Letters to the editor: Lachiondo, Niland, Pickering, masks
Editor’s note: The deadline to submit letters to the editor related to the elections is 5 p.m. Friday, Oct. 23.
Lachiondo
When she said she’d work like a mother, she wasn’t kidding. For two years, I have watched with awe and thanks as Commissioner Diana Lachiondo has done what she said she’d do: address our deferred maintenance backlog, strive to make growth pay for itself, and be a voice for everyone in Ada County.
She makes hard decisions and stands by them, evidenced by her vote for mandatory masks despite anti-mask protesters at her home. She wasn’t deterred or intimidated. Instead, she listened to medical professionals and let science — not politics — guide her decision-making to give us the best chance to stay healthy, stop the spread of COVID-19, and keep our schools and economy open.
As a working mother myself, I have deep respect for Diana’s public service. Time with your children is precious. So many evenings and weekends when I am home with my family, she is out in the community working for all of us. She does it because she knows how much is at stake for every family in this county.
Diana is a leader we need during times like these. Please vote Diana Lachiondo for Ada County Commissioner. Ada County needs her continued leadership.
Marie Callaway Kellner, Boise
Niland
Mary Carol Niland has proven herself to be a gifted, visionary, dedicated leader. An Idaho native, as chair of the Nampa Chamber of Commerce Mary Carol led the petition that gave birth to the College of Western Idaho. Mary Carol has remained committed to ensuring CWI serves the people of the Treasure Valley. She remains focused on the need of the college to identify, develop and offer an affordable education that will bring good jobs with good wages and benefits into our communities. She understands that CWI is owned, driven and directed by the public and must provide affordable learning opportunities for all regardless of age or educational history. I have had the pleasure of working with Mary Carol to develop apprenticeship opportunities for CWI students, as such, have seen the life-changing impact these opportunities have had for these students. As a businessman, I know the value of having an educated workforce available. There are challenges ahead, a fast growing population, economic uncertainties and expanded demands of education. These changes make the need to have a strong leader such as Mary Carol, I urge you to vote for the future. Vote for Mary Carol Niland for Trustee Zone 3.
William Stokes, Nampa
Pickering
A few years ago, just days after my street had been newly chip-sealed, I woke to the sound of machines tearing up my road to install a sewer pipe. When I asked workers why they didn’t rip up the street before it got chip-sealed, I was told, “Oh, that’s ACHD. We’re city.” I asked, “Don’t these 2 entities communicate with each other?” All I got was a shrug.
Cities in Ada County do not control our roads. ACHD is in charge of streets in Boise, Garden City, Meridian, Eagle and Kuna. This rare model can only work with effective collaboration between ACHD commissioners and the Cities.
Sadly, this collaboration has not been the rule with Alexis Pickering’s opponent, a 16-year ACHD incumbent. Citizens are tired of the blaming and finger pointing we see when we ask for solutions to traffic, uncontrolled growth, inadequate public transportation, unsafe routes to school and a shortage of walkable and bikeable pathways. Alexis Pickering will work collaboratively with Cities to implement creative solutions to these issues.
If you live in or near Garden City, find Alexis Pickering for ACHD in this non-partisan race, all the way down your ballot. End the bickering. Vote for Pickering!
Sam Sandmire, Boise
Masks
I observe citizens failing to wear protective masks in stores. The coronavirus will continue unless we all cooperate about protection for all. Our state and local governments say it is too difficult to do anything. It is their job to help. Oregon has a mandate to wear masks in stores or be fined. We need a governing system with backbone. Please wear your masks.
Li Wong, Weiser