Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Opinion & Editorial

by Phyllis Bookbinder, Mike Jorgensen, Doug Nation, Dan DePauw, ICAARE

We want to thank the Commissioners for the professional handling of the airport-planning meeting on February 4th. We appreciate the fact that they have taken ownership of this long-standing community issue and are seeking resolution.

We are in support of the Commissioner suggested alternative, the “80-foot solution.” This alternative moves the existing runway centerline 80 feet to the east, which exceeds the minimum runway/taxiway separation of 240 feet (total separation of 280 feet) and maintains the current length of 4,200 feet. It meets all the FAA safety requirements. As the FAA stated in the meeting, “the runway length is not a safety issue.”

This suggested alternative would require minimal land acquisition, saving millions of dollars and would not require a public vote as long as the runway stays at 4,200 feet. It allows for additional hanger space and tie downs. It saves millions of tax dollars that would be spent on a large expansion, and it does not lengthen the runway that would promote increased jet use. This “80-foot solution” addresses the concerns of increased noise pollution, air pollution, degradation of Gird Creek, wetlands, and helps maintain our quality of life. If lengthening of the runway is required in the future the “80-foot solution” would accommodate this.

The larger expansions promoted by the Airport Advisory Board will require moving the runway 400 feet to the east. This distance fits the FAA’s requirement for CIII and D aircraft (Boeing 737) in the future. The “400-foot solution” will cost 15 to 17 million dollars more than the “80-foot solution” we are supporting. If the FAA spends $20 million on the big expansion they can force the county to lengthen the runway to accommodate the much larger jets if the “400-foot solution” is adopted. Do we really want to position the airport to accommodate these large jets?

We hope that the Airport Advisory Board and the Ravalli County Aviation Safety Foundation will give serious consideration to this “80-foot solution.” If their concerns are truly safety, we expect they will realize the benefits of this alternative and the substantial cost savings to county taxpayers. If they want to continue towards “expansion” and “runway lengthening,” whether it is now or in the future, they will continue to promote the 400-foot separation so the large jets can land at our airport.

The “80-foot solution” addresses ALL the safety concerns of the FAA. We encourage citizens to get involved and voice your opinion. With this “80-foot solution” compromise we can have a safe airport that serves the needs of our community.

Saddened by letter

Dear Editor,

I was very sad and disappointed after reading the newest letter by Cathy Kulonis. This letter is extremely offensive to me as a Christian. I feel I must write to defend my faith and religion. I fear there are people who would read her letter with such a twisted version of the Christian faith, and be misled by her words.

Rather than addressing the specific contents of her letter, in which I feel the contradictions are rampant and obvious to the reader, I choose to address the spirit and tone of her letter.

I do have to comment on her opinion of young people.

I was a public school teacher in CA for 10 years, and that included East Los Angeles and Compton. I have substituted here in the Bitterroot Valley. I don't know what students and young people she is speaking of in such an evil tone; they only exist in the richness of her imagination amongst the

complicated conspiracy theories of "us vs. them," and whomever "them" may be at the moment – whomever she has chosen to demonize, judge, and damn to hell against the SPECIFIC instructions of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior

Cathy Kulonis as judge of humanity means nothing. I hope she searches for the truth in her heart.

This letter is wrong - especially regarding young people, who are our future, and who I care about deeply. The young people in Stevensville are not as she describes. The school is not at all as she describes.

I have chosen to disassociate myself with hatred and craziness such as this. I hope everyone does the same.

"If I speak in human or angelic tongues, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body [to hardship] that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

“Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love."  (1 Corinthians, Chapter 13)

Christ is Love. And that is also in the Bible.

