatting and space, Ms McIntyre’s response (explanation) follows at the bottom of the page.
Ada County Treasurer Vicky McIntyre is running for Idaho State Treasurer in the upcoming primary election and a recent audit report from the county auditor’s office advises the Board of Commissioners to revoke her county credit card for alleged misuse.
Clerk Chris Rich, in a letter to the Board of County Commissioners claims the treasurer used her official credit card to purchase hockey tickets and pay taxi fares for a total of about $327–personal expenses. Rich noted that Ada County was immediately reimbursed when McIntyre was informed of the situation.
Rich also noted in his letter that McIntyre had misused her county card in the past in violation of the county policy on credit card use. He concluded the letter saying, “It is my recommendation that the Treasurer’s credit card be cancelled.”
McIntyre and the commishes have been at odds for years over multiple issues.
HERE is the letter from Auditor/Clerk Rich.Letter to Commissioners
McIntyre’s response follows:
April 17, 2018
Dear Media:
First off, I usually don’t sling mud over disagreements with other elected officials or government employees in the public arena. I don’t think that is the correct way in handling disputes over such matters. However, since there are certain media outlets distributing misleading facts and touting a false narrative, I find it necessary to clarify some issues.
This is, without a doubt, a smear campaign run by a gang of establishment republicans to deny a conservative candidate from entering office. How else would you explain why I am the only county official being investigated for an internal policy infraction.
In an Ada County Internal Audit report dated October 2017, there is indication that every department that has a County-issued credit card has not followed the Clerk/Commissioner’s policies on several occasions, including the Clerk’s office. The Clerk’s office even purchased a laptop outside of the County Policy of buying computer hardware/software through the County IT department. The purchase overstepped the Purchasing standard of needing Commissioner approval for a purchase over $1,000.
What is interesting is that no one has brought up the close political ties between the Clerk’s office and one of my opponents. Campaign signs on my opponents restaurants can be seen all over Boise. I just wonder who initiated this personal attack.
I am offended by these egregious accusations, especially in light that not a dime of taxpayer money was spent on personal items. In fact, on many occasions I share a room with other County Treasurers in order to save taxpayer funds, while at a conference.
I wish I could say that I expected more from the “good ole boys club”, but it’s just not true. This story is exactly why I am running for State Treasurer. I refuse to be the “go along to get along” establishment Rhino who wants everyone to play their game. I don’t play games, I save tax dollars….bottom line.
In terms of the specific conference and allegations, the exact details are below:
The Government Investment Officers Association conference is held annually in Las Vegas, the home of the association President and staff (FTN Mainstreet President Emeritus, Rick Philips, Ada County Board of County Commissioner’s Financial Advisor. Mr. Philips founded GIOA).
Annually, the organization has “fun” activities as part of the conference. This year the association offered Hockey tickets to the Golden Knights, a new NHL team that has recently been formed. (See below the email from GIOA.) They also offered participation in a “basketball bracket” game.
Since the offer for the hockey game originated with the association, I saw the participation as a related event of the association and therefore, used the County Credit card. When the Clerk deemed the game a personal activity, the expense was reimbursed by both the Chief Deputy Treasurer and the Treasurer.
Being at a conference without renting an automobile, I would expect transportation costs would be a part of the travel. The accused taxi expenses were not related to the hockey event, but to attend a vendor event that was not in the conference hotel. The conference hotel was not close to anything; however, we walked to the hockey game.
I have not, nor would I ever intentionally use county funds for personal use!
GIOA Email about the hockey game.
To insure more advertising-free Boise Guardian news, please consider financial support.
Comments & Discussion
Comments are closed for this post.
Apr 17, 2018, 12:48 pm
Isn’t charging taxpayers for transportation and entertainment a qualification for state treasurer: I don’t think the present occupant of that office ever reimbursed the state for similar expenses in DC.
Apr 17, 2018, 2:24 pm
Wow. It would be a seamless transition from one incompetent to the next, with a taste for high living on the public dime.
Apr 17, 2018, 5:19 pm
Yes, the current State Treasurer is underhanded and underpowered. Yes, this candidate, McIntyre, is off the charts. Get her out of office!!
Apr 17, 2018, 5:38 pm
Vicki has been an excellent county treasurer. During the eight years, in arguably the worst investment climate in decades, Vicki has made $13 MILLION for county taxpayers with her investments of county dollars.
I think Chris Rich has the long knives out.
Apr 18, 2018, 8:27 am
I’ve been to many conferences and can see both sides of this story though tend to lean towards McIntyre’s side. The “games” are for networking and talking business. I’ve spent well over 20x that much at some conferences – all expensed.
