By Frank Machek, Stevensville
I am pleased that there are two exceptionally well qualified candidates running for the state senate and house respectively. Margaret Gorski is running for SD44 and Laura Merrill for HD87.
A resident of the valley for 29 years, Margaret has been active in various local organizations, serving as President of Fort Owen, past President of Lewis and Clark Heritage Foundation, and board member of the Citizens Collaborative to help climate change. This invitation by a Republican Commission along with her work in the above mentioned organizations clearly indicate to me that her opinions and expertise are valued and, very important, that she is willing to work with different constituencies and across party lines for the common good.
She has clearly stated goals she would work for if elected: achieving affordable health care and affordable education, diversifying our economy by attracting businesses to the state, expanding renewable energy sources, and improving access to affordable broadband internet. Her experience and proven ability to work with diverse constituencies will serve her well towards achieving those goals.
Her opponent is Teresa Manzella. Since I wanted to know how she would represent my district, of which she is not a resident, I looked at her website. Frankly, I really didn’t see that she had any specific plans or ideas that she intended to bring to the Senate. I do know that in the past she did vote no on Medicare expansion and infrastructure. I have no idea how her presence in the Senate would benefit my district specifically or the state in general.
Like Margaret Gorski, Laura Merrill has been a long time resident of the county, and she has volunteered in several non-profit boards and local organizations, including the Bitter Root Water Forum, the Bitter Root Land Trust, the Bitterroot Board of Realtors, and the Bitterroot Forest Restoration Committee. She is currently President of the Bitterroot Performing Arts Council. If elected to congress her goals are clear. She intends to work to insure Montanans have access to affordable health care, pursue policies that strengthen our agriculture heritage, work for clean energy legislation and bringing reliable broadband access to our state. And like Margaret Gorski, she has experience working collaboratively with many diverse groups to achieve common goals.
Her opponent is Ron Marshall. I had never heard of him before this race, so I tried to find out what I could by researching on the internet. All I could find out is that he thinks that the state should not finance tuition for college students or help fund affordable housing. He does believe that public lands should be managed by all users, but offers no details. He wants to cut expenses but doesn’t say how. In short, I have no idea what he plans to accomplish if elected to the legislature.
To me the choices are clear. We have two highly qualified candidates who have demonstrated many years of involvement in various organizations benefiting the community, as well as clearly stated goals for the betterment of our county and the state.