Page 26 - Flathead Beacon // 5.13.15

26 | MAY 13, 2015 OPINION
LETTERS
GARNER DESERVES THANKS FOR SUPPORTING CLEAN ELECTIONS
Rep. Frank Garner, R-Kalispell, served as floor sponsor for Senate Bill 289 during its journey through the Montana House of Representatives. SB 289, popularly known as the Disclose Act, is a bill introduced by Senator Duane Ankney, R-Colstrip, and signed into law by Gov. Steve Bullock in our recent legislative session. The Disclose Act improves transparency in campaign finance, requiring increased disclosure of election related spending, prohibiting both corporations and unions from contributing to campaigns, and significantly increasing the regularity of reporting the Office of Political Practices demands of groups engaged in election communications. With the rise of dark money groups and nearly unchecked electoral spending, legislation of this sort allows Montana to set an example for the rest of the country, stating that we will not tolerate interference with our elections, currently rated as among the best in the nation. Montanans deserve to know who is spending money in our elections, and this law accomplishes that.
Thank you, Representative Garner, for supporting clean elections in Montana.
Megan Lubitz Kalispell
FLATHEAD LAWMAKERS SUPPORT PUBLIC SAFETY
During this past session, several Flathead-area legislators sponsored important public-safety measures brought forward by my office.
Rep. Keith Regier sponsored House Bill 488, which helped us close loopholes that have developed in the DUI code over the past few decades. The bill also updated the fines and created an administrative fee for those who refuse to provide a breath sample. This new law will help us deal with DUI offenders more consistently and effectively.
House Bill 491, sponsored by Rep. Steve Lavin, made important updates to our 24/7 Sobriety Program. This successful program helps us treat repeat DUI offenders, keeps them from reoffending, and saves taxpayers money by reducing jail costs. We continue to add counties to this program, which gives prosecutors and judges a vital tool to deal with offenders who repeatedly put citizens in danger by driving while intoxicated.
Rep. Frank Garner carried House Resolution 7. This measure mandates a study of our law enforcement academy to ensure the facility is funded adequately, curriculum is up-to-date, and that officers have the training necessary to deal with intense, dangerous situations. This study will help lawmakers develop important recommendations for the 2017 Session.
Reps. Regier, Lavin, and Garner moved
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these bills through the legislative process and helped build strong bipartisan support for them. They worked hard on behalf of their constituents and all Montanans, and I am thankful for their dedication and service.
Tim Fox Attorney General of Montana
DOES POLSON QUALIFY FOR A RESORT TAX?
Democracy cannot succeed without citizen participation in the public decision- making process. If a significant number of people don’t show an interest in being informed, important decisions are made without citizen participation that may not be in the best interest of the community.
Recent news media reported that the Polson City Commission is considering putting a resort tax item on the November ballot. City residents defeated the resort tax by 84 percent when it was put on the ballot in 2009.
Murat Kalinyaprek ran for city commissioner in 2009 and did significant research regarding the Polson resort tax issue, which is archived at montanaonline. net/resorttax. The website provides official documents and other information showing that Polson did not qualify as a resort community. In my opinion, the data shows the tax would mainly impact year- round residents.
It seems reasonable that before addressing issues involving the advantages or disadvantages of a resort tax it must be determined whether the city qualifies as a resort community based on “current” data.
MCA 7-6-1501 states that: (5) “Resort community” means a community that: (c) “derives the primary portion of its economic well being related to current employment from businesses catering to the recreational and personal needs of persons traveling to or through the municipality for purposes not related to their income production.”
In 2008 the Department of Commerce declined to designate Polson a resort community. However, in 2009 the department did a turn around and reorganized data to support their reversed decision.
I encourage citizens and the current city commission to examine the 2008 and 2009 documents, and then request an updated evaluation on whether Polson meets the requirement of a resort community. I request the evaluation be made public.
Margie Hendricks Polson
HYPOCRISY AT ITS FINEST
This is a “poor Debby” letter. Sen. Debby Barrett, R-Dillon, is crying foul because 11 of her Republican flock have refused to pledge allegiance to the Koch brothers. It appears that these “wayward” Republicans have strayed from the party edict and are supporting HB 405, the Medicaid expansion bill. The senator,
one of the original “take-it-or-leave-it” Republicans has done everything she can to nullify any part of The Affordable Care Act for the past six years, telling Montanans that they don’t want Medicaid expansion. Obviously, she is too busy reading the mandates from Koch brothers to pay attention to what the citizens of Montana actually want.
If Barrett is so concerned about the fiscal strength of the state and use of taxpayer dollars, I would respectfully request that she refund the more than $9,000 of taxpayer dollars each year that she receives to pay for her own insurance, and to show her fiscal restraint by refusing future compensation. She has been in the Legislature for eight terms, so her refund should amount to more than $144,000. This is hypocrisy at its finest.
Wes Higgins Kalispell
TIME TO CONSIDER BENEFITS OF COMPACT
There have been many broad statements made about property rights and water rights lost in the passing of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes compact. There have been many broad statements about the federal government having control of the water in 11 counties. There has been very little substance.
How is it that a tribal water right lower than the federal requirement of Libby Dam by Federal Energy Regulatory Commission became a taking. The water is already a nonconsumptive use legally required. The water is already no longer available for new consumptive uses. It is a federal requirement. Again, where is the taking?
Other water rights such as co- ownership of Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks rights are for already taken rights for nonconsumptive use. The FWP continues to regulate those rights as they have in the past. So where is the federal taking? Whose property values or water rights are in jeopardy?
On the reservation irrigators are guaranteed their historic water use. That cannot equate to a 60 percent loss in irrigation water. Yet there are those who continue to say it. The DNRC will continue to regulate water off the reservation. The same water that was available without the compact will continue to be available with the compact. It is up to the Water Court to continue the adjudication process and at the end of that process water users in Western Montana will know what water is still available. The CSKT compact impacts none of that.
What the compact does do is bring in 90,000-acre feet of water from Hungry Horse so that water users in Western Montana who are already denied new uses have a new water source. That would increase property values in some areas.
It is time to put away the fables and look at the benefits of the compact.
Susan Lake Ronan
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CORRECTIONS
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