State's government gets a failing grade

“What’s the Matter with Kansas” is a 2004 best seller by Thomas Frank. Maybe Mr. Frank should consider a similar project for Idaho.

Why is Idaho one of only three states that don’t require elected officials to make personal financial disclosures, identify sources of income or identify businesses in which they hold a financial interest?

Some states require disclosure of associations with lobbyists, connections of family members with state agencies, names of creditors and debtors, and even the value of gifts and honorariums they receive. Not Idaho. The Center for Public Integrity gave us an F for our financial disclosure shortcomings.

Forty-one states have independent ethics commissions to deal with complaints against legislators. Not Idaho. A committee composed of equal numbers of Democrats and Republicans handles our legislative ethics issues.

The process is so dysfunctional that in 2005, Senator Jack Noble resigned after the ethics committee failed to expel him from the Senate for serious transgressions.

During the current legislative session, the Legislature examined the commission idea and decided to “fogettaboutit.”

Conflicts of interest, that might influence a legislator’s vote, are routinely ignored unless raised to the level of banner headlines in the newspapers.

Idaho recently received another F grade, this time from U.S. Public Interest Research Group, because we lack any online access to details of public expenditures. Here we are one of five states getting a failing grade.

Isn’t it about time we clean up our act? Maybe Mr. Frank should consider a new project.

BOB WYNHAUSEN

Sandpoint