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One Third Of Boise Council May Be Hand Picked
January 11, 2023 
With the surprise announcement that Boise City Councilor Lisa Sanchez has moved out of her district and failed to attend Tuesday’s meeting, the composition of that governing body potentially could be one-third appointees of Mayor Lauren McLean.
LISA SANCHEZ
Here’s how it could go. Sanchez was elected to serve a temporary district in Boise’s North End. She rented housing and her lease expired at the end of 2022, prompting a move. She apparently no longer lives in the district she was elected from.
Meanwhile, 19 year councilor Elaine Clegg is leaving the council to run the Valley Regional Transit (VRT) bus system for a tidy $145,000 in public money which will boost her PERSI retirement markedly. Clegg’s departure leaves a vacancy on the council which potentially could be filled by appointing Sanchez to Clegg’s seat.
Sanchez leaving HER seat could create another vacancy which the mayor would be able to fill with a second appointment.
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Comments & Discussion
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Jan 12, 2023, 6:48 am
Sanchez is illegitimately on the Council. She needs to be removed because she’ll still stay on, not attending meetings, but wanting to get paid. She breached the law and moving back into the district won’t cure it.
All the whining in the world about it’s hard to find housing doesn’t cut it. She needs to be gone.
Jan 12, 2023, 9:19 am
Gotta love PERSI bumps. Do councilors get the same sweet deal as legislators (part time counts as full time for PERSI)?
Jan 12, 2023, 11:26 am
It is clearly because of racism. Just ask her.
Jan 12, 2023, 12:07 pm
Comments like needs to leave is why this social media is declining.
Councilperson Lisa Sanchez was voted in by a good majority of the Boise voters. Her being appointed to Clegg’s seat and now living in that district is a good move.
More changes to come.
Jan 12, 2023, 3:58 pm
Fairness for the community and districts within should be the top priority, and that can only be had thru the election process. Meanwhile, urgent issues could be addressed by the Mayor and any others placed on hold pending an election.
Jan 13, 2023, 9:35 am
Lisa did win her district with 70% of the vote. This issue with her move was brought forward quickly and is unfortunate. Appointing her to Elaine’s at large seat does make sense on one hand. On the other, strategically speaking, it would would behoove the Mayor to appoint committed council candidates to the vacant seats. That would give them a leg up in November(not that I like or agree with that). Jimmy and Patrick have not committed to running in Nov so any appointment for Lisa’s seat needs to take that into consideration. Either to find a short term place holder, or to find a committed candidate for that district to aalso run in November.
Jan 13, 2023, 12:05 pm
@Kanngas, not only did Councilperson Sanchez recently win with 70% IN her district, she previously won city-wide with equally good numbers. MOST of Boise voters support her being on the council- despite most Guardian readers’ __ opinions.
Jan 14, 2023, 7:15 pm
Mayor McLean could consider appointing the person who got the second most votes in each of these seats, as that would demonstrate a clear acknowledgment for whom the voters were in favor of.
Jan 15, 2023, 6:26 pm
Lame, it is a moot point now since she is out of a job, but she won her district with 57.2%, not the 70% you state. The total was 5758 votes. Not like a whole lot of residents voted.
https://adacounty.id.gov/elections/wp-content/uploads/sites/38/November-2021-Official-Results-BOISE-CITY.pdf
Feb 16, 2023, 6:48 pm
Too bad it all happened at the same time. I don’t think a politician at the bus company should be on the city council. There is nothing representing transportation expertise by the person the bus company hired except political blow hard. The city council needs their new people immediately.