Category: Election 2018

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As part of E-City Beat’s continuing effort to help our readers make informed decisions as voters, last month we sent questionnaires to all local legislative candidates in the upcoming general election informing them that we would publish their responses without editorial comment.

Here are the four questions we asked:

1. What do you see as the top two issues facing Montana and Cascade County in the next 5 years and why are you the best candidate for the district you’re running in to tackle those issues?
2. Identify at least one issue you see as an opportunity to work across party lines on and describe how you will do that to accomplish what’s best for your constituents.
3. Why is Cascade County/Great Falls so far behind other Montana cities and counties in growth and economic development and what do you plan to do about it as a legislator?
4. Do you think we need some form of a sales tax or other solution in Montana to help offset property taxes and why or why not?

Democrat Carlie Boland and Republican Steven E. Galloway are the candidates in House District 25.  Boland did not respond to our request.

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Steven E. Galloway

1. What do you see as the top two issues facing Montana and Cascade County in the next 5 years and why are you the best candidate for the district you’re running in to tackle those issues?

I believe we may see more brick and mortar businesses gone as the internet takes away their transactions. With the possible loss of tax basis it can put more pressure on the remaining tax base. It is imperative that we strive to bring in new businesses and responsibly develop Montana’s natural resources creating new tax revenue. I have over 42 years in business and have a lot of experience that is applicable to these issues.

We need to create a better strategy for addressing the drinking and drug problems we have. We need to co-ordinate efforts between the community , law enforcement ,Judges, treatment programs, and offenders to help them rehab and not just jail them. It is destroying families, bringing the community down and filling our jail. I understand from personal experience how hard it can be. I quit drinking over 38 years ago and the Lord has lead the way for me. We have to find funding programs for recovery and we will save in the end.

2. Identify at least one issue you see as an opportunity to work across party lines on and describe how you will do that to accomplish what’s best for your constituents.

Mental health has become the leading illness in the U. S. We need to address this by making access to help more readily available. During the legislative interim study on prisons I had the opportunity to hear from several Sheriffs that feel a portion of their jails are filled we people who were having a bad day so to speak, mentally struggling with something that lead to law enforcement being involved. I could see us having an evaluation center of some type or intake to see if being off meds or something else lead to a bad situation and we could find a better solution then tax payers paying to jail the individual.

3. Why is Cascade County/Great Falls