Boise Mayor Proposes Controversial Policies In New Report

Will these recommendations build a stronger city, or cause concerns for parents?

Boise’s new mayor, Lauren McLean, sparked controversy over a recent committee report. The 13-page report was met with concern among conservatives due to its promotion of multiple controversial policies which include free abortions and a pre-K sex ed program.

The report was entitled, “A More Equitable City for Everyone“, and was written by an 18-member transition team led by the mayor.

It tackles a wide range of issues, among which are free contraception as defined by the CDC, abortion, and reproductive health care. Additionally, there will be a collaboration with the Boise School District to establish sex education from pre-Kindergarten to grade twelve.

The report also promotes policies that would “make Boise a sanctuary city, including ending coordination with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, ” writes Hayley Harding in the Idaho Statesman.

Dustin Hurst represents the Idaho Freedom Foundation. His concern is that the report would transform Boise into a “socialist enclave” by turning it into something similar to Portland, Seattle, or San Francisco. He refers to the report as a “socialist wishlist”.

Other recommendations include:

• Commit “to ongoing and robust efforts to interrupt white-dominant/white supremacist culture with a multi-layered strategy and designate a full-time City of Boise staff person to serve as Director of Equitable, Safer and Thriving City.”
• “Create a Youth Council comprised of youth from communities that are marginalized to inform and consult on major city policy decisions impacting their communities.

• Work with Ada County to close juvenile detention centers and to eliminate cash bail and fines.
• Provide city-wide free Internet.
• “Increase the minimum wage to a livable wage that aligns with the local housing market.”
• “Increase lower-paying positions so there is no more than four times difference in salaries between the highest and lowest positions in the City of Boise government.”

McLean, who is a Democrat, emphasizes that the report serves as a recommendation by a committee- not an official policy.

“These are not policy documents,” says McLean to KTVB. “They are reports to me and my administration, and when we all talked when I released them, I said that clearly and I wanted to transparently share them.”

She added, “It is incumbent upon me to recognize what I can do and what I can’t do to thank and honor the hard work of citizens volunteers who brought their ideas to the table.”

This is not the first state to tackle some of the same issues.