Bill Bans Use Of Tax Money To Sway Voters

Rep. Jeff Alltus wants to make sure public funds aren’t spent to influence elections - whether it’s school districts touting bond issues or officials pushing for a ballot measure.

“The idea is just that you wouldn’t want them to spend taxpayer money to try to promote a tax increase or something like that,” he told the House State Affairs Committee.

Committee members expressed concerns over one of Alltus’ bills to safeguard public funds and proposed striking several sections.

The extensive deletions failed on a 5-9 vote, and the committee then unanimously agreed to introduce Alltus’ bill with just one deletion, suggested by Rep. Paul Kjellander, R-Boise.

Kjellander, a former radio reporter, said a section exempting releases to the media seemed to exempt only those that the media requested. Alltus agreed to dropping the request part.

Rep. Kent Kunz, R-Pocatello, said, “I don’t think it is a particularly good piece of legislation … but I think the intent of what Rep. Alltus is trying to do is very worthwhile. We should not be spending public money to influence elections.”