2018 General Election Coverage

Your complete source for election news and information.

Election Results

Ada County Commissioner - District 1

Candidate Votes Percentage
Diana Lachiondo (D) 94,869
51%
Jim Tibbs (R) 89,720
49%

Helpful Resources

Here you will find a number of helpful resources for the 2018 General Election.

2018 Idaho Voters Pamphlet

This voter information pamphlet has been prepared to help serve as a reference for you. The information presented here is intended to help you make an informed decision at the polls. By voting, you have the privilege to help select your local, state, and national leaders, and you also have a part in making Idaho’s laws. I encourage you to exercise this privilege by voting in the General Election Tuesday, November 6.

Voters Poll

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Election Guide

Meridian Press

Meridian Press

  • Check out this years Election Guide and compare how candidates responded to our questions.

Ada County Commissioner District 1 Survey Responses

Party
Diana Lachiondo
Democrat 		Democrat
Jim Tibbs
Republican 		Republican
Education
Diana Lachiondo
Democrat 		BA, International Studies, University of Washington Certificate in Non-Profit Leadership, University of Washington
Jim Tibbs
Republican 		B.A., Criminology, Boise State Universtity, Police Staff and Command, Northwestern University
Occupation and relevant work experience
Diana Lachiondo
Democrat 		During the past five years, I’ve served as Director of Community Partnerships for the City of Boise, where I worked on issues related to housing, children, veterans, those experiencing homelessness, and seniors. Alongside key stakeholders, I’ve been honored to lead initiatives such as New Path Housing and the Boise Pre-K Project. I’m also proud to serve as a United Way of Treasure Valley board member, Treasure Valley Education Partnership core team member, a member of the Neighbors United planning team, Energize Our Neighborhoods strategic leadership team, and a Regional Housing and Homelessness Roundtable leader.
Jim Tibbs
Republican 		Ada County Commissioner (District 1) Boise City Police-34 years-Retired in 2004 as Chief of Police Chairman of the Idaho Board of Correction “Drug Czar” for the State of Idaho State Coordinator for the “Rural Law Enforcement Methamphetamine Initiative”
Past political experience and campaigns
Diana Lachiondo
Democrat 		I am a first-time candidate for office.
Jim Tibbs
Republican 		Elected to Boise City Council-2006 Ran for Boise City Mayor-2008 Elected to the Ada County Commission in 2012 and reelected in 2014
Have you ever filed for bankruptcy for yourself or for your business? If yes, please tell us when and the circumstances.
Diana Lachiondo
Democrat 		No
Jim Tibbs
Republican 		No
Have you been convicted of any misdemeanor or felony charges? (Traffic citations not included). If yes, what were the convictions and the circumstances?
Diana Lachiondo
Democrat 		No
Jim Tibbs
Republican 		No
Why are you running for this office?
Diana Lachiondo
Democrat 		I don’t plan on being a seat-filler or winning office for the sake of winning: I want to serve diligently and ethically as Ada County Commissioner. I have a track record of problem-solving in collaboration with area leaders, and my roots here run deep. Ada County - where I was born, raised, and now raise a family of my own - is my home, and I don't want unchecked sprawl, traffic congestion, and poor air quality to be its future. With new leadership, we can chart a better course for Ada County.
Jim Tibbs
Republican 		I have lived in Ada County most of my adult life and I have devoted my professional career to public service. I have always been involved with finding solutions to the many challenges of our growing community; including public health and safety, economic vitality, population growth, and quality of life. When it comes to public service, I have been a participant, not a spectator. I have served our citizens in a variety of leadership capacities. I believe my many years of experience serving the public and close involvement with the community have given me the opportunity to understand firsthand, what is needed in developing the future of Ada County.
What are your top three priorities if elected?
Diana Lachiondo
Democrat 		My top priorities as Ada County Commissioner will be 1) smart, responsible growth that preserves our quality of life and open spaces, 2) saving money in the long run by investing in proactive, data-driven, and innovative solutions to tough problems, and 3) leading a regional plan to address our valley’s opioid crisis.
Jim Tibbs
Republican 		1. Ensure the continuation of an open and transparent county government and provide for the essential, necessary services and programs mandated by the Idaho Constitution and Idaho Code; such as, the county jail, morgue and court system. 2. Continue to find ways to collaborate with other government entities and citizens to establish partnerships that will provide a safe community, with improved service and will save taxpayer dollars. 3. Continue with a strong fiscal responsibility philosophy.
Why should voters select you over your opponent(s)?
Diana Lachiondo
