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>From the Moscow-Pullman Daily News<br>
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<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://www.dnews.com/story/opinion/56860/">http://www.dnews.com/story/opinion/56860/</a><br>
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<h1 class="entry-title"
style="margin: 5px; padding: 0px; clear: both; font-size: 20px;">OUR
VIEW: Idaho, ITD didn't get the message</h1>
<p id="byline"
style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 6px; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.4;">Devin
Rokyta</p>
<p id="storydate"
style="margin: 0px 0px 15px 6px; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.4;">Posted
on:<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="updated"
title="2010-11-08T00:00:00-08:00">Monday, November 08, 2010</span></p>
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<p class="storybody"
style="margin: 10px 5px; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.4;">Tuesday's
election results should have sent a handful of messages to politicians
and other public officials, and not just the Democrats.</p>
<p class="storybody"
style="margin: 10px 5px; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.4;">One of those
messages is the electorate is tired of back-room dealings and the lack
of transparency in our government. Both sides of the aisle - at the
national and state levels - are guilty.</p>
<p class="storybody"
style="margin: 10px 5px; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.4;">It's still
early, but that message doesn't appear to have gotten across in Idaho
after the latest twist in the unfolding saga revolving around the
shipment of mega-loads on U.S. Highway 12. Last week, the Idaho Supreme
Court overturned a ruling by a lower-court judge who blocked the
shipment of four mega-loads of oil refinery equipment on the scenic
highway.</p>
<p class="storybody"
style="margin: 10px 5px; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.4;">Attorneys
for residents who sued to stop the shipments said the court's ruling
could open the door for public hearings and more extensive public
involvement in ITD's decision process, which they say has been done so
far largely behind closed doors.</p>
<p class="storybody"
style="margin: 10px 5px; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.4;">Unfortunately,
ITD looks to be staying the course. Last week it denied a request by
opponents for a contested hearing for Exxon Mobil loads, citing its own
power to resolve permit applications.</p>
<p class="storybody"
style="margin: 10px 5px; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.4;">Following
the Supreme Court's decision, ITD spokesman Jeff Stratten said the
department is reviewing the decision and hasn't decided how to proceed.</p>
<p class="storybody"
style="margin: 10px 5px; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.4;">Well Mr.
Stratten and ITD, you proceed by opening up the process and giving the
people a voice in the matter rather than pandering to big business
behind closed doors, as appears to be the case, rightly or wrongly.</p>
<p class="storybody"
style="margin: 10px 5px; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.4;">Do you have
to open up the process? It doesn't appear so. Should you? Easy answer -
yes.</p>
<p class="storybody"
style="margin: 10px 5px; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.4;">The people
want to be heard. They want ITD and the oil companies to address their
concerns about safety, convenience and whether or not the highway will
become a permanent route for similar oversized equipment shipments.</p>
<p class="storybody"
style="margin: 10px 5px; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.4;">ITD
officials aren't elected, but they still are government employees and
therefore accountable to the public. They need to start acting like it.</p>
<p class="storybody"
style="margin: 10px 5px; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.4;">-<span
class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><strong>Devin Rokyta</strong>,
for the editorial board</p>
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