Page 30 - Flathead Beacon // 12.30.15

LIKE I WAS SAYIN’
TWO FOR THOUGHT SAME TOPIC, DIFFERENT VIEWS THE OMNIBUS BILL
KELLYN BROWN
WHAT’S NEXT?
THIS IS AN OBVIOUS TIME TO LOOK FORWARD, to a new year, a new beginning, a chance to shed bad habits and resolve to make better ones. It’s also a time to look backward, at the year that just ew by – the good and the bad. So, here’s my list of most mem- orable news items as seen from my desk at the Beacon.
Cheap Oil: We wrote a lot about this topic and why it matters nearly everywhere that energy prices have plummeted. Locally, consumers save money at the pump, so do farmers working in the state’s largest indus- try. As fuel continues its downward spiral, however, eastern Montana and North Dakota boomtowns have begun to bust. To the north, in Calgary, Alberta, where 30 percent of its economy is dependent on oil and gas, unemployment is rising and more layo s are expected in the new year.
Cheap Loonie: Remember when the Canadian dollar was at par with the U.S. dollar? That seems like a long time ago now. Since Canada’s currency is tied so closely to energy, it has plunged alongside its key commodity export. Now, one Canadian dollar is worth about 70 cents U.S., making it cheaper to travel north but hurting local tourism spending. And there’s little end in sight. Oil futures are trading at about $45 a barrel compared to more than $100 a barrel in the middle of 2014.
A Better Boom: While development slowed in Alberta, it gained steam across the Flathead Valley in 2015. Jobless rates dropped to their lowest rates in eight years and, according to economists, the local economy is one of the fastest growing in the state. Construction led the way, as new home sales rebounded, contractors broke ground on new hotels and the U.S. Highway 93 bypass entered its nal phase.
Urban Changes: White sh began construction on its new city hall and parking structure, which, despite looming cutbacks or an increased budget amid $1 mil- lion in cost overruns, will change the face of downtown. In Kalispell, along with increased commercial devel- opment over the last year, the city landed a coveted multi-million dollar federal transportation grant that will transform its core area by removing the railroad tracks downtown, developing a pathway system and reconnecting disjointed streets. Meanwhile, in Colum- bia Falls, developer Mick Ruis plans to turn an empty lot into a 25,000-square-foot, three-story hotel with a con- vention center, along with other planned projects along Nucleus Avenue.
Economic Stumbling Blocks: Yes, jobless rates decreased. Yes, housing prices stayed relatively in line with what is considered a ordable. But there are still reasons to worry. The timber industry, after a promis- ing start to 2015, stagnated as commodity prices dipped. Coupled with the expiration of the Softwood Lumber Agreement — a tari on Canadian lumber — and Cana- da’s falling currency, a key part of local economy faces sti headwinds. The largest local employer in the sec- tor, Plum Creek, announced in late 2015 that it would merge with Weyerhaeuser, creating one of the largest timber companies in the world. What that means for local mills and their 750 employees in the Flathead Val- ley is unclear.
Banking on Tourism: Fires raged across Northwest Montana in August, closing parts of Glacier National Park and reminding us how much the local economy relies on visitors during its peak seasons. Some busi- nesses su ered during the waning days of summer, but – at least based on the numbers – we weathered the storm. Despite closures, Glacier welcomed its most annual vis- itors on record. And with snow blanketing the local ski resorts, 2016 should get o to a good start.
BY JOE CARBONARI
Rep. Ryan Zinke’s vote for the omnibus spend-
ing bill is interesting. Both of our senators, Steve Daines and Jon Tester, voted the other way. I’m a little confused. Tester got his wildlands bill in. It’s taken some ak from both those who wanted less development and those who wanted more. That’s often a good sign.
Tester, though, said there was a lot of “crap” in the omnibus bill overall – special deals for special people. He voted “no” and we still got ours.
Daines’ “no” vote was more conventional. He said he liked the tax breaks and the freeing of U.S. oil for export – good for the people of Montana. Still, he safely voted “no” against this “big govern- ment” bill, got us its bene ts anyway, and can cam- paign against it later. Not bad.
Zinke may have done even better. He fought for the Land and Water Conservation Fund that has allowed us to preserve more of the public treasures of our state. It was included. The tax cuts were to his liking, as was the lifting of restrictions on exporting oil. His vote was not critical.
