Air Quality Board

We can probably all agree that we want clean air to breathe. How we achieve this worthy goal is subject to some difference of opinion, however.

On November 12, the Ada County Air Quality Board held a public hearing for the purpose of soliciting input on a proposal to change the vehicle emissions testing program.

Since my first term in office in 2001 and 2002, when I served my first stint on the Air Quality Board, I have been advocating we change the testing requirements to every other year and exempt new vehicles. According to information presented at Air Quality Board meetings, scientific studies have shown that reducing the frequency of tests will not have a significant adverse impact on our air quality. The same can be said for eliminating tests on new vehicles for the first four to five years, since they are not primary contributors to our periodic air quality problems.

Another proposed change to the Air Quality Board’s program that was discussed at the public hearing is to exempt vehicles that pre-date 1981. Right now, vehicles with model years that pre-date 1965 are exempt from testing requirements. The reasoning behind this “older car” exemption is twofold. First, relatively few of these vehicles remain on our roads but, more importantly, the emissions standards for them are not particularly strict so bringing them into compliance with those standards does not significantly improve our air quality.

As is often the case, this is a good news/bad news story. The good news is that the Air Quality Board is committed to decreasing the frequency of required testing. In other good news, Ada County air quality standards are currently being met. The bad news is that even as the frequency of required testing is being decreased, the maximum per test charge will likely be increased, over my objection, from $15 to $20.

Although $20 every other year is a decrease in price over $15 once a year on an annualized basis, for someone on a fixed income it is still a good chunk of money out of pocket all at one time.
In other bad news, it appears that some of the private owners and operators of the red vans and emission testing equipment, who have been our partners in this program for many years now, will end up being driven out of business by the program changes since their customer base will be cut by more than 50 percent.

This story might soon get even worse for these folks but a little rosier for vehicle owners. The Idaho Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) is putting together a Request For Proposals (RFP) to solicit proposals from operators who are interested in implementing an emissions testing program in Canyon County. They are writing the RFP to provide for two possible alternatives: a Canyon County program or a consolidated Canyon and Ada County program.

The RFP will solicit proposals nationally, which could result in a program much like the one we currently have in Ada County with numerous testing sites spread out throughout the counties. If so, and all of these sites are owned by one operator, the cost to the public would likely be significantly reduced due to the economy of scale and the owner’s guaranteed customer base.

The RFP could also result in a different kind of testing program altogether, such as remote sensing, which would test vehicles as they are driven past specialized testing equipment. I would very much like to see a remote sensing emissions testing program, that would test all vehicles regardless of the residency of their owners, replace the individual testing program already in place.

On behalf of vehicle owners, I will continue to advocate for lower fees and less inconvenience in Ada County’s emissions testing program.

ACHD Commissioner Sara Baker Has a Different Take

Today, I received a letter from Ada County Highway District Commissioner Sara Baker that distances her from the letter I recently received from the ACHD Commission.

Click here to see Commissioner Baker's letter.

Shining Light on Wasteful Spending Invokes Reaction

In my October 29 piece, “Say It Ain’t So, ACHD!” I accurately reported what took place at an October 21 meeting of the Valley Regional Transit’s Performance and Planning Committee meeting where I was flabbergasted to hear that ACHD was supposedly requiring a $400 per bus bench review for A.D.A. compliance. In that meeting, I asked repeatedly whether the $400 per bench expenditure was really being required by ACHD and was assured that it was.

My blog post was not intended to be an in-depth investigative report. It was intended to shine light on the situation publicly, quickly, in an effort to prevent this kind of wasteful spending.

Today, eighteen days after my original blog post, I received a hand-delivered three-page response from ACHD, with multiple attachments, which appears to be their way of trying to say it ain’t so:

Click here to see ACHD's response.

The bottom line is that spending $400 per bench for a review is a horrendous waste of taxpayer dollars. In these difficult economic times, none of us can afford this type of wasteful government spending. Let’s hope VRT and ACHD staff members get their heads back together to figure out a more taxpayer-friendly, common sense solution.

Lotsa Luck

It’s going to take a little more luck and a lot more action to get the situation at Idaho Downs (formerly known as Les Bois Park) resolved.

Yesterday, I attended a meeting of the Idaho State Racing Commission, the group that oversees live and simulcast horse racing in the state. To say the least, I am disappointed.

Representatives of the Horsemen’s Benevolence & Protective Association (HBPA) and Idaho Entertainment, the company that holds the lease to operate the county-owned track, are at an impasse. There seems to be fault on both sides for the breakdown in communication and failure to achieve a reasonable compromise.

