Bill foe Vito cites ‘Minority Report’

Rep. Vito Barbieri, R-Dalton Gardens, said he thought the idea smacked of a “star chamber,” and worried it would try to go after crimes before they’re committed, citing the movie “Minority Report.”

The House State Affairs Committee has voted 9-8 to introduce bipartisan legislation, co-sponsored by Rep. John Rusche, D-Lewiston, and Rep. Lynn Luker, R-Boise, to create an office of inspector general to receive and investigate complaints of waste, fraud or corruption in government in Idaho. “Currently, there’s nowhere for an employee or another who has concern about fraud, waste or misuse to take the complaint,” Rusche told the panel. The new office would be in the state Board of Examiners, and would have just the inspector general, who would serve a six-year term, and one support staffer; the estimated cost next year is $250,000. “When I last checked, 19 states had inspector generals, often housed in the governor’s office,” Rusche told the committee/ Betsy Russell , Eye on Boise. More here .

Question: Does Idaho need an inspector general to receive and investigate complaints of waste?