Zinke could have taken the free ride and voted “no.” Instead he chose this opportunity to display his “independence” and to showcase his dedication to the national defense. He is intelligent, canny, charismatic, and personable. He is being groomed. His star is on the rise.
BY TIM BALDWIN
Rep. Ryan Zinke wrote a guest column explaining his
reasons for voting for the $1.8 trillion, 2,000-page omni- bus bill. Zinke said he voted for the bill because it funded military, allowed oil exports and funded conversation. Zinke admitted that America’s spending is out of control, which must be redressed. Zinke thinks his vote chose the lesser evil.
No one liked the bill in total. Democrats disliked the bill because it reduced domestic programs; only 18 voted against it. Rand Paul and Ted Cruz expressed opposition but did nothing to slow down the bill’s passage. Other con- gressmen warned of measures that funded unconstitu- tional federal action, such as massive unwarranted sur- veillance and creating sanctuary cities for more undocu- mented immigrants and refugees.
What held this bill together then? Big oil. Nancy Pelosi said that without the oil embargo provision, Republi- cans would not have voted for it. Seeing this, President Barack Obama thanked Paul Ryan for “helping govern- ment work” by mustering enough Republican votes. Ryan avoided some responsibility, however, saying the omni- bus bill was half-baked when he replaced John Boehner as speaker of the House.
Apparently, to most Republicans, oil interests ranked more valuable than constitutional limitations on the fed- eral government. Then again, a 2,000-page spending bill has many “evils” from which to rationalize a vote either way. Despite the gripes from people and politicians, the federal government will continue as usual until a critical mass of people demand otherwise.
AMERICAN RURAL DIANE SMITH COMEBACK MOUNTAIN
L
look out our back window at the Flathead River and Columbia Mountain. Since we’re up on a ridge, herons and eagles regularly y by at eye level. But without a doubt, the most inspirational part of our view is what David and I call Comeback Mountain. You probably call it Teakettle.
The story of Teakettle Mountain is one of near destruction and remarkable recovery. It’s an apt par- able for the New Year.
In 1929, Teakettle was burned in the Half Moon Fire, which in less than three days, took out 103,000 acres including a swath of Teakettle and Columbia Mountain.
Then, in the late 1960s Teakettle was being poi- soned to death. The Anaconda Company was pumping huge amounts of uoride into the air each day; these pollutants stripped Teakettle of most of its trees and much of its wildlife.
In 1970, two local attorneys, Dale McGarvey and Frank Morrison led a class action lawsuit against the Anaconda Company to force it to reduce the pollution that was a ecting trees and wildlife all the way to Gla- cier National Park. They led the lawsuit after “a local
orthodontist named Loren Kreck approached him (McGarvey) with scienti c evidence that the plants and wildlife were decomposing because the aluminum plant’s smokestacks were pumping poisonous gas into the air at a rate of 10,000 pounds per day.”
As a result of the lawsuit, the company cleaned up its act and emissions dropped from 10,000 pounds per day to 861 pounds. And Teakettle began its comeback.
Teakettle still doesn’t look like the other moun- tains. Its scars are visible for miles. To me, that’s the heart of its beauty and inspiration. I’ve been told that today there’s a herd of elk that bed there. Even more promising, each year we see more and more trees ll in the bare spaces. 50 years ago, we might have lost that grand old mountain. Today, the wildlife and the trees are calling it home again. The Anaconda Company is gone and, thanks to a team of committed folks working together, the old plant is undergoing its own remedi- ation, bringing new opportunities to Columbia Falls and the surrounding valley.
If Teakettle can make such a stellar comeback then the seemingly impossible becomes a lot more plausible for the rest of us. So, as we head into 2016, I’m going to be tipping my hat to my favorite view in the valley. Teakettle is a great name, but to me, I’ll be thinking of it – lovingly and reverently – as Comeback Mountain.
IKE MANY PLACES IN THE VALLEY, OUR NEW home in Columbia Falls has a pretty spectacu-
lar view. Most days, for as long as we can, we
Diane Smith is the founder and CEO of American Rural where she works to create greater awareness of the growing opportunities for those who choose to live, work and prosper in rural and small town America. Learn more about Diane by following her column here or visit American Rural at AmericanRural.org.
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DECEMBER 30, 2015 // FLATHEADBEACON.COM