Committee advances bill to add two appointed members to Ada County Highway District commission

BOISE — The House Transportation and Defense Committee voted to send House Bill 326 to the House floor with a "do pass" recommendation after more than an hour of testimony on whether to add two appointed members to the Ada County Highway District commission.

The bill, sponsored by Rep. Joe Palmer (R-Meridian), would increase the ACHD commission from five elected members to seven by adding one member appointed by the governor and one appointed by the county commissioners. "Basically, in a county wide highway district, there will be 2 added commissioners that are appointed," Palmer told the committee.

Supporters of the bill, including Palmer, framed the measure as a way to improve coordination between state and local road systems and to introduce appointed members with transportation experience. Palmer said he would like to "move towards a more professional commission" with criteria for commissioners and argued state and county highways intersecting in Ada County make coordination important.

The bill encountered broad opposition from residents, local officials and transportation advocates who testified that the change would dilute voter control and reduce accountability. "It is a conservative and wise principle that decision making should be made as locally as possible," said Lisa Hecht, who identified herself as an Ada County resident. "This…