Voting in favor of bonding
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The last possible day, day 90, is Friday, May 1. We were all hoping to get out last Saturday to save a few days in case of emergency. Usually it is HB 2, the budget bill, which becomes contentious at the end of the session. This time the House is caught up with SB 416 because of the bonding. To put the state in debt, this bill needs a two-thirds vote in both houses. We passed it in the Senate 47-3 and I did vote for it.
I hate bonding, but this bill is one-third grants, one-third loans and one-third bonding, all for needed infrastructure around the state. In my opinion the best part of SB 416 was that if our revenue increased over the next two years, the dollars in this bill increased. That way the legislature would decide how to spend the money, rather than leave a potential slush fund for the executive branch.
Still, I really understand the reluctance of the House members to vote for bonding. Another infrastructure bill, HB 402, will not make it through the legislature and I’m not sure that SB 354 will be signed by the governor. That bill caps the coal trust at one billion dollars for a short time and uses money for projects. It does not “bust the trust” as you have been told, but the projects do not start for two years.
Just like the federal government, in Montana the executive branch is getting stronger. We only meet for 90 days every other year and we are termed out of our seats every eight years. The real knowledge of state government rests with the agencies and the lobbyists.
Here’s a good example: HB 140 has the increase in hunting and fishing licenses. After interviewing the sponsor, the newspaper reporters interviewed the director of the Montana Wildlife Federation, who said, “We are concerned with what’s going to happen now, and we’ll be working with the agency.” Why would a lobby group work with the agency? Especially the MWF that is funded by a foreign billionaire? (www.greendecoys.com/montana).
If you have some time, visit www.transparency.mt.gov. You can review grants, the state checkbook and even every state employee’s pay. Be sure to add the $1,000 per month in health insurance and the 9 percent for retirement. You can even find the legislators. We have earned $82.64 per day ($10.33 per hour) since 2007. With interim committees we work about 105 days during a session year and about 12 during the in-between years.
I do not believe that any legislator works for the money. It does seem that some help special interests groups that may benefit them later.
Another interesting website details the cost of all the rents paid by the state www.svc.mt.gov/gsd/leasedb/LeaseDefault.aspx. We could save a lot of money if we moved all the agencies to Lake County.
Hope I’m home by the time you read this. Continue to contact me, now on my cell (406) 253-8766 and my email is still sen.janna.taylor@mt.gov. I will continue to work for you during the interim.
