Put away the pitchforks and torches. Boise mayor’s transition report isn’t a manifesto

You could practically hear the heads exploding all over Idaho after reading a report filed by one of Boise Mayor Lauren McLean’s transition teams, “A More Equitable City For Everyone.”

Granted, it had some attention-grabbing recommendations, such as free abortions as well as sex education for pre-K students. “This is what ruined California,” they shouted. “This is why I left California,” “This isn’t Portland or Seattle,” “This is Idaho.” Some people are even calling for a recall of McLean and already declaring her a “one-term mayor.” One lobbying group called it a “socialist wish list.”

McLean said Wednesday that the report was taken out of context.

The report wasn’t really taken out of context, but it should be noted that the report in question is but one of six reports filed by mostly citizen volunteers, people affected by and with an interest in their particular transition team.

Calm down, people! These reports are recommendations from a citizen group to McLean; these aren’t directives being issued by McLean, and it isn’t a manifesto.

“The citizen volunteers that made up my transition committees gave dozens of hours of their own time, meeting weekly for months to discuss and plan the next steps for our city,” McLean wrote in a letter as part of an executive summary of the transition teams’ reports. “They hail from all walks of life and from diverse backgrounds, from every corner of Boise, and were asked to serve for their insight, expertise and passion for improving our community.”

It’s valid to critique McLean’s choice of people she is choosing to surround herself with and who is giving her counsel. It would appear to be a strongly liberal group of people to recommend free abortions and sex education for pre-K students. Their report, which got everyone so riled up, is about making sure Boise is a city that is equitable to vulnerable communities facing injustice and inequality.

The “More Equitable City for Everyone” committee comprised 16 people. Another 56 people populate the other five committees.

Other committees include members with specialties and interests in their subject matter. The other teams tackled such issues as housing, transportation, transparency and economic opportunity.

The “Movement for Everyone” committee includes Mat Erpelding from the Boise Metro Chamber of Commerce, developer Clay Carley, Matt Stoll, executive director of COMPASS, Kelli Badesheim, executive director of Valley Regional Transit and Laila Kral, deputy administrator at the Local Highway Technical Assistance Council.

The most voluminous report, “A Clean City for Everyone,” at 66 pages, with six chapters and dozens of policy recommendations, was authored by a committee that included Amber Bieg of Warm Springs Consulting, Boise business lawyer David Arkoosh, Boise State geoscience professor Brittany Brand and Dave Krick, owner of downtown businesses Bittercreek Alehouse and Red Feather Lounge.

So taken as a whole, the six committees represent a wide spectrum of interests, perspectives and thoughts. There’s a whole range of issues and policy proposals worth discussing and debating.

The “Clean City” report has specific proposals for things like water conservation, creating a construction and demolition transfer site, developing green infrastructure and reducing light pollution.

The “Home for Everyone” report details efforts to reduce and prevent homelessness in Boise. Other recommendations include providing incentives to builders to build affordable housing and creating an accessory dwelling unit initiative.

It’s also worth noting that, however much power a city mayor has, many of the recommendations would require action by the City Council members, involving a vigorous public debate and scrutiny.

Even then, many of the recommendations are out of the purview of a city council or mayor, such as recommendations for school curriculum or eliminating juvenile detention centers. But there’s an acknowledgment of working with the Ada County and the Boise School District.

Aside from the more controversial recommendations in the “More Equitable City” committee, some of them are worthy of consideration: providing free internet throughout the city, protecting residents from evictions and utility shutoffs during the coronavirus pandemic, promoting diversity in the police department, ensuring women are in leadership positions in the city, paid parental leave and more.

We find it commendable that McLean empaneled 72 residents to make recommendations and then made those reports public, illustrating a fulfillment of campaign promises to be more inclusive of community input and to be transparent.

We also appreciate a group of residents bringing forward a set of aspirational ideas for the future. Some of the ideas which may seem radical, such as eliminating juvenile detention centers, actually merit further study and information.

It’s unfortunate, though likely predictable, that a few lines among 250 pages of recommendations from groups of volunteer citizens get laid out like red meat for the supposed arbiters of what Idaho is ”supposed” to be. Interestingly enough, one of the most vocal critics is a recent transplant from California.

Finally, a lot of folks from Meridian, Eagle, Canyon County, unincorporated Ada County are weighing in with their thoughts and opinions about how “socialism” and “communism” are coming to Idaho. They’re really not. But these decisions rest with the residents of the city of Boise. They are the ones who elected McLean along with the City Council members who will be tasked with either approving or rejecting these recommendations.