HELENA – Republican lawmakers don’t have enough of a majority to override any potential gubernatorial vetoes, so they are considering putting some of the most controversial measures before Montana voters.
“When you’ve got a major policy issue and a governor that doesn’t really believe in compromise, you’ve got no choice,” Sen. Dave Lewis, R-Helena, told Lee Newspapers of Montana.
A referendum to change a state law needs a simple majority in the House and the Senate and goes directly to the voters.
Republicans will have a 68-32 edge in the House and a 28-22 advantage in the Senate in 2011. It takes a two-thirds vote in each house to override a governor’s veto, leaving Senate Republicans short.
Lewis said Republican lawmakers have talked about using referendums in the past, but never had the votes.
“With the margins we have this time, it’s a practical solution,” he said Wednesday.
Some potential referendum topics include abolishing the state income tax in favor of a sales tax; capping state employees’ pay and benefits at twice the state’s median family income; providing tuition tax credits for parents who send their children to private schools and opting out of daylight saving time.
Lewis said Republicans want to limit the number of issues they put before the public to about a half dozen they consider most important.
Schweitzer said he thinks he will be able to find common ground with lawmakers, who begin a 90-day legislative session next month.
He declined to debate bills that are just being drafted and disputed Lewis’ contention that he doesn’t believe in compromise.
“I think we’ve done quite well over the years and I suspect we’ll find common ground this time,” Schweitzer said.
Sen. Joe Balyeat, R-Bozeman, said he has some proposals that likely will be constitutional referendums. He said he expects someone to offer a referendum to address Montana’s medical marijuana issue. The state legalized medical marijuana in 2004 by initiative.