Merchants of Debt Want You To Give Up A Constitutional Right

Idaho Merchants of Debt are trying get three constitutional changes passed by voters this November.  All three are asking you to give up your rights to vote on debts created by Hospitals, Airports, and Counties generating Electrical Power.  The claims by these debt merchants is the thousands of jobs depending on the ability to go into debt quickly and without your vote.

These Merchants of Debt are spending a bundle of cash on Television, Radio and any other means they can to get you out of the debt oversight for these boards and agencies.  "We need to act quickly" to save taxpayers money is the claim.

Here is the deal.  The Idaho Constitution requires a balanced budget and no public agency can go out beyond one budget year for any debts or liabilities without 2/3rds assent of voters.  Pretty simple, if they want to spend more than they take in they have to ask permission of "We The People".  The Republican platform has even come out against these changes.

The ability to act quickly is a red herring.  A few years back Meridian School District bought the JABIL property along the freeway in a very quick and businesslike manner for $19 million and they did it with all the strictures of the Idaho Constitution followed to the letter of the law.  They secured the terms and price of the property with the seller subject to a bond election that would require a 2/3 super majority of the voters.  The voters recognized the need and the good deal negotiated and passed the bond measure by a wide margin.

The GOLD CARD people pushing these changes are trying to convince you to give up a constitutional right to voter oversight of debt.  They are also asking to let boards and commissions put public assets up for collateral without your oversight.  We have enough voter abuse with Urban Renewal agencies circumventing voters and going into debt with no vote of the people of Idaho.

The three amendments to the Idaho Constitution deserve your NO VOTE.  There is a tremendous amount of money getting spent for you to give up a constitutional right we have all had for the past 110 years here in Idaho.  Follow the money on this one as it is just another MERCHANT OF DEBT EXERCISE. 

Keep Idaho debt under taxpayer control and oversight with your NO Vote November 2nd.