Democrat 		I have proven myself professionally to be a hard worker who shows up, collaborates, and listens. I’ve spent the last nine months talking to Ada County residents about their concerns, showing up in every city for open houses and listening sessions. And, unlike my opponent, I have funded my campaign without corporate dollars or county contractor money. I’m beholden to voters, not special interests, and that matters.
Jim Tibbs
Republican 		1. Ensure the continuation of an open and transparent county government and provide for the essential, necessary services and programs mandated by the Idaho Constitution and Idaho Code; such as, the county jail, morgue and court system. 2. Continue to find ways to collaborate with other government entities and citizens to establish partnerships that will provide a safe community, with improved service and will save taxpayer dollars. 3. Continue with a strong fiscal responsibility philosophy.
Is Ada County doing enough to keep pace with crowding issues in county facilities such as the jail, courthouse and coroner’s office?
Diana Lachiondo
Democrat 		In a word: no. Expansion of our jail and courthouse will be needed soon, but in the meantime I’d like to focus on affordable upstream solutions that save taxpayer dollars and improve lives. Allumbaugh House (our regional detox and mental health facility that provides a safe and affordable alternative to expensive emergency rooms and the county jail) is a great example of this. When we ask taxpayers to fund millions of dollars toward capital expenses, we need to ensure that we’ve exhausted every option to maximize current resources and partnerships.
Jim Tibbs
Republican 		The short answer is yes. The expansion of the jail, coroner’s office and courthouse has been identified as high priorities in the Master Facilities Plan. In the meantime, the Sheriff has been very successful in reducing the number of state and federal prisoners being housed in the Ada County jail. The Ada County Coroner is working on a plan to temporarily reduce the overcrowding in the morgue until a new, larger morgue can be constructed. To address overcrowding in the court system, a new courtroom will be constructed in 2019. Additionally, during my tenure, Ada County has paid off the Courthouse bonds, completed construction of a new dispatch center, juvenile probation office, constructed one new paramedic station and remodeled two others. Ada County will also be addressing the extreme Courthouse vehicle parking shortage very soon. All of these projects were funded in the existing budgets and through savings.
What is the best option for funding the additional county staff and facilities that impending growth will require?
Diana Lachiondo
Democrat 		Ada County is currently one of the fastest growing areas in the country. And, regardless of their political affiliation, residents have serious concerns about our current rate of growth. Without focused planning now, unbridled development will erode our quality of life and pass the buck to taxpayers. Ada County should work with development services staff to make sure that new growth is paying for itself with relevant impact fees. I’d also review current exemptions for validity so that everyone is paying their fair share, and that working families and seniors are not unduly burdened.
Jim Tibbs
Republican 		Ada County is already dealing with the challenge of a rapidly growing population. The FY19 budget will add additional personnel to departments that have a critical need. The Sheriff’s Office, Prosecutor’s Office, Public Defender’s Office, and the Clerk’s Office will receive additional personnel. Also, the County will be adding parking spaces to its inventory…funded by cash savings. Now that the Master Facilities Plan has been completed, future Boards of County Commissioners (BOCC) will have a plan to move forward. The “Plan” identifies a number of scenarios for every county department's personnel and facility needs. There are a number of funding strategies that can be considered for capital improvement projects. The current Board of Commissions have discussed using Impact Fees, Public/Private Partnerships, use of Foregone Taxes, and a Lease to Buy strategy with no tax increase. The new Board will have the opportunity to discuss the issues and determine the path forward.
Is Ada County doing enough to support public transportation?
Diana Lachiondo
Democrat 		No. This is not an issue that Ada County can solve alone, but Ada County leaders should be leading the way toward common sense solutions. We need to link together city and county programs and priorities. Public transportation, traffic management and planning must be a team effort between cities, ACHD, and the Ada County Commissioners, and if elected I will do everything in my power to contribute positively to that effort.
Jim Tibbs
Republican 		Ada County is an active member of the Valley Regional Transit Board and COMPASS and provides input on proposed strategies to connect land use and transportation. I think everyone agrees that a more robust public transportation service is desired but adequate funding and setting priorities is always the challenge.
What role should the county commissioners play in matters of affordable housing?
Diana Lachiondo