As for McIntyre’s track record… it needs more research than I’ve put in. As for the comment about making $13m during the last 8 years, I’ve more than doubled my own money during that time so making $13m for a county doesn’t seem like much.
Apr 18, 2018, 10:54 am
At least she did not post Vegas hot tub pictures like Jeffrey Neely did. It was the hair, jewelry, and wine that got him. Made everyone nauseous.
What was the crime of the former Boise mayor? I can’t recall the $$-amount or the circumstance.
The deciding factor for me is her claim of ignorance about the rules.
Apr 18, 2018, 12:12 pm
Leave it to another politician to support a “questionable” politician.
So Commissioner Sara Baker is saying McIntyre has done a good job ‘making’ $13million “investing” the County’s excess tax dollars.
The county and individual money funds turn the EXTRA cash over to the Treasurer to invest, as opposed to leave in a non-interest bearing checking account…
And in fact McIntyre, on her campaign site, is floating the idea that she has done a good job doing this task.
-And Cmr Baker thinks she has done a good job with HER investments.
Is McIntyre a professional money manager? A degree in the field? Any professional training to INVEST our tax dollars?
No.
Actually IDAHO Code LIMITS “investments” to the following general types:
1. Certain revenue bonds, general obligation bonds, local improvement district bonds and registered warrants of state and local governmental entities.
2. CDs. Time deposit accounts, tax anticipation and interest-bearing notes.
3. Bonds, treasury bills, debentures, or other similar obligations of the United States Government and United States Government Agencies.
4. Repurchase agreements secured by the above.
Not too tough a job when you only have these FOUR possibilities. A monkey could choose between those options and still come out with a banana.
And Bakers says the past eight years could be the worst investment climate in decades, so McIntyre could applauded for 13million?
In 2011, when McIntyre started the S&P was 1,325; Jan of this year it was 2,059. Doubled in 7 years.
Granted,the Treasurer is not in equities, but the past 8 year has NOT been the worst investment climate- of ever! And McIntyre has been in office for 8 years.
Moral of that point, Commissioner Baker has ZERO credibility in her endorsement and McIntyre doesn’t have any “expertise” in “investing” our money.
The County- just the County- not including the city, the schools, and the state- has over 100 million in cash and over a 50 million investment pool, just waiting there for a rainy day OR a new MRAP without voters approval. It is my arguement that money should be returned to taxpayers, and reflects the overtaxing of our citizens.
A tax-payer friendly Treasurer would return the dollars to the citizens to use/spend as the individual households choose.
Treasurer Crane was basted for his office’s lack of financial controls in managing the state’s pool of money. McIntyre was basted for her office’s lack of controls for the county’s estate funds & assets.
https://boiseguardian.com/2015/11/29/ag-investigates-31k-discrepancy-at-ada-office/
Just more fat politicians feeding at the taxpayers trough.
Apr 18, 2018, 2:18 pm
Concerned. You need to understand that there are strictures on what tax dollars can be invested in and where. I do know that she has consistently delivered returns well over what was anticipated.
The County Commissioners hired a firm to do an analysis of her performance, and that came back with stellar results. It’s all a matter of public record.
Apr 19, 2018, 10:49 am
So the Treasurer says, “I save tax dollars”
And in the same letter says attending a HOCKEY game is worthy of spending tax dollars.
Really?
The two do NOT equate in my opinion
IF the conference fees INCLUDED a game, then one might as well go. When the conference suggests this as a “fun” activity which you can spend YOUR own money on, that is personal. I wonder what other attendees did… certainly there were others from Idaho cities, counties in attendance. We ALL know these conferences are just a racket. As to the ‘sharing a room’.. yeah that’s another racket. Each employee gets per diem regardless and then they split the room to put the savings in their account. -that statement alone is worth following up on ‘auditors’.
In today’s world of webinars, teleconferences, podcasts, etc. Travel to a “fun” destination is not necessary. It is simply a perk to give to government employees- at taxpayers expense. Let’s reflect back to the Florida conference former BPD Chief Masterton took right before his retirement… it is done all the time.
“I have not, nor would I ever intentionally use county funds for personal use!”
Lame rebuttal!
Apr 19, 2018, 11:08 am
Stellar results says Ms Baker.
Where is that analysis?
Public record???
Should be easy to direct readers to it then.
What I recall is the Commissioners hired Eide Bailly to do an “analysis” of missing $31,000. And the conclusion was, “there’s room for improvement”.
I would love to the read the stellar analysis. It might gain a vote for her.