Still undecided in races for Ada County Commission? Here are Statesman’s endorsements
Diana Lachiondo has distinguished herself not only as an Ada County commissioner but as a board member of the Central District Health Department.
Lachiondo, a Democrat first elected in 2018, has been a key player in Coordinated Growth in Ada County, an effort to manage growth along with other jurisdictions that has included workshops, town halls and neighborhood meetings. The effort is looking at impact fees, an update to the county’s land use code and a transportation action plan.
Her opponent, Republican Ryan Davidson, repeats the usual refrain of “limited government, low taxes,” without specifics, wanting to cut for the sake of cutting. He also brings an overly partisan bent to the campaign, attacking “failed Democratic policies” and warning against turning Boise into “another Portland or Seattle.”
You can read our full endorsement editorial in this District 1 race by clicking here.
Ada County Commission District 2
In the race for Ada County Commission in District 2, voters have two strong candidates from which to choose: Republican Rod Beck and Democrat Bill Rutherford.
Both said they want to focus on the county budget. Beck demonstrates a solid understanding of the functions of county government, and Rutherford is a bit of budget wonk who has extensive experience with large private sector budgets.
Beck and Rutherford do not diverge greatly on a number of issues, and we see benefits to electing either candidate.
Rutherford would do an excellent job as a steward of the county budget, which he said he would approach much as he would approach any big business’ budget. He’s also a civil and structural engineer by trade, which gives him a background in approaching problems analytically and practically.
Beck has political experience and connections, including endorsements from several state legislators. We could see county residents benefiting from those connections, for example, when state legislation is needed to allow impact fees to be collected for emergency medical services.
You can read our full endorsement editorial in District 2 by clicking here.