Page 26 - Flathead Beacon // 6.1.16

LIKE I WAS SAYING 30 AMERICAN RURAL 30 DRAWING BOARD 31 Viewpoints
LETTERS
Proud to Support Tim Harmon
I am writing to voice my support for Tim Harmon as county commissioner. Since moving to the Flathead in the later part of the last century I have had the privilege of befriending many ne peo- ple and a handful of extraordinarily good people, who truly put the thought of others in front of their own self-in- terest. Tim Harmon is one of those rare breeds of men who truly wants to understand what is in the community’s best interest and what will bring about the best results for all a ected parties. I have had the honor of serving on a board with Tim and have seen rsthand his thoughtfulness and consideration of others, and how any given agenda item may a ect the poorest among us. He is truly one of the best humans I know and I am honored to be classi ed as his friend and will be proud to cast my vote for him.
Tim Miller Marion
Gianforte Will Bring Good-Paying Jobs to Montana
The crazy season for attack ads has arrived in Montana with the biggest money being spent attacking entrepre- neur governor candidate Greg Gian- forte. His signature campaign is to pro- vide new ideas for good-paying jobs to Montana’s young who face a state ranked 38th in median average income. Instead of political sound bites, he founded “ACE Scholarships Montana” that helps low and moderate income stu- dents attend schools of their choice, and also “Gianforte Manufacturing Schol- arships,” providing 50 percent schol- arships to low-income Montanans and veterans.
Do we want change through eco- nomic growth in this state, or follow the path of the same old interest groups that fund the governor? While the media reports that Gov. Steve Bullock raised $1.8 million in 2012 and is well ahead of Gianforte this season as well, did the media bother to identify where the biggest source of the governor’s money ($537,000) came from? It was from “trial lawyers/lobbyists.” Look it up at FollowtheMoney.com.
One of Gianforte’s promises is to refuse money from out of state PACs and other dark money in uence ped- dlers. If you are watching TV, a big PAC attack is on now against him. By attend- ing college and graduate school in New Jersey, he is branded “from New Jersey.” By giving a speech on the importance of
having a purpose after retirement, he is branded as “anti-retirement and Social Security.” By suggesting greater growth via lower taxes, he is “cutting taxes for the rich,” though his plan reduces taxes for two-thirds of all Montanans.
And who is the face behind these PAC smears? Why, it is a group run by the teacher’s union boss in Billings! Do we want more of this, or do we want a new governor who has proven he can estab- lish goals and reach them?
Nick Chickering White sh
Reward Holmquist’s Quiet Leadership
Here’s why I urge Republicans to sup- port Pam Holmquist in the primary:
Tenacity: Pam stuck with us dough- nut residents even when her colleagues on the county commission got skittish. She held tough until the county took control so that we doughnut residents had representation.
Practical: Pam’s not one for owery campaigning or speechifying. Without fanfare, she ably handles the county’s business and keeps our taxes low.
Conservative: Pam is the real deal. She spends every taxpayer dollar as if it were her own. She believes in limited government, low taxes, and property rights. She has opposed the Confeder- ated Salish and Kootenai Tribes water compact. She encourages private indus- try and ghts for local jobs.
In short, our county government is working well without scandal or front- page controversies. No drama and quiet leadership is good and should be rewarded.
the EPA, will leave Columbia Falls abandoned, polluted, and broke. West- ern Montana is full of abandoned mines where somebody extracted wealth and disappeared, leaving the polluted site in taxpayers’ hands. We should work with the EPA and DEQ to understand just how contaminated the CFAC site is, and the fate of the pollutants in the river, the sh, wildlife, and soil. Right now, we don’t know how much damage has been done, or how much it will cost to clean up. I hear folks talk about wanting to hurry up and get things cleaned up. Do we want a “quick and dirty” cleanup or a quality e ort overseen by the experts? It took more than half a century to pollute the CFAC site, and it is incredibly hard to clean up pollutants that have leached underground, into groundwater, and into streams and rivers.
The reason none of the Superfund Sites in Montana are o the list is because they have to be cleaned up to be delisted, and it takes decades or more to clean up contaminated sites. It is not the fault of the EPA that the sites aren’t o the list, it is the fault of the companies that opened up shop, made their money, and left behind a legacy of contamina- tion. I recall that Columbia Falls asked Sen. Jon Tester to help bring in the EPA after Glencore walked away from talks with the city, and then again with Mon- tana DEQ. The EPA is Columbia Falls’ insurance policy and the best defense this community has against being taken advantage of by an international corporation.
In Superfund communities that EPA is active in, I hear about thriving econo- mies, major tourist attractions, revital- ized sites with cleaner industry, com- munity infrastructure and jobs. Has the Superfund Site in White sh harmed property values there? No. It is not the stigma of Superfund that will hurt Columbia Falls. The stigma of a pol- luted, abandoned site, leaching into the Flathead River, forever, poses a much greater risk than Superfund status.
For the future of Columbia Falls, I hope we don’t miss this important opportunity for the city council, the commissioners and our congressio- nal representatives, to partner with the EPA, the state of Montana and the responsible parties to make a clean and prosperous future for the old aluminum plant site.
Erin Sexton Hungry Horse
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Let’s keep Pam!
Rick Blake White sh
EPA Oversight at CFAC Site Critical to Protect Our Community’s Future
I have been watching the events around the Columbia Falls Aluminum Plant unfold with great concern. The issue hits right at home, as I am raising my two boys just outside of Columbia Falls, and have worked as a university researcher on water quality and riv- ers for over a decade. To me, the best solution to the CFAC issue is a cleaned up site, and a thriving Columbia Falls community. Those go hand-in-hand, and the EPA is the best ally we have to hold Glencore, and the other responsi- ble parties, accountable for cleaning up the property.
I understand the fear of a Superfund Site label, but I am far more afraid that trusting the company, and dismissing
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JUNE 1, 2016 // FLATHEADBEACON.COM
LETTERS
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