Page 26 - Flathead Beacon // 4.22.15

26 | APRIL 22, 2015 OPINION
LETTERS
STOP EFFORTS TO BUY ELECTIONS
In response to the recent article concerning Rep. Frank Garner’s stand against Dark Money, I wish to congratulate him for having the courage of his convictions.
Montanans need to know that there is a concerted effort to buy their government. Unnamed contributors donating unlimited amounts of money leads one to believe that influence peddling is involved. Is money coming from out-of-state interests?
Corporations or organizations attempting to gain influence for their own vested interests or agendas? This begs the question: (Which) Americans for (whose) Prosperity?
Unfortunately, due to the U.S. Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision and the scrapping of Montana’s century old campaign finance laws, the result of a lawsuit brought by American Tradition Partnership (ATP), we may never know.
The rise of 501(c)4 tax exempt operations, ATP and a huge proliferation of others on both sides of the political spectrum, has led to unconscionable amounts of money being spent attempting to influence voters and elections in Montana, possibly in violation of IRS tax exempt rules. Specifically the prohibition of “Express Advocacy,” which states: 501(c)4 tax exempt organizations may NOT spend money “... attempting to influence the selection, nomination, election, or appointment of any person to any Federal, state, or local public office or to an office in a political organization.” (Pg. 4 Part II of IRS Form 1024 Line 15)
Sadly, these Dark Money groups use the 501(c)4 designation as a selling point for gathering contributions by promising secrecy for their donors while flying under the radar by calling themselves “Social Advocacy” organizations.
Montanans should not be subjected to the undue influence of powerful, innocuously named special interest groups not necessarily representing the best interests of ordinary citizens. The attempt to sway elections by claiming that money equals free speech should not be tolerated.
Jack Thomson Lakeside
TAX FATIGUE IN WHITEFISH
The City of Whitefish undertakes ambitious projects. Besides the new City Hall, which has come under fire as a “Taj Mahal” in the making, there is now a rushed mail-in ballot this month for a proposal to increase the resort tax from 2
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percent to 3 percent to fund or help fund the purchase of a conservation easement in Haskill Basin. The easement (allegedly) will protect the water supply to Whitefish and recreational opportunities for all in the future. Local businesses and citizens have come out for and against the resort tax increase. I recreate in Haskill Basin often thanks to the Stoltze lands policy.
I live outside and above the City of Whitefish, but go through it every day, work there and pay the taxes of the resort town. I am against raising the resort tax. I think one of the biggest statements Whitefish can make about its reputation to a visitor or a local is that when the cash register adds up to 99 cents or $99 you pay 99 cents or $99, not $1.02 or $102. People remember that.
The lack of a sales tax (or a resort tax) is a big selling statement to the public. But alas, we have one. (Some businesses absorb the tax in their pricing for this very reason). Some people may take note that it is 2 percent presently and not the 4 to 7 percent they encounter elsewhere. But for how long?
I travel to Kalispell to make larger purchases simply to avoid the tax. So do a lot of other folks. What does that do to the local businesses? It hurts them! They lose the sales, revenue and potentially employees.
What about other ways to collect the money for the easement? Some say there is “philanthropic fatigue,” so hence not to seek larger private contributors for this easement. I am sure that is true, but what about local citizenry “tax fatigue?” Folks are tired of being taxed on their properties’ values, and taxed at the grocery or other retail store. They truly do have tax fatigue. Once a tax is imposed or an increase to a tax is granted, it rarely, if ever, is reduced or removed. And people say another 1 percent does not matter. Well, I hear complaints all the time at City Beach when folks have to launch their motorized boat and pay the extra $5 to launch!
Fiscal responsibility and accountability by government officials is imperative. While this easement is a virtuous and maybe even a necessary expenditure, it is all the other “less than virtuous and less than necessary” expenditures that never get addressed and removed.
Whitefish spends elaborately on streetlights, city halls, schools and many other projects. The easement could be a bond issue, which will go away when paid for. It could be paid for by increasing the cost of water and sewer to the users. A resort tax increase will be here forever (unless a sunset provision is enacted), taking more money from the lean pockets of the hardworking citizens and visitors to the city. The bulk of the tax burden is on local retired and hardworking individuals and families. I do not want to pay it.
I am sure there are many other
creative ways to fund the easement. Slow down the process and think through these consequences. How about better drafting of the wording of the measure? So, worst case, if the citizens do pass it, make sure that its proceeds are only used for the negotiated cost of Haskill Basin lands, as well as a “stop it and chop it” provision, so when the $8 million is reached, the 1 percent tax increase immediately and permanently goes away. At a minimum, let’s put contractual language in this measure to protect our citizens. Or do not vote for it.
Marguerite Kaminski Whitefish
SECURING OUR WATER IS A BARGAIN
I am a Whitefish resident and I am in support of the great opportunity we have to secure our most precious resource, water. I have lived and worked in three other countries where pure uncontaminated water is a huge issue. Our availability of fresh, clean water is something many people take for granted. We all think of water as a never-ending resource and do not give it a thought as we drink, wash dishes and bath. Raising our existing resort tax another 1 percent, in my opinion, is a bargain and secures our future.
Roger Sherman Whitefish
TAKE BACK THE PARTY
For the first time, I agree with Bill Baum and I second his support of Commissioner Gary Krueger. Gary is the most intelligent, common sense commissioner we have.
Right now, Republican extremists attack Krueger because they are rabidly opposed to the Water Compact and Krueger supports the Compact for very rational reasons.
Gary Krueger’s attackers are the hyper-critical, conspiracy believing, doomsday cult, extremists of the Republican Party.
They are at most only 20 percent of Republican voters and less than 10 percent of the voting population. Good people can outvote them.
I agree with Baum that rational Republicans must take back their party, take back their Central Committee, take back the Republican contingent of the Montana legislature, and reelect Gary Krueger.
Let’s do it in 2016 by removing from office every Republican who voted no on the Water Compact. I hope good Democrats like Baum cross-over to help Republicans like me clean house.
Ed Berry Bigfork
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CORRECTIONS
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