Who’s running for Ada County Commission? Here are the Idaho Statesman’s two choices
Ada County voters should send Patricia Nilsson and Stan Ridgeway to the Ada County Commission, if for no other reason than to put commissioner Ryan Davidson in the minority and out of relevance.
But beyond that, Nilsson and Ridgeway are eminently more qualified and prepared for the job than their opponents.
District 2: Stan Ridgeway over Rod Beck
In the race for commissioner in District 2, Ridgeway is trying to unseat Republican incumbent Rod Beck, who has made some bad decisions as commissioner, namely defunding the New Path housing program, which, despite his continued assertions to the contrary, is a successful housing first program that has shown positive results.
Ridgeway would have supported New Path.
Beck also voted to put Ryan Cole and Raúl Labrador on the Central District Health board. Beck made the argument to the editorial board that putting Labrador and Cole on the board stopped the protests against the board. Caving in to the loudest bullies is not a sign of good leadership or good decision-making.
Ridgeway said he would not have voted for either of them and would work to get Cole off the board.
When Beck ran for the commission two years ago, while this editorial board did not endorse him, the one positive we conceded was that his experience in Republican politics would help get the state Legislature to move forward on solutions, particularly on property taxes. While Beck now acknowledges that the homeowners exemption needs to be raised and indexed, we still haven’t seen the fruits of his relationships with legislators.
Ridgeway’s experience in state government and as Eagle City Council member and Eagle mayor put him in a position to be a highly successful county commissioner who will get Ada County back on the right track.
District 3: Patricia Nilsson over Tony Jones and Thomas Dayley
In the race for commissioner in District 3, Democratic candidate Nilsson is running for an open seat being left vacant by Democrat Kendra Kenyon. She is running against Jones, an independent, and Dayley, a Republican.
While Jones impressed us with his preparation and knowledge of the job, Nilsson stands above, due to her extensive experience in county government and her knowledge of planning, growth, development and transportation.
Dayley, a longtime Republican operative who was a state legislator and has worked for Republican politicians, seems to be running for Ada County commissioner for the sole purpose of trying to keep a Democrat off the commission.
His answers to basic questions were noncommittal and vague. Even worse was his answer to a question about what to do about property taxes. He had the gall to tout his experience as a state legislator as a reason he can work the problem of skyrocketing residential property taxes and address the shift in property tax burden from commercial to residential.
But Dayley caused the problem to begin with. In 2016, as a state legislator, Dayley voted in favor of capping the homeowners exemption at $100,000. That horrible decision is what caused the dramatic shift in property tax burden off of commercial and agricultural property and onto the backs of homeowners. If that’s the kind of poor decision we could expect from him as a county commissioner, no thank you.
Nilsson also favored continued funding of New Path, rightly recognizing that it’s proven to be a successful model, and she would seek to remove Cole from the CDH board. Nilsson also would champion impact fees in Ada County as a way to reduce property taxes. That’s not just talk: She helped get it done in Canyon County when she was planning director there.
Voters should also keep in mind that it is important to elect both Ridgeway and Nilsson. If Nilsson is elected, but Beck stays in office, Nilsson’s reasonable votes will be overruled by the majority of Beck and Davidson.
The choices here are stark and easy. Ada County voters should select Stan Ridgeway and Patricia Nilsson for Ada County Commission.
BEHIND THE STORY
MOREHow we write endorsements
Who decides the endorsements?
Members of Idaho Statesman editorial board interview political candidates, as well as advocates and opponents of ballot measures. The editorial board is composed of journalists and community members. Members of the Statesman editorial board are: Statesman editor Chadd Cripe, opinion editor Scott McIntosh, opinion writer Bryan Clark, assistant editor Jim Keyser and community members John Hess, Debbie McCormick and Julie Yamamoto.
What does the endorsement process entail?
The Statesman editorial board meets with political candidates and asks them a series of questions about policy issues. The editorial board discusses the candidates in each race. Board members seek to reach a consensus on the endorsements, but not every decision is unanimous. The editorial board generally will not endorse a candidate who does not agree to an interview with the board members.
Is the editorial board partisan?
No. In making endorsements, members of the editorial board consider which candidates are well-prepared to represent their constituents — not whether they belong to a particular political party. We evaluate candidates’ relevant experience, their readiness for office, their depth of knowledge of key issues and their understanding of public policy. We’re seeking candidates who are thoughtful and who offer more than just party-line talking points. The editorial board will endorse both Republicans and Democrats. We make recommendations about who the best-qualified candidates for these jobs are.
Why are endorsements unsigned?
Endorsements reflect the collective views of the Statesman’s editorial board — not just the opinion of one writer. Board members all discuss and contribute ideas to each endorsement editorial.
Do I have to vote for the candidate the Statesman endorses?
Of course not. An endorsement is just our recommendation based on the candidates’ backgrounds and their answers to editorial board questions.
Can I disagree with the Statesman’s endorsement?
Of course you can. We encourage voters to do their own research and choose the candidate who best represents your views.
Want your say?
Readers are encouraged to express their thoughts by submitting a letter to the editor. Click on “Submit a letter or opinion” at idahostatesman.com/opinion.
Want more opinions each week?
Subscribe to The Idaho Way weekly email newsletter, a collection of editorials, columns, guest opinions and letters to the editor from the Opinion section of the Idaho Statesman each week. You can sign up for The Idaho Way here.