Donna Kilpatrick
Stevensville

‘Finders Keepers’ a must read

Dear Editor,

"Living well is the best revenge." Virginia Bolen and her husband W.C. are doing just that. Mrs. Bolen has written a book called “Finders Keepers.” Mrs. Bolen's book excoriates the criminal justice system here in Ravalli County. This book should be required reading for all new residents of Ravalli County. It is a true survival manual. I tell folks, if you have a problem in Ravalli County you will get better results if you dial a prayer than calling 911. Most of the cops here are nothing but bullies with badges and guns. Be careful what you say to them, they all have voice-activated tape recorders on their person and can record you without your knowledge. A citizen who tapes them is committing a crime.

The only officials that showed any knowledge of the law are Judge Langton and Jim Shockley. The worst of the lot, City of Hamilton Judge Michael Reardon, who was fined and found guilty of slander. I was a witness at Mrs. Bolen's trial for damages against the county and a victim of his vengeance. I was cited on two trumped up charges of disorderly conduct by the Hamilton Police Dept. and the then "de facto" city attorney Ken Bell. Both charges were dropped in Langton's court. I was found guilty in Reardon's kangaroo city court. I had asked him to recuse himself because I had been a witness against him in Mrs. Bolen's case. That didn't keep him from the courtroom. He went so far as to help Ken Bell pick the jurors for my case while my public defender said nothing. Bell went so far as to use the fact that I returned a lost pocketbook with credit cards, cash, and checks as something suspicious. No good deed goes unpunished here in Ravalli County. Don't be fooled by the beautiful valley - the system here is rotten to the core. Don't trust the police or any officials here in Ravalli County. What you see is not what you get.

Virginia Bolen was victorious - she won her lawsuit against the county. She also has gotten some revenge. If you read what some of these cops and county attorneys are quoted as saying you will realize the caliber of the people in power here in Ravalli County. As taxpayers just think of the money they wasted on this nonsense. Do read her book!

Michael Sokol
Hamilton

Legislative update

Dear Editor,

Last week in the legislature things started to get really heated. One of the biggest issues was the collapse of plans to build a coal-fired electric power plant in Great Falls. It might seem like a local issue, but unfortunately it will lead to higher electricity bills across much of the state.

Southern Montana Electric planned to build a coal plant at their Highwood Generating Station. They got all the necessary permits and did everything they were asked to do, but then the environmental cartel started filing appeals and lawsuits. Eventually, the project was regulated to death before it could even get off the ground.

Now, instead of employing 500 people, they'll build a natural gas plant that only employs 200 people. Broad swaths of the state will see their electricity costing 20 percent more. That's not a good way to build for the future. It may very well cause an increase in natural gas prices because of the increased demand.

To deal with this type of problem in the future, my colleagues and I are working on bills that will put a time limit on the appeals process, so natural resource development projects can get going faster. We have bills that will require people to post a bond if they want to appeal a natural resource development project, to prevent frivolous appeals. Those ideas and more are part of our commitment to building for a better future through responsible natural resource development.

Another controversial issue was the revenue estimate by the House Taxation Committee. It might seem like a complicated bit of legislative jargon, but it makes a big difference for Montana. Our constitution requires that the legislature pass a balanced budget. That's good – I'm committed to living within our means. That's a fundamental part of our job – to build for a better future.

To pass a balanced budget, we have to know how much revenue we have. That's where the revenue estimate comes in. The legislature has some very good staffers who estimate how much tax money the state will take in over the course of the next two years. They're nonpartisan, and nationally recognized for doing good work.

Those staffers have analyzed the numbers and arrived at a revenue estimate that's $220 million less than we expected to have last fall. But some folks are refusing to agree to that estimate. They say we should take the figures endorsed by the governor's office instead, which have a far rosier picture of the economy.

I say we should budget for the worst case. Then, if we have more money than expected, we can put it back in the budget or provide tax relief, and its’ a pleasant surprise. But if we just go ahead and set our plans based on the Governors budget, it's going to cause trouble in the long run. No family creates a budget based on what they want to spend, they look at what they have and then prioritize their spending. We need a steady hand to give Montana a chance in these difficult times.