Democrat 		Housing instability is impacting Ada County at an alarming rate. With rents and house prices increasing, working people are frequently finding themselves priced out of their current neighborhoods. In the West Ada School District alone, more than 600 students are currently experiencing homelessness and these challenges require cooperation among many stakeholders. For the past several years, I led the Housing and Homelessness Roundtable, a collaboration between business, faith, nonprofit and government leaders. Unfortunately, our current commissioners have failed to show up at this Roundtable for almost two years. If elected as your next commissioner, you can count on me to show up and lead on housing.
Jim Tibbs
Republican 		State law does not allow for county funds to be used to construct housing projects; although, Ada County is an active member of the Boise City/County Housing Authority. In the past, Ada County legal staff has assisted with resolving property tax credit issues related to affordable housing projects.
Is there a decision made at the county level in the last five years that you disagreed with? If so, what should the county have done differently?
Diana Lachiondo
Democrat 		There are a number of recent decisions that I disagree with, but one in particular influenced my decision to run for office. The national opioid crisis has reached Ada County and we have experienced quadruple the number of overdose deaths year-over-year. And, just as these deaths were increasing dramatically, our current commissioners attempted to pull the county’s portion of funding from Allumbaugh House. I successfully worked to ensure that Ada County stayed in this critical partnership, but their threat to remove funding galvanized my choice to run. When a program can both save lives and save taxpayer money, threats to defund said program are short-sighted and reckless.
Jim Tibbs
Republican 		I have agreed with the major decisions made at the county level in the last five years.
Do you feel the way indigent funds are administered in Ada County could be improved? If so, how?
Diana Lachiondo
Democrat 		We have an enormous opportunity this November to completely change the way Ada County administers indigent funds. Passing the ballot initiative for Medicaid Expansion will save Ada County taxpayers over four million dollars a year, create new local jobs, and help our working neighbors get access to basic care. I felt so strongly about this issue - which will save lives and money - that I went door to door collecting signatures to get Proposition 2 on the ballot. When Medicaid Expansion passes this fall, it will free up county dollars to be used on more proactive solutions and potentially lower taxes over time.
Jim Tibbs
Republican 		The indigent program staff accepts and processes applications. The process and decisions to approve or deny are regulated by state law. Even though there is not much flexibility, the staff and attorneys do recommend process improvements on a regular basis. I believe the indigent funds are generally administered very well. The County has approved $250,000 to help fund wrap-around services for Boise City’s New Path Homeless facility. The funding came from the indigent fund balance and future Boards will need to determine if that funding continues.
What would you change about how the county?s budget is structured?
Diana Lachiondo
Democrat 		I’ve met with the Ada County Treasurer’s office and the current staff, and look forward to ensuring further transparency and accountability during the budget process. If current budget documents and processes were made more accessible and user-friendly, we could bring more people into the public process.
Jim Tibbs
Republican 		The county’s budget is structured quite well. The “A” budget contains the personnel piece and the “B” budget covers everything else. Personnel costs are budgeted at 98% for cost savings. Departments spend substantial time preparing their requests and the budget workshop occurs in June. Department heads and other elected officials present their requests to the Board during the workshop. After the presentations, the Board deliberates and approves or denies a tentative budget. Final approval is completed in August. The process is very inclusive and involves considerable interaction between the Board, other elected officials and department heads. To improve the process, I would recommend moving to a two year budget process.
Do you think the county commission has a healthy enough relationship with other offices within the county? What would you change, if anything?
Diana Lachiondo
Democrat 		I can't speak to the commission's current relationships with other county offices, but I’ve built my career as a non-partisan collaborator. My approach will be to foster healthy relationships and find opportunities to work together, no matter what.
Jim Tibbs
Republican 		Overall, the county has a good relationship with other offices, internally and externally. We don’t always agree but I believe solutions are found in a collaborative process. Internally, the Board holds quarterly meetings with other elected officials and each Commissioner has liaison responsibilities with other county departments. Externally, the Board is involved with meetings and other forms of communication with other government entities. Individual Commissioners also subscribe to an “open door” policy. Commissions are constrained with meetings because if two Commissioners meet with someone, it has to be noticed, clerked, and recorded.