Corruption is easy to spot at the federal and state level, but it often flies under the radar in local municipalities — from shady deals to malfeasance and waste — with little oversight. IFF holds the legislature accountable, and until now, that accountability has been missing from cities and counties. IFF aims to root out corruption in local governments too and hold officials accountable across the Gem State, and Idahoans can assist that effort by using the tip line and submitting their stories.
Do you blindly trust the government to spend your hard-earned money, enact policy, and make decisions that deeply affect your and your family’s lives without oversight or accountability? Yeah, neither do we. Local governments often have little oversight from the state or citizens, which commonly leads to a slippery slope of neglecting procedures, hiding information,…
As the adage goes, “Where there is smoke, there is fire.” This appears to ring true regarding the misappropriation of public funds between Idaho State University (ISU) and Bannock County. Since the Idaho Freedom Foundation’s last article on the misuse of public funds, ISU has requested that Bannock County return the remaining balance, which they…
By all appearances, officials of Bannock County and Idaho State University (ISU) colluded to keep control over $850,000 of state money and are using it like a slush fund, even though the law requires them to return unspent appropriated money to the state. The Idaho Legislature appropriated $900,000 for operating expenses for the East Idaho…
Voters made their voices loud and clear. It won’t be business as usual in American politics next year, and that includes Idaho. But the special interests who controlled the political landscape in our state for so long appear to have missed the memo. Last week, virtually the entire Idaho Legislature gathered in North Idaho to…
The Coeur d’Alene City Council has voted to take property rights away from some of its home and business owners because, believe it or not, tearing down old buildings might make some people sad. However, the Coeur d’Alene Press did not push that headline on its readers, instead offering that the council had voted to…
Idaho's 2024 primary elections last night were historic. By most estimates, freedom picked up 2 seats in the Senate and 6 seats in the House. It was a good night for friends of liberty and a bad night for establishment good-old-boys. November elections will determine a few more outcomes, but the results from Tuesday —…
Have you witnessed a lack of accountability in your local government? Please share your story with us.
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Idaho has 44 counties. Find fiscal data, online services, and more resources using the county links in the map below.
County and city links provided by transparent.idaho.gov
Local government — a shining beacon of accountability. Where else can you find public officials approving deals without public meetings, zoning contracts over lunch, and budget allocations that somehow always favor the mayor’s family’s construction company? One might even say they are “the gold standard of transparent governance” — that is, if you live in a parallel universe.
A harsh reality Idahoans have faced — particularly over the last year — is counties, cities, and school boards gone rogue. Too often, local governments operate in the quiet and are shielded from scrutiny by low public engagement, little to no oversight, and a stunning lack of accountability for their actions.
When governments or officials make headlines for the misappropriation of funds, nepotism, or outright corruption, it is typically at the federal or state levels. Local government largely flies under the radar. Decisions are made in “executive meetings,” minutes are sparse and buried in websites that are difficult to navigate, and the line between public service and personal interest is often, let's say, blurred.
The lack of citizen and legislative accountability has created a breeding ground for corruption. The saddest part of all of this, arguably, is that elected officials and government employees are getting away with it because almost no one is watching. Or at least, almost no one was watching.
The Idaho Freedom Foundation has been inundated by stories from citizens of corruption at all levels of local government over the past few years. Through public records requests, social media, and grassroots organizing, Idahoans have begun holding their local leaders accountable.
In a Constitutional Republic, governmental oversight doesn't come from the top down. It starts with the citizenry — the working mom who reads the city budget for fun, the outraged parents whose kids are being politically targeted at school, the retiree who attends every council meeting, and the hard-working businessmen who won’t let shady deals go unquestioned.
An informed citizenry is a powerful citizenry, and a powerful citizenry results in an accountable government. Corruption occurs when governments are not held accountable. Corruption thrives in darkness, and now, informed citizens are flipping on the lights.
