BOISE -- Tuesday Boise's city council approved $60,000 in public funds to hire a PR firm to educate the public about an airport bond issue.
They call it outreach, but a critic we spoke with says it's not the city's business.
On November's ballot, voters will be asked if they want to make a constitutional amendment.
If approved, airports would be allowed to issue bonds for improvements without voter approval.
While the critic says the city is trying to influence the outcome of an election, the mayor says good information leads to good public policy.
"I think we'd be remiss almost if we didn't spend some funds from the largest airport in the state to get the word out -- what this measure does," said Boise Mayor Dave Bieter.
Tuesday night, the council voted to pay $60,000 to PR firm Gallatin Public Affairs.
The goal: educational outreach so voters understand the proposed constitutional amendment on airport bonds.
The $60,000 is not city taxpayer money. It comes from an airport fund that includes some traveler taxes, but is mostly user fees from passengers, airlines and other airport vendors.
"All we said is stop using government resources for the passage of an amendment," Wayne Hoffman of the Idaho Freedom Foundation.
Hoffman runs the Idaho Freedom Foundation, a non-profit political advocacy group.
He says the contract is a misappropriation of city resources and is doubtful the information will be objective.
He cites a June e-mail in which Mayor Bieter tells other mayors and airport managers, "I invite you to gather so we can discuss ways to work together to pass this important amendment."
"If there are proponents out there in favor of the constitutional amendment, they can step forward. It's not the city's responsibility to have that funded at the expense of the public," said Hoffman.
The city's spokesman tells KTVB under state law, officials -- including mayors -- are allowed to make statements for or against ballot initiatives.
Council members agreed an outreach program is needed but were split four to one.
“I am voting for this but I also intend to watch very closely the information that is produced and make sure that it does in fact purvey factual, objective information so that our voters can make an informed decision about an a very important issue that will be on the ballot before them in November," said Boise council member Elaine Clegg.
"I will be voting no on this issue for one reason alone and that's although these are revenues on the airport side, I just personally can't justify spending these funds at this time during the tough, difficult economic times that we're in," said Boise council member TJ Thomson.
"What's city government is supposed to do is the administer city government not try to get new initiatives passed to the constitution or new laws or anything like, they're just supposed to administer city government," Hoffman said.
If the airport measure is approved in November, airports in the state can pay for improvements without voter approval, but can not use taxpayer dollars to repay those bonds.
