Hello! Here are the topics for today’s column: 

• Term Limit Lawsuit Update
• Public Safety in Great Falls
• Ending Roadless Rule
• One More Thing

TERM LIMIT LAWSUIT UPDATE: 

Wednesday was a great day for Montana State Representatives Llew Jones and Steve Fitzpatrick, and not so good for Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen and the crazy MAGAs who are trying to ruin our state. 

A big thanks goes to Jones and Fitzpatrick for taking the fight to the crazies. 

In case you missed the reason for this debate, the Montana Free Press explains:

Knudsen issued the opinion in response to a July 9 letter from Republican Senate President Matt Regier, R-Kalispell, asking whether Jones, currently a House representative from Conrad, is constitutionally eligible to appear on the ballot for Senate District 9 in north-central Montana. Fitzpatrick, a candidate for House District 24 in Great Falls, was not named in Regier’s July letter to the attorney general, but Fitzpatrick independently determined that the opinion could interfere with his eligibility to appear on the ballot this cycle as well. 

Montana District Court Judge Chris Abbott heard the arguments and then ruled against Knudsen, meaning Jones and Fitzpatrick could remain on the ballot. 

Knudsen’s people said he would appeal to the Montana Supreme Court, asking them to block Abbott’s ruling, and Knudsen did appeal. 

Wednesday evening, according to the MTFP, a five-justice panel of the Montana Supreme Court unanimously denied the request in less than two hours from the time the original petition was filed to when the decision was released.  

The good guys won. Thank goodness for checks and balances and impartial courts. 

PUBLIC SAFETY IN GREAT FALLS:

Here we go again. Be advised, citizens of Great Falls, that it appears the Great Falls City Commission is preparing to put another public safety levy request to the voters in the near future. 

According to a report from KRTV, a citizens’ group called “Electric City Citizens for Public Safety” has formed “to educate, engage, and mobilize the Great Falls community in support of sustainable funding and resources for public safety.” (Website)

I have no problem with the citizens’ group promoting public safety. I’m glad the commission is not using taxpayer money to promote a levy. 

It seems that when the city needs money, they find a way to get it. The latest example was an increase in commission stipends. They also raised our property taxes. It’s very common for them to increase fees. 

The taxpayers are already paying more for gas and groceries because of terrible policies from President Donald Trump. Public willingness to accept a tax increase for safety services depends heavily on relief from current cost-of-living pressures. 

ENDING ROADLESS RULE:

The Associated Press (AP) reported that the Trump administration is moving ahead with plans to rescind a quarter-century-old rule that blocked logging, road building, and other development on national forest lands. 

I don’t agree with the Administration’s plan. 

You can review the announcement from the USDA HERE.  To comment on the proposed rule and draft environmental impact statement, go to Regulations.gov. Public comments must be received by midnight on Sept. 21. Information will be available Aug. 19 on the Forest Service Roadless Areas webpage. 

ONE MORE THING: 

We are all on the decoy plane…

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