Singing Mayors Junket to Washington DC

THE GUARDIAN took the time to read the email from Senator Mike Crapo's staffer Lindsay Nothern that arrived today. Seems the "Singing Mayors" of our fair cities of Caldwell and Nampa will not be deterred on their junkets to Washington DC in these times of economic strife for the unwashed masses paying the bills.

Both Mayors took a contingent of High School students with them to our national capital to present Senator Crapo with a petition signed by 400 other high school students. The travel for this trip needs to be accounted for to the taxpayers of both Caldwell and Nampa. How many kids, who paid for the trip, how much for the whole trip and how many days?

"Caldwell Mayor Garrett Nancolas said the student advisory board has done extensive research about government spending. "They brought this issue to to us and they are concerned about what is being asked of them, "their children and their grandchildren," he said."

It is past time for some transparency and accountability with respect to taking students on these trips if they are funded in anyway by the taxpayer's of Caldwell and Nampa.

Editor note:

We learned today from the local IPT page 4 article the trip cost Nampa students $1,000 each for the four students from Nampa. Mayor Nancolas was less clear on how much for the seven Caldwell students saying through Tom Dale's public information officer, Sharla Arledge.. "Caldwell students received some funding from local businesses, Nancolas also said the Caldwell students raised money themselves".

What is not clear is how much taxpayer money was spent on this trip. Additionally, Caldwell and Nampa were the only Idaho cities to take students to the National League of Cities Conference. The trip was six days departure to return to Idaho.

Note to the good mayors...next time think about a fax, postage stamp, or FEDEX overnight delivery for the petition. This trip makes all the budget cutting talk look like you are not doing the walk.