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Dear Editor,

Governor’s Schweitzer’s veto message for HB 271 is factually incorrect on several important counts.  These obvious inaccuracies do not commend the Governor for his knowledge, or for his choice of advisers on this issue.

HB 271 would have allowed concealed firearm carry (“permitless carry”) inside city limits in Montana, as has been the case outside city limits (99.4% of Montana) for two decades without any identifiable incidence of problems.

Schweitzer claimed that HB 271 would have adversely impacted officers of the Montana Highway Patrol and county sheriffs departments, yet these agencies operate primarily outside cities where permitless carry has been the uneventful norm for 20 years.

The Governor also claims that HB 271 would void the existing concealed weapon permit process.  Wrong again.  A plain reading of HB 271 shows that it does not touch upon the existing permit process, which leaves permits entirely in place for those wishing permits for out-of-state travel or instant gun buys.

It’s obvious that the Governor didn’t even read HB 271 before doing a quick draw with his staged branding iron and completely missing the target.  Having been urged by both the NRA and MSSA to support HB 271, the Governor now wears a self-inflicted veto brand on his political foot from his quick-draw miss, yet another case of ready, fire, aim.

Gary Marbut, President

Montana Shooting Sports Association,

Missoula, MT

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Dear Editor,

 The budget process used by our state and legislators is flawed. The State relies on cost-plus base line budgeting rather than needs-based priority budgeting with performance measurements. Government budgets get inflation adjusted increases whether needed or not and they grow-forever. Montana is no different than Washington DC.  Legislators fight over insignificant cuts to a massive spending addiction which head us for the biggest train wreck this Country has ever seen. Simple mathematics dooms the current model to eventual failure.  It is based on the power of compounding, and eventually it will exceed the ability and willingness of taxpayers to fund it. Budgets should move up and down with reality, need and usefulness, just like our budgets at home.  Can you imagine what is going to happen with the thousands of inflation adjusted budgets when our inflation sky-rockets?  This is where our leadership both state and federally, have failed us. The Code of the West is not the solution. Under Senate leadership’s direction, education funding in Montana is receiving an inflation adjusted increase this biennium.  By use of Companion Bills like HB316, our legislators are robbing funds (including county funds) to augment the General Fund in order to continue the K-12 education spending addiction.  Leadership has become detached and tone deaf to the message ringing across the Country:

CUT SPENDING

LIVE WITHIN OUR MEANS

STOP GROWING GOVERNMENT

FREEZE OR CUT PUBLIC SECTOR BENEFITS!

Please, learn more about the process.  Help change the budgeting process to priority-based budgeting and work to replace present leadership.  

Doug Lair

Big Timber

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Dear Editor,

Christmas time was a lot brighter for children in our community because of the generosity of our citizens.  I would like to thank the many people and organizations that dropped off toys in the Toys for Tots Campaign.  Staff Sgt. Dan Bowler and his fellow Marines and the Eugene Sara Detachment, did an exceptional job this year in leading the charge to provide toys for our children this Christmas.

I would like to thank the many organizations that helped collect toys and work at the toy drop off site at MetraPark for our 24 hour marathon.  Thank you to Mike Mace and the Rocky Mountain College Football and Volleyball players, Billings Senior High Student Council and Drum Corp, Billings West Student Council (it was a great competition between Senior and West), Billings Central Student Council and Jane Ray, school librarian, Skyview HS, Huntley Project HS, Custer HS, Billings Fire Department, City of Laurel and Laurel Middle School, Goldwingers, Ellen Robison and Downtown Rotary members, MetraPark staff, Lonnie Bell, KTVQ-2, KULR 8, Billings Gazette and the many radio stations covering this event.

Also, thank you to the many 4-H clubs for the collection of toys, and the Chase Hawks members for allowing us to collect funds for the Toys for Tots.

It was amazing to me how many families shopped late at night and dropped off toys at MetraPark after midnight so we could meet the goal of over 26,000 toys for different programs in Yellowstone County. Last, but not least, Wal-Mart stores and staff played a large part in helping us meet our needs.

Thank you and God Bless to all of the generous people in this community.  Christmas time is for giving and you all made it happen.

Bill Kennedy, Yellowstone County Commissioner