ACHD
ACHD: “We Can’t Tell You, Call The Advocates”
October 29, 2018 
A disturbing breach of protocol at ACHD has been brought to the GUARDIAN’s attention in which government paid public relations staff referred a TV reporter to the spokesman for a private political action group funded by local developers.
A GUARDIAN reader took exception to a KIVI-6 reporter’s story featuring only the information offered by the private spokesman hired by the advocacy group in favor of a vehicle registration fee hike.
In an e-mail exchange, the reporter told the GUARDIAN reader she got her information from the private source because she was referred to their spokesman by the ACHD staffers. Of course he failed to mention the fee hike amounted to 70% and exempted all vehicles over 8,000 pounds that do the most damage to roads.
But the most egregious item is the official ACHD web site which links readers to the same advocacy PAC. We wonder why they didn’t offer a link to the GUARDIAN.
By their own admission, they admit they can’t advocate on behalf of a ballot measure, but in the same sentence they send folks to the advocacy site funded by developers. Here’s a screen shot of the official ACHD website linking the site which favors the ballot measure. The agency has clearly used public resorces to favor one side in an election!! This is a violation of the public purpose doctrine. Idaho Code 74-604 reads: (2) Neither a public entity nor any of its employees shall use, nor shall a public official authorize or use, public property or resources to advocate for or against a candidate or a ballot measure.
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Comments & Discussion
Comments are closed for this post.
Oct 29, 2018, 8:40 pm
I’ve generally been supportive of ACHD over the years; unlike some Guardian commenters, I feel they do a good job stretching taxpayer dollars and maximizing the return.
I encourage them to KEEP IT UP! I will be voting against this massive, no-end-in-sight increase. They’re gonna have to make do.
I was somewhat offended by a mass mailing I got, in favor of the tax increase. It claimed that one of the benefits we commoners would see would be better-timed traffic lights. Less waiting. ARE YOU KIDDING?!? Lack of funds is what’s keeping the traffic lights from being better synchronized? That is really SAD! (Maybe each intersection should have a coin slot – put a quarter in, and your light will turn green.)
Oct 30, 2018, 1:40 am
Just this year ACHD completed and announced over $4 million in road “upgrades” that are nothing more that a drastic reduction in car lanes in favor of bike lanes. (Emerald then Cassia)
If ACHD is so short of cash – QUIT SPENDING MONEY ON BIKE LANES THAT ARE NOT NEEDED!!!!
Please vote NO on the ACHD TAX INCREASE.
Oct 30, 2018, 10:51 am
So ACHD can’t acvocate but they can limit legitimate duscussion? A one-sided discussion is no discussion at all. So much for inviting tax payers to consider all the facts before voting. A huge increase like this will give Team Dave grounds for a local option tax. Of course they don’t want to raise taxes, they just want to do it if they see a need like a trolly, a downtown ballpark, murals on the street (so we look good on Google Earth?) bike lanes, bike lanes, and more bike lanes,or money to hire a PR firm to woo the F35 jets to town. Can anyone say “tax and spend?” Let us not forget that we need world-class people to build us a new library because the existing one is “depressing.” Mr. Mayor has also called City Hall an ugly building. How long before we need to spend more millions to replace it?
EDITOR NOTE–Hey Lifer, you mixed and matched a bunch of agencies and projects, but we get your point.
Oct 30, 2018, 12:07 pm
ACHD=corporations=corporate media
Oct 30, 2018, 12:59 pm
You wanna talk about pre-election vote-grabbing by public agencies: how many mailings, radio and tv ads have you seen for CWI in past month? How about before that? zro.
Oct 30, 2018, 2:24 pm
Isn’t this a textbook example of corporatism, a.k.a. fascism?
To download the campaign financial disclosure report, go to http://www.achdidaho.org/Departments/Commission/Candidates2018.aspx and scroll down to “Other Documents and Disclosures.”
For a list of supporters, go here: http://citizens4bettertransportation.com/supporters/
I see Corey Barton donated $10,000 to this group. He should save his money for the oncoming collapse of Housing Bubble 2.0.
Oct 31, 2018, 8:52 am
It’s not even “Call the Advocates”…
The Advocates are ‘us’ (ACHD).
Committee Members:
Sara Baker (ACHD)
Paul Woods (ACHD)
Craig Quintana (ACHD)
John Franden (fmr ACHD )
Matt Stoll ( COMPASS)
Dave Yorgason – Developer
Soren Dorius (Boise Regional Realtors)
Cameron Kinzer (Boise Regional Realtors)
Wayne Hammon (Assoc General Contractors)
Dave Butzier (URS – highways)
Paul Wasser (Stata Engineering)
Bre Brush (Boise Chamber of Commerce)
Ray Stark (Boise Chamber of Commerce)
Charlie Rountree
Dianna Willis
Kurt Holzer – Attorney
Boooooo!
Not a Halloween Boo.
Instead, it is a boo as in stinky.
No surprise though. We’ve seen this before and nothing is done.
Oct 31, 2018, 10:56 am
It’s like they have a license to lie. The Federal Govt does….when Obama repealed the Smith-Mundt Act, and Congress let him. They claim “National Security” and everyone shuts up. I guess local Govts. believe no one will care enough. That little device in their hands keeps them focused on the latest Twitter battle or shiny bauble.
Nov 1, 2018, 8:07 pm
Charlie Roundtree was lifer at Id Trans dept and city council member in Meridian: checks two boxes of the developer/state/local troika.