Principles being fought for need protection here

Our troops are dying in Iraq so Iraqi citizens can vote, but Bonner County commissioners seem intent on denying us that same right here at home.

Ever since the framers of the Idaho Constitution adopted language which prohibits counties from incurring certain debts and liabilities without voter approval, counties have attempted to evade these election requirements.

Most recently, the county concocted a lease-to-own scheme designed to fund new jail facilities without a vote. In a Sept. 5 decision, District Judge Charles Hosack held that the proposed lease agreements, which consist of 170 pages of complex legalese, create a liability requiring an election under the Constitution. But rather than conduct the mandated election, the county now plans to petitioning the court to reconsider its ruling.

Apparently, the commissioners will go to any length and incur any amount of legal expense to avoid a vote. What are they trying to hide?

The TV news recently covered an exhibit at the Spokane County Fair which featured a model of the proposed Spokane County Jail. The purpose of the exhibit was to inform the public and gain support for the proposed facility.

I called the Spokane County Commissioners Office to see how they planned to pay for this new jail and they referred me to police Lt. Mike Sparber, who is coordinating the project. Sparber said they planned to conduct a general obligation bond election this fall, but postponed it for a year so the public could be fully informed before they vote.

Why can’t Bonner County be this transparent? Instead, our county commissioners are pursuing a jail which both sheriff’s candidates in the Nov. 4 general election oppose and refusing to let the public vote on this controversial project.

We have a responsibility to ensure that the principles our troops are fighting for abroad are not eroded away here at home. As former President Bill Clinton said in his recent speech at the Democratic National Convention, “People the world over have always been more impressed by the power of our example than by the example of our power.”

LOU GOODNESS

Sagle