The Montana Legislature ventured into its third week of policymaking with public overtures of cooperation and collaboration. That’s a welcome change from the last legislative session, which was dominated by socially derisive bills.
The Legislature traditionally convenes biannually for a maximum of 90 days. In some sessions work gets done; other Legislatures do little but argue. The standard political question on the streets is, “Why can’t politicians get along and do some good?”
By Constitution, the 150 members of the Montana Legislature must allocate tax revenues to public services like schools, libraries, teachers and police. Legislators may well find consensus on an amount of surplus to give back, and to which set of taxpayers. Who gets the tax relief matters.
But a term-limited and revolving-door Legislature complicates progress. It is hard to tell whether it’s the ugly campaigns prior to the session or simply the vast amounts of freshman and sophomore legislators that make policymaking complex.
Secretary of State Linda McCulloch convened the 2013 Montana House and interrupted her address to ask Democrats and Republicans to shake hands.
Sen. Max Baucus in his address said, “This is a great beginning for all of you. New governor, new people, some fresh faces, some old faces, but all bound together by a new beginning. There is nothing like starting again; it’s rejuvenating.”
McCulloch, Baucus and Sen. Jon Tester are all past members of the Montana Legislature and can relate to political personalities and legislative policymaking.
In his address to the Legislature, Tester said, “Work together. Don’t focus on division and distraction. Rather focus on those ideas that move Montana forward.”
Tester quoted Mike Mansfield, the longest-serving majority leader in the U.S. Senate. Tester said, “Sometimes the other side is right – it doesn’t do any harm to listen.”
Tester iterated his appreciation of freshman Congressman Steve Daines, and indicated a willingness to work together on issues that matter to Montana.
Next week Daines and Gov. Steve Bullock will each address the Montana Legislature. Expect more overtures of cooperation.
Montanans can only hope that the bipartisanship of Helena remains intact. Politicians could simply choose to govern from the middle, and leave those pervasive fanatical themes of the last Legislature in Montana’s history.
It’s early in the session, and most of the hundreds of bills are yet to be introduced. But at some point during the session, the cooperative wheels tend to come off the cart. Some of this is the emotion of politics; some of it’s the real hunger for more legislative power.
The House found strong bipartisan support in its 11 percent biannual cost increase, for running its session. It upped its own Feed Bill from $8.3 million to $9.2 million. Montanans expect similar cooperation on the many difficult budgeting and social issues ahead.
Montana is headed for another difficult policymaking term with issues ranging from education funding, to teacher and firefighter wages, to homeowner and business property tax relief, to university tuition or bonding, or to insurance or Medicaid oversight.
How will the Legislature keep Montana a home for the generations that follow?
None of the work in Helena is easy, nor is it meant to be. There are deep and bitter philosophical differences amongst politicians. One party may have the power to ram through legislation, but the other retains the power to veto it.
But in the interest of hometown people, this session would be well served by policy acts of civility and kindness. Montana deserves a session that’s a little less fanatic and a little more common sense. Put citizenship before partisanship and keep up the good work.
Service is not power. From now through April, Helena should keep the focus on serving family and community, homeowners and small business owners alike.