Howdy! Here are the topics for today’s column:
- Great Falls Library Levy
- City Reviews Public Safety Needs
- Super Bowl Parade
- Caitlin Clark
- One More Thing
GREAT FALLS LIBRARY LEVY:
I happened to catch an article in the E-City Beat blog written by ECB “Staff” in which the “staff” points to the source of several donations that supported the Great Falls Public Library levy.
It’s kind of like the folks who won’t believe that Trump lost to Biden, the anti-library folks in Cascade County just can’t get over losing.
By the way, I supported the levy for the Great Falls Public Library.
Anyway, the ECB “Staff” reports:
E-City Beat has confirmed that the two largest contributions to the ‘Vote YES for Libraries’ committee, which advocated in favor of the Great Falls Public Library levy in 2023, appear to have come in equal amounts from the spouses/partners of Susan McIntyre, the Library Director, and Whitney Olson, the Chair of the library board.
Mr. Bill Furdell left a comment on the post, saying, “So wealthy folks contribute to campaigns for causes they favor. Shocked I am. Time to move on from library bashing, and seek out productive solutions for the funding of public safety which is a real issue and practically everybody agrees is an urgent concern that must be addressed.”
I agree that the library bashing to getting old. Quit being sore losers.
CITY REVIEWS PUBLIC SAFETY NEEDS:
I happened to catch part of the special meeting held by the Great Falls City Commission and found the report from The Electric interesting:
City Commissioners spent several hours during a Feb. 12 special meeting hearing about the needs of the city’s public safety departments, which are largely unchanged from their levy asks last year.
I did manage to watch part of the three-hour “special meeting” and I don’t think I could find more whining at a local kennel. You can watch it HERE.
The city used up to $150,000 of taxpayer money to promote the failed public safety levy. The department heads and commissioners should hold bake sales until that money is paid back. Then we can talk about funding for public safety.
SUPER BOWL PARADE:
The Kansas City Chiefs held their Super Bowl victory parade Wednesday. I watched the parade on the NFL Network and just as it ended, there was gunfire near Union Station
I’ve heard reports that 22 people were injured (some reports say 11 children were injured) and one person was killed in the mass shooting. Police say three armed people were taken into custody. There are reports that one shooter was taken down by fans.
Schools and businesses were closed for the parade. It was a beautiful day with blue skies and temperatures around 60. Sadly, those who attended will only remember that they were involved in a mass shooting.
We are better than this.
CAITLIN CLARK:
Yahoo Sports is reporting that the time has come for Caitlin Clark to claim the NCAA Division I women’s scoring record. This Thursday, (TODAY) the 6-foot Iowa point guard will face Michigan on the court in a match streaming exclusively on Peacock. The odds highly favor the No. 4 Iowa Hawkeyes, but the main reason to tune in? Clark is now just seven points away from the women’s scoring record — and has been averaging 32.1 points per game this season.
I have watched Clark play several times on regular TV. It’s too bad that the game is only being carried on Peacock.
ONE MORE THING:
Homeward Bound Adoption Center in Blackwood, New Jersey, recently announced its “Neuter Your Ex” donation event. For the promotion, animal lovers can donate $50 to have a feral cat named after their ex. The feline will then be spayed or neutered. (Source)
Is this a great country or what?
The Western Word 
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Instead of calling those delivering the information whiners, how about coming and having an honest conversation with those actually working in the public safety realm and learn for yourself? I am always available to have a conversation regarding public safety and do not hide behind a screen.
Jeremy Jones
Hey Chief Jones – if that “whining” remark from me offended, I apologize. That is my opinion as a taxpayer of over 30 years in GF. My name goes on every column, so hiding is not what I am doing. I read all the posts information and watch most of the commission meetings. I am well informed and just have a different opinion than you and your buddy, commissioner Tryon. I don’t think you should leave town because we disagree, like the commissioner feels I should do.
Thanks for stopping by. -JmB
I don’t know where were goin’ but by God we’re making damn good time!, seems to be the mantra of the whiners, oops!, I mean people in the know. They might as well be wearing mini skirts and waving pom poms for all the cheerleading they do. And at 150,000 dollars a pop, that’s some pretty expensive cheerleading! Any goofy idea that comes down the pike gets a rousing reception from rah rah crowd. More car washes? We got’em! Casinos? No problemo. Hotels/motels? Sure, why not? Libraries? Forgetaboutit!
