Hanes letter: Gowen Strong

This sickens me. I don’t fault the Boise Metro Chamber of Commerce or the Boise Valley Economic Partnership, but I do question the city of Boise’s single-minded goal to “educate the public” on the economic importance of the F-35s moving to Gowen Field. These private organizations have no obligation to the broader public interest, unlike government agencies.

Taxpayers funded the city of Boise, the Idaho Department of Commerce and the Boise Airport. The health impacts of the booming, noise-generating F-35s must be a part of the community conversation along with the economic losses and environmental degradation that these jets also leave in their wake.

I defy you to find one negative phrase about the F-35s on the Gowen Strong website.

The vaunted Boise Ethics Commission seems to have slipped a cog, too. The commission was set up to protect the city and its taxpayers from illegal and unethical behavior on the part of city employees and their leaders. It seems like some refreshing is in order. A higher operating standard should be reinstated at the commission, as well, since its own ethics seem to have degraded a bit.

This story was originally published June 14, 2017 at 2:57 PM with the headline "Hanes letter: Gowen Strong."