AERO KUFM Commentary Archives

AERO KUFM Commentary

May 5, 2005

“In Helena, Looking Beyond Politics Gets Things Done”

By Rep. Mike Jopek, Whitefish

A good Republican friend in Helena recently taught me that there is nothing new about broken political promises between fellow lawmakers. His advice reflects reality. We don't have to like it or engage in it. Legislators' ultimate goal should remain: remembering whom they work for.

I was one of the 100 members of the House of Representatives during the 59th session of the Montana Legislature. I'm a Whitefish farmer turned legislator, now returned home to farm again. This was my first stint in Helena. I was one of those dreaded freshmen sent to represent my

community, Whitefish. Our system of term limits guarantees that in the next session, at least a quarter of all lawmakers will again be rookies. Perhaps some of you will campaign and join us.

I like term limits. Many old-timers in Helena do not, arguing they trigger a loss of institutional memory that in turn shifts power to lobbyists and bureaus. I like term limits for the simple fact that

old-guard leadership is part of the problem. It's good for the system and our families to allow the newer generation a stronger voice. After serving 4 months in Helena, it seems that serving the 8 years allowed by term limits is plenty long.

However, I wish there were term limits for lobbyists. Citizen lawmakers are ill prepared for the onslaught of curried favors that greet them in Helena. The lawmaker-turned-lobbyist or lobbyist-to-lawmaker syndrome is alive and well.

Citizen lawmakers - cooped up like poultry for 4 months in Helena each two years - set the direction for our great state. We are isolated from our families and friends. Often, days are long and the dialog is less than stimulating.

It's too easy for lawmakers to forget their constituents. It's too easy to get caught in the drama of the day. Lawmakers come to Helena full of promises and soon find our selves caught in caucus politics and lobbyist tomfoolery. Basic compassion and simple kindness are too easily lost in the shuffle.

I learned many lessons my first term. One is this: Only when independent-minded Republicans and Democrats unite for the good of our communities will we finally move forward. We began to see this in the 2005 session, where the House of Representatives was split 50-50 on party lines, yet was able to accomplish many deeds for Montana.

The voters I talk with seem much more concerned about doing right by their families and community than they are concerned about politics. People want the Legislature to address health insurance, lower property taxes, fund schools, and provide better services for tax dollars spent.

In Helena, we Legislators strut over whose bill is being discussed, and whether it was it introduced by a Republican or a Democrat. I've already seen too many good bills die because of bad politics.

I know many good folks will disagree, but I found that not all Republicans are Nay-sayers and whiners. I found that nay-saying and whining becomes a habit for lawmakers after they've been roaming the halls of the Capitol too long with lobbyists. The halls of Helena bring out plenty of gossip as to what caused that lawmaker to follow their own ego, forgetting their community.

 

As a state, we struggle to unite into one Montana. We will never reach this until we remember that Montana is both rural and urban, both full of newcomers and old-timers, but it is one beautiful state.

For example, Legislators pondered funding a dinosaur museum in Phillips County. Why should a lawmaker from Whitefish care about an old dead T-Rex fossil collecting dust in garage in Malta? On the surface, I didn't. I tend to want to let 'em rest in peace.

But, Malta is a struggling farm and ranch community on the High Line. Both U.S. Highway 2 and Amtrak travel from coast to coast via Montana and parents will travel far to take their kids a dinosaur fossil dig. So the Malta museum may be a good investment in our state's future. One thing is clear, Montana's economy will never be prosperous until both the urban and rural sectors grow.

Here are some other successes that came about because of bipartisanship:

• We ended with a balanced budget and $80 million dollars in surplus, thanks in large part to a thriving revenue stream from oil and gas proceeds. We funded schools using the 1990's formula, allowing more citizen input into the new formula due out in December.

 

• We may have produced the most progressive land use laws in two decades, because independent minds cultivated common ground. We enacted enabling legislation for developer impact fees for infrastructure improvements in our communities and took this monkey of the backs of existing homeowners. We passed laws allowing public scrutiny into water quality information at the planning board level.

 

• We labeled the origin of meats sold in grocery stores by 2006, so consumers know where their meal comes from and can look for Montana beef.

 

• Perhaps the biggest change in Montana's culture will be in the ban on smoking in public places. This will go into full effect in 2008. Tavern owners got together with health advocates and independent minds and forged a compromise that worked. No longer will bar and restaurant employees be forced to choke down cartons of deadly second-hand smoke.

 

• A tax on cigarettes will also pay for tax credits for families who work at businesses with 10 or fewer employees. The legislature also increased children's health insurance to cover some 10,000 poor kids total.

 

• We developed an energy portfolio, which requires both wind power and ethanol production for our gasoline from Montana industry. We provided incentives for bio diesel, fostering our energy independence for all America.

 

Urban and rural Montana's will benefit from all these initiatives.

These successes were satisfying. However, I also felt the frustration of backing good bills that failed to get bipartisan support.

Montana taxpayers buy health insurance for the state's lawmakers. So you might think Legislators could find more solutions to the insurance crisis facing our families and small businesses. The new small business health insurance pools would help.

Our state is a treasure. It thrives because we the people believe in ourselves. True leaders will find the credit for our success is rooted deep in our faith of our communities. A positive vision of our future enhances our ability to do what's fair and right for today.

The future of Montana does not lie in being a blue or red state. Our future lies in allowing independent minded folks to work for the benefit of our communities. Rural or urban, we all strive for family, faith and community.

I'm Mike Jopek for the Alternative Energy Resources Organization. AERO welcomes your comments and perspectives. AERO is a grassroots membership organization working to help create farm, food, energy and growth solutions for communities throughout Montana. For more information about our programs call us in Helena at 443-7272.