Herein lies the problem: legally, Idaho Entertainment must have a signed agreement with the HBPA in order to qualify to obtain the live horse racing license from the Idaho Racing Commission. The live racing license is needed in order to qualify for the simulcast license but live racing is a money loser. The simulcast racing provides necessary revenue to support purses, the Idaho Racing Commission, and operation of the facility.

Someone needs to step up and offer to mediate an agreement between the two sides. Ideally, that would be a member of the Idaho Racing Commission, but alas that apparently has not happened.

In the interest of facilitating better communication and resolving the differences between the two sides, I would be willing to attempt to facilitate communication so an agreement can be reached and racing can resume again as soon as possible.

Turning the Tables on the Media

Shortly before noon today, I headed over to the U.S. Bank building where members of the Idaho Press Club were meeting. Idaho Senator Dean Cameron, Representative Scott Bedke and former candidate for Idaho’s First Congressional District Andy Hedden-Nicely and I had all been invited to serve on a panel called “The Other Side of the Microphone” to discuss our “experiences as the source, or focus, of the news in Idaho.”

I had to admit I have been waiting a long time to have the opportunity to “turn the tables” a little bit on the media. That said, attendees were a diverse and delightful group including students, public information officers and numerous reporters, some with a number of years of experience.

Rumor had it that the discussion was all “Off the record” but those of us who have been covered by the media for any length of time recognize that there really is no such thing.

My main points and pleas were for those who report the news to ensure the accuracy of what they are passing on to the public. I also pointed out that the people in the room with the most power were not those of us on the elected officials’ side of the table but, rather, those who are members of the media.

A reporter asked just before this session how one holds “the powerful” (by which she meant elected officials) accountable – a worthy goal – and I threw the concept right back: how does the public hold the media accountable for doing their homework and telling the real story, the whole story, in a forthright and unbiased manner?

One of the other pet peeves I mentioned is “selective” journalism. For example, some members of the media are loathe to report the answers to their questions when their digging uncovers only good news.

For me, the bottom line is that a good reporter will make every effort to attend for themselves any meetings relevant to their subject matter, will do their own digging for facts, and then will double check those facts before anything is ever printed or reported to the public.

Spokesman Review reporter Betsy Russell asked us which question we are not usually asked but would like to be asked. My response was, “Do I have this right?”

One reason I am writing this blog is to ensure that members of the public have a source of information that presents factual information about what is going on in Ada County government. I admittedly throw in the occasional issue from other levels of government and an opinion or two or three, but then, it’s nice to be writer, editor (with a lot of help from some good friends) and publisher of my own little slice of Idaho news.

Honoring Our Veterans

Although I have ridden in a downtown Boise parade in the Boise Tour Train (the old tourist attraction, not the $65 million in-ground-track boondoggle) it was different being in my “own” vehicle for today’s Veterans’ Day Parade.

I was chauffeured by Johnny Leedy in what he says is the fastest car in the Valley Corvette Club. My name and position were emblazoned on signs hanging from both sides of the bright shiny red sports car.

I was admittedly somewhat apprehensive about the event because it seemed weird to me to put elected officials in beautiful cars to promenade in front of those we are in office to serve, particularly when the purpose of the parade was to recognize and honor all those who have served our country in the various branches of the military.

As it turned out, it was a worthwhile and rewarding experience. Johnny proved to be a delightful escort throughout the duration of the parade, and the words of encouragement from numerous onlookers for the job I am doing were sincerely appreciated. Please remember to also pass along words of thanks and encouragement to all of our veterans.

Hometown Heroes – Take Two

A couple of Ada County’s finest - Ada County Sheriff's Deputy Carl Olson and Sergeant Joe Wright – both ran into a burning building in order to save the man and woman inside. They performed CPR on the elderly woman until paramedics (those would be from Ada County as well) could take over her care.

They’d probably both say, “Aw shucks, it’s all in a day’s work,” but these two law enforcement officers went a little further than most of us are called upon to do: they risked their own lives in order to save the lives of others. Way to go Deputy Olson and Sergeant Wright! We’re proud of you!

When you see your local law enforcement officer out on patrol, or the fire folks out doing their grocery shopping, or an ambulance crew heading home from the hospital after a call, be sure you smile and wave or say, “Hi!” so they will know you appreciate their service to our community. Who knows? The next life they save might just be your own!