But never once do they stop and explain to us just how all this growth that we’re paying through the nose for is benefiting the taxpayer and the community. It certainly isn’t expanding the tax base and thereby lowering our taxes as we’re continually promised. It hasn’t produced even one decent restaurant. And the only new jobs it seems to produce are 22 new cops. Plus it seems to continually raise the price of housing until it’s out of reach for most folks!
So I just don’t get it. The cheer squad would do a much better job by explaining just what the hell we’re buying for these huge tax increases instead of hiding behind their badges and positions and lobbing insults. And they should try honesty for a change. The sooner we become Bozeman or Missoula will NOT benefit your average resident of Great Falls. Or sure, the chamber of commerce folks will love it. So why don’t they absorb the tax increases, or the folks building all this new stuff. For once I’d like to hear Jones or Tryon tell us their vision for the future instead of constant threats and whining for more dollars and cops. How will life in GF be better when we become Bozeman? Or sure, getting your traffic tickets processed faster might be the bees knees for the guys in the miniskirts, but I just don’t think that strikes a chord with most folks in our fair city.
Great Falls was founded by men with tremendous vision. Yes, there’s that word again. Vision. I’m just not seeing any from our current crop of “leaders.” All I see is us making damn good time to nowhere fast! And that’s getting mighty pricey!
Larry Kralj
I would love to have a conversation in person. I understand the burden that takes have on all of us, but as a public safety official for over 25 years, this community’s public safety posture is beyond fragile. I do believe it will take all of us in an effort to address the enormous deficiency Great Falls has regarding this topic.
You could have kept that $150,000 of taxpayer money (to promote your levy) in the bank if you would have been paying attention to what Helena was doing — People voting with their wallets isn’t necessarily a bad thing. I think that we here in Great Falls are pretty much taxed out for the time being.
I agree. That’s why I mentioned the bake sale. With $150k restored they could hire a police officer or firefighter. -JmB
Not a real big fan of having to login to wordpress.com just to leave a comment on thewesternword.com I would much rather prefer to just login to westernword.com instead
Sorry about that. You’re the first to have concerns about it. I’ve been here since 2005. -JmB
I knew these 2 bond measures and the Public Safety Levy weren’t going to pass because Helena had just blown up our property taxes — If the Library would have been on the ballot during this period, it would have failed too.
It doesn’t make a difference which side you’re on — People are going to vote with their wallets — Ideologies be damned
Thanks for your comments. My wallet controls a lot of what I support. I also don’t like my tax money being spent to try and get me vote for a tax increase. -JmB
In its ongoing commitment to fair and balanced reporting E-City Bleat somehow/conveniently failed to mention that the anti-library levy committee “Liberty and Values MT” was also funded in large part by just two individuals. You can also look that up at the COPP website. Perhaps ECB is just jealous/bitter that the pro-library big contributors had or were willing to part with more money than the anti.
As for the City and public safety needs … I have not yet watched the video of the recent meeting but have no doubt there was plenty of whining. There has already been considerable during other commission meetings this year. I’ve actually been very surprised by some of the anger commissioners have publicly expressed, directed at the public and local business.
One of the complaints/whines I’ve heard more than once is, “They just don’t undertsaaaand!” Well, yes we do. Everyone knows the public safety needs at this point. The taxpayer funded education effort accomplished that. But IMO the understanding that’s lacking is on the part of the commissioners. They made zero effort to involve the public up front and find out what they wanted and most importantly could afford, now and further down the road. Just listened to their department heads and then decreed from on high, “This is it, no real involvement or choice on your part, a big fat mill levy that’s going to hit you hard now and then consume an ever increasing portion of your income or revenue every subsequent year forever and ever amen – vote for it.” And they just can’t fathom why it failed.
Outstanding – thanks for the reminder about the Liberty and Values PAC. I had forgotten about that.
As for public safety in GF, they have a long way to go to get me to vote for a tax increase to fund it. I’m just not happy with how the city is being run. Thanks, JmB