Letters to the Editor
Editor, In my Valley Journal Feb. 3 letter, “New cooperative entity could improve irrigation,” I discussed how a new cooperative agreement between the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes and the Flathead Irrigation District could improve management of our irrigation project, but irrigators also could enjoy a huge economic benefit. When the Bureau of Indian Affairs reassumed project management from the tribal-irrigator Cooperative Management Entity that managed the project from 2010 to 2013, the CME had 42 employees. The operations and management fee (O&M) was $26 per acre. Within a few years, the BIA raised the O&M fee to $33.50 per acre in order to em...
Editor, The Governor has signed into law a bill that allows concealed firearms to be carried in most places in the state without a permit. The Montana University System was among the opposition to this bill, citing important safety concerns. Under the new law, guns can be carried on college campu...
Editor, The Republican Party has campaigned on freedom for individuals, more local control and decreased involvement of government in our daily lives. Why, then, are we seeing so many bills in our state legislature that bring the state into our lives, in some very intimate ways? As a retir...
Editor, People of Montana, thank you for taking your science seriously. Because of you, we have some of the lowest rates of COVID-19 infection in the nation. Because of you, we have lost fewer Montanans, per capita, to coronavirus than almost any other state. And what do we even mean by science a...
Editor, Reading the Valley Journal yesterday highlighted the differences in how we think; for example, there are those claiming a mask requirement goes against our fundamental American rights of free choice at the same time our legislature is working on restricting women’s rights to exercise f...
Editor, There are now multiple bills threatening to become law in Montana against people who are transgender. Although there are different explanations for each of these bills, what seems to be at the heart of all of these bills is a prejudice against people who are transgender. In other words, legi...
Editor, A year ago, I was wheeling my car into a space in the Costco parking lot when I became aware of an argument nearby. I turned and saw the reason. Two men had been backing their rigs out at the same time and had collided with one-another. Each blamed the other for the collision. With their language ...
Editor, In a way, the governor’s House Bill 102 is a good thing, and in a way, it’s not. The one thing that he should have not done is allowing Montana citizens to now be able to carry a concealed weapon into a bars, casinos, banks and into Montana state government buildings. As far as the col...
Editor, Winston Churchill said, “Healthy citizens are the greatest asset any country can have.” When my car needs repair, I go to a mechanic. For tax advice, I go to a financial professional. When I need healthcare, I go to a doctor. I don’t go to a legislator for these needs. Coun...
Editor, During the past 14 years of bipartisan government in Montana, the Republicans and Democrats have had to cooperate to enact legislation that both parties could support. Politicians were willing to work across the aisle for the good of Montana. This no longer appears to be the case. The un...
