COLUMN: A budget bull's-eye

Bravo to Dave Botting for his My Turn column Friday on the county’s budget practices. He has spotlighted one of the most serious problems in Kootenai County. Unfortunately, this problem has run rampant for quite a number of years and the efforts that several citizens have made to correct it have been repulsed by our elected officials.

One item of interest that Mr. Botting didn’t mention is found in the Idaho Constitution: Article 7, SECTION 10. MAKING PROFIT FROM PUBLIC MONEY PROHIBITED. The making of profit, directly or indirectly, out of state, county, city, town, township or school district money, or using the same for any purpose not authorized by law, by any public officer, shall be deemed a felony, and shall be punished as provided by law.

It has been my opinion for a long time that certain elected officials have routinely used public money for purposes not authorized by law and have escaped prosecution. Mr. Botting does an excellent job of describing how they do it.

THOMAS R. MACY

Post Falls