Page 25 - Flathead Beacon // 3.23.16

agreed to reimburse the state more than $2,500 for travel using a state-owned plane that coincided with campaign events after Republicans criticized Bull- ock’s use of the plane, including a Feb. 10 trip to Billings where he helped the homeless and then attended a campaign fundraiser.
Lee Newspapers of Montana reports the governor’s legal counsel said Bull- ock can use state-owned aircraft to y to a location and attend a campaign event as long as he is also attending o cial state events on the same day. However, the state must be reimbursed for any increased cost associated with the air- craft as a result of the attendance.
The governor is paying the state for 21 trips. At a cost of about $500 an hour to y the plane, that averages more than $120 per trip.
Bullock issued a new policy acknowl- edging that the state needs to be reim- bursed for any increased cost, such as the pilots’ time waiting on the ground, if it is associated with campaign-related events.
Bullock spokesman Tim Crowe said trips to Missoula, Bozeman and Billings that included campaign events were pri- marily for o cial government business.
Montana GOP spokesman Shane Scanlon said the state plane should not be used for campaign trips.
“It’s simply wrong for Gov. Bullock to campaign on the taxpayers’ dime, and he should reimburse Montanans in-full for the campaign leg of his trips — just like other governors have done,” he said in a statement.
Previous governors from both par- ties have paid part of the costs in similar situations
HELENA
5. Conservative Lawmakers Face
Opponents in Montana Primaries
Skirmishes between so-called “responsible Republicans” and the GOP’s more conservative faction will again play out at the ballot box, as moderates attempt to increase their numbers in the Montana Legislature.
Election lings this week show con- tinuing signs of the deep fractures within the Montana GOP, with a dozen Republi- can incumbents facing opponents in the June 7 primary.
Among the incumbents facing chal- lengers are Rep. Randy Pinocci of Sun River, who won his seat two years ago when he ousted a moderate incumbent. Also facing a challenge — from two fellow Republicans — is embattled Rep. Art Wit- tich, who is scheduled to go on trial later this month on accusations of violating campaign nance laws.
Thirty-three House seats, including open seats, are being contested by at least two Republicans, while only 13 of those races have at least two Democrats.
Two years ago, numerous conservative candidates challenged moderate incum- bents and deepened fractures within the Republican Party.
This time, the o ensive is coming from moderates.
“Obviously, the Republican Party is a big, diverse party. We’re not
monochromatic in the policies we pur- sue and support, and (the candidates) we get elected,” said Rep. Je Essmann, chair of the Montana GOP. “The public is best served through a competitive elec- tion process.”
Some Republicans contend that Dem- ocrats are using the century-old open pri- mary system to in uence the outcome of GOP contests.
HELENA
6. Revenue Department Blocks 188
Fraudulent State Tax Returns
The state Revenue Department has processed more income tax returns so far this year, compared to the same time a year ago.
Workers are also being more aggres- sive in agging returns for extra scrutiny as the agency tries to prevent catch fraud- ulent returns.
The agency said last week it has pro- cessed more than 244,000 returns since Jan. 19 and has issued more than 204,000 refunds that average $403. That’s com- pared to processing 232,000 returns and issuing 195,000 refunds averaging $406 last year.
So far this year, the department has blocked 188 fraudulent returns seeking a total of $220,245 in refunds. Others are still under scrutiny because of incon- sistencies with a previous year’s return. At this point a year ago, the state had blocked 529 fraudulent returns seeking nearly $583,000 in refunds.
BILLINGS
7. Judge Strikes Down Water Permit
for Montana Coal Mine
A judge struck down a permit for a southeastern Montana coal mine, saying o cials failed to fully consider the e ects of pollutants on several nearby creeks.
The ruling marks yet another setback for an industry that has been assailed with numerous lawsuits from environ- mentalists in recent years. The Rosebud strip mine produces about 9 million tons of coal a year, primarily for the Colstrip power plant.
State District Judge Kathy Seeley ordered the Montana Department of Environmental Quality to reconsider the mine’s water discharge permit in a March 14 decision.
She said the agency had shown “clear errors of judgment” in allowing reduced monitoring of pollution from the mine and reclassifying surrounding water- ways so they were subject to less-strin- gent pollution standards.
A separate challenge of the state’s approval of a 12 million-ton expansion of the Rosebud mine is pending before the Montana Board of Environmental Review.
The Department of Environmental Quality was evaluating Seeley’s order before it decides how to proceed, pub- lic policy director Kristi Ponozzo said March 18.
The Helena judge did not set a dead- line for the department to act, and the ruling is not expected to immediately a ectmining.
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