Please remember to visit HYPERLINK "http://www.rotundareport.com/"www.rotundareport.com for more information about what's going on at the Legislature. We believe very strongly in being accountable to the people, so you can read about what we're doing right there.

Rep. Bob Lake
Hamilton

RINO Rick rides again

Dear Editor,

Senator Rick Laible has done it again. Although Laible claims to be a Republican, his voting record shows quite the opposite. In the 2007 Legislative Session, he voted with the Democrats a whopping 74% of the time. This is according to the report of the group called Montana Conservatives, headed by Rob Natelson, professor of Constitutional Law at the University of Montana. This report is obtainable online for those wishing to view how their representatives voted in 2007.

Laible’s latest show of disloyalty to his party is reflected in his vote on SB81. This bill was tabled because of his vote. He is the lone Republican who voted against it. Currently 55% of the state’s tax dollars are spent on public education. The problem is, you have no say as to how your money is spent. The Governor appoints the Board of Education, which has total power over ALL education issues, regulations, and spending. SB81 would simply put the issue on the ballot allowing the people of Montana to vote on whether the persons on this powerful board should be elected or appointed. It is a no brainer to see that when they are appointed they have no accountability to the people, whereas those who are elected can be held accountable to the people they work for. Common sense tells us that "we the people" should have a vote on how and who is spending more than half of our tax dollars. Why would Senator Laible possibly want to deny the people of Montana the right to have a vote on this issue? His position is contrary to our basic constitutional rights.

It needs to be made clear that Laible’s position is NOT the position of the Republican Party Platform. The Party Platform states in part: " The Montana Republican Party is dedicated to providing the best basic educational opportunities for all persons. Education must be accountable to families and taxpayers in response to the needs of the students and families… Schools should be supervised and controlled locally, with local education systems remaining in the hands of locally elected trustees responsive to their communities." I would encourage you to read the entire platform available online at http://www.MTGOP.gov.

Candidates running under the Republican banner are obligated to be loyal to the Party Platform and to uphold and defend the Constitutions of both the U.S. and the State of Montana. It is high time "We the People," and especially the members of the Central Committees, hold our representatives accountable for doing the job we elected them to do. They work for us, and that means, if we hired them, we can fire them. I don’t know about you, but as for me, I am tired of being embarrassed by the disloyal actions of those who claim to be Republicans. So, heads up, boys and girls, we will be watching you this session.

Dewey Baker
Florence

Montana’s largest Ponderosa pine

Dear Editor,

Some time ago it came to light that the famous Ponderosa Pine, which is the largest Ponderosa Pine in Montana, had problems with Fish Creek washing under the side of it. The Montana Fish and Game spokesman said that it would cost too much money to repair the stream bank beside this tree so they were just going to let Nature take its course. They state that 8 feet of rebuilding the river (creek) bank would narrow the stream and cause trouble. This tree has set on the stream bank for more than 300 years, so if the bank is put back like it was it would be the same width stream as it had been for all these years.

It would cost very little to pay for this bank rebuilding to fix the problem, a few thousand dollars at most; not the outrageous cost that the Fish and Game stated. They are trying to make a case as to why they weren’t going to repair the stream bank. The Fish and Game and the USFS blow money to the tune of thousands of dollars for frivolous things such as shipping a Christmas tree to Washington, D.C.

I think that this Ponderosa Pine of Fish Creek is on the National Forest so the Forest Service should fix it. But who ever is responsible should fix it. Due to a Fish and Game access at this tree it is controlled by the Fish and Game. This bank rebuilding should be done before high water washes the bank further. This big tree is located on the lower reaches of Fish Creek which is just off I-90 near Tarkio.

It would be great if you folks who care about this big tree would voice your concerns to the Fish and Game and the USFS.

Floyd Wood
Corvallis

Thanks from Lone Rock School

Dear Editor,

The students, staff and parents of the Lone Rock elementary and middle schools would like to offer a gigantic thank you to Mr. Kent Kultgen, the PEAK group (Parents for the Education of All Kids), Ms. Jan Polanchek and the Stevensville Schools for inviting all of us to the Shanghai Circus last Thursday morning. Rarely do any of us get the opportunity to enjoy world-class performances in any venue. Rarely do any of us get immersed in the full gamut and fine details of one of the oldest and most refined world cultures. Our Lone Rock students, thanks to the generosity of the Stevensville Schools, heard, saw, and became exhilarated by these amazing performers. Ornate costumes offered a constant visual spectacle. Drummers of unparalleled skill showed all our students what is possible with practice. Gymnasts jumped and tumbled in unbelievable routines while highly formal perfectly postured young women precisely pushed the extremes of gravity with their balancing acts. Cheers, applause, oohs, and ahs spontaneously erupted from the audience throughout the circus performance. What a thrill to see so many smiles on the faces of so many children. Thanks, Mr. Kultgen, thanks Ms. Polanchek, thanks PEAK group, and thanks, Stevensville Schools. We are all truly appreciative for thinking of us and providing us with this unique and awesome experience.

Mark Anderson, Superintendent
David Cluff, Principal
Lone Rock School

Phone crime

Dear Editor,

Talking on the cell phone while driving is a potential distraction, just like many others. If we are really committed to eliminating driving distractions, we should pass a law for each of the following; Talking with passengers (same as talking on the phone), Adjusting the radio dial (takes your eyes off the road), eating a Big Mac (sloppy), having children in the car (noisy), drinking a coke (might spill), shaving (might cut yourself), applying mascara (might get poked in the eye), and falling asleep at the wheel (might get startled when cell phone rings).

School zones are mentioned in the law so that “child protection” can be used as a justification for passage. This gives the voters a reason to feel good about giving up their liberty. Once passed, these laws always create unintended consequences. For example, the states that embrace the "Gun Free Zone" idea have actually created "Defenseless Victim

Zones." Consider the mass murders that have occurred at schools in the past few years. Competent adults are restricted by law from carrying defensive weapons and the bad guys know it. No wonder schools became the target of choice for madmen.

If the cell phone law passes, upon entering a school zone people will hang up, set the phone down, drive through the school zone, pick the phone up again, dial the phone, and start the conversation all over. In other words, several driving distractions that don’t currently exist will be introduced into the process. When the phone police notice this, they will increase the restrictions on your liberty by expandingschool zones, or by banning cell phones use in cars statewide.

This legislation is being sold as a minimal impact change since "most of the state won't be affected." Students of history can easily recognize this as step one in an ongoing series of increasing restrictions. Remember when the income tax was only 1%? I don't. That was before my time and many, many tax increases ago.

Our brave new world punishes the innocent masses for the crimes of the few. Guvmint bailouts rob the poor taxpayers and give to the rich financial kings as if they were Robin Hood’s evil twin. Cell phone use is being reclassified as a crime. All drivers will summarily forfeit their rights as punishment for the crimes of others.

We all possess the potential to damage others. Having potential is not a crime. Law should be applied when there are damages, not potential damage. A cell phone ban will just become another revenue generator for the leviathan state that increasingly consumes resources and confiscates liberty.

One tiny consolation. The law offers exceptions to drivers of emergency vehicles or snow plows. Apparently the type of vehicle you drive eliminates the possibility of getting distracted.

Steve Jarvis
Hamilton

Pork and more pork

Dear Editor,

Well, the extreme liberals in this country have pushed through the most socialistic spending bill ever in the history of this republic. The economy is just starting to show signs of stabilizing, so the timing could benefit the big spenders.

Even though the Republicans offered a plan that would have spent half as much and created more jobs faster, their plan was not given any consideration. No one who voted for the huge spending bill, including Senators Baucus and Tester, knew what was in the bill.

At the state level, we have been sort of idling on the budget, waiting for the spending bill to pass as we cannot fund Governor Schweitzer’s unsustainable growth in state government without backfilling with “free” money from good old Uncle Sam.

Tentative plans are to create a second budget for the federal spending dollars. HB2, the major budget bill, will proceed as normal. Due to the reduction in revenue, HB2 will see reductions in the increases that the Governor requested. The intention, then, will be to backfill some of these reductions with federal dollars. The problem is, the federal dollars are one-time-only dollars and in some cases may go into ongoing programs. This will create problems for the taxpayers in the years to come.

Are we digging a hole for our children and grandchildren?

I believe that when you are in a hole, the first rule is to stop digging.

Rep. Dave Kasten
House District 30

61ST LEGISLATURE – Week 6

Dear Editor,

Budget Shortfall and Federal Stimulus

Last week I reported that the House Taxation Committee had tried to revise HJ 2, the state revenue estimate, to match the last estimate of $220 million below last Fall’s estimate, but that they were unable to reach agreement on the amount. I also said that a new estimate was due last week, and it came on Friday. The new estimate is $251 million below last Fall, and $115 million below the Governor’s proposed budget.

But, just in the nick of time, the Federal stimulus package was also announced Friday afternoon. It appears that it will bring about $790 million to Montana. Details are still sketchy, but much of the money will go to Medicaid, Highways, and Schools. The regular budget is in HB 2. Some legislators have suggested continuing HB 2 as is, and handling the stimulus money as a separate budget, perhaps HB 2A. That seems like a rational approach to me, since the stimulus is supposed to be one time only money. More details are expected next week.

Long Days Ahead

Next week begins real crunch time for the legislature. We have two weeks until the Transmittal deadline. That is the date by which all “general” bills must be passed by one house and transmitted to the other. General bills are basically those which do not have direct appropriations or effect revenue. For example, I had two bills having to do with campaign reporting to the Commissioner of Political Practices; they neither required appropriations or generated revenue. Revenue bills and appropriation bills have a little longer to be transmitted.

All those general bills must be heard in committee this week so they can be debated on the floor the following week. There are more than 150 bills that need to be heard this week, and then debated and acted on in executive session in the committees. This is going to make for some early mornings, and late nights.

Horse Slaughter

One bill that generated a lot of testimony last week was HB 418 by Ed Butcher (R-Winifred), which would allow equine slaughterhouse and processing facilities. The capitol was filled with ranchers, mostly from eastern Montana. It seems that abandoned horses are a major problem in the east, and a slaughter facility is one way to manage them. The bill is still under consideration by the House Agriculture Committee.

Pro-Life Bills

Another bill that drew great attention was SB 46 by Dan McGee (R-Laurel). It is a Constitutional Amendment which declares that “protection of unborn human life is of compelling state interest.” This would have to be submitted to the voters for approval.

Next week Senator McGee has another bill SB 406 (no typo) which essentially declares that human life begins at conception. It is also a Constitutional Amendment and would have to be submitted to the voters. The hearing on SB 406 is Thursday.

Energy Development

Next Wednesday three bills will be heard by the House Federal Relations, Energy, and Telecommunications Committee. (FRET for short.) They are HB 483, HB 529, and HB 566. They are all sponsored by Llew Jones (R-Conrad). HB 483 revises the rules by which the Board of Environmental Review handles appeals. The purpose is to allow legitimate appeals, but prevent “gaming” the system to stall a project with appeal after appeal, until it is no longer feasible as happened with project outside Great Falls. HB 529 limits the scope of environmental review on certain energy development projects relative to easements. HB 566 revises the use of environmental impact statements and assessments. All these bills are intended to protect the environment while providing a streamlined path to energy development.

Individual bills can be tracked and committee hearing schedules can be found at http://www.leg.mt.gov. I believe that we in the legislature must be accountable to the people, and that means providing as much information as possible. You can call a legislator by dialing 444-4800, and leaving a message.

Gary MacLaren
Representative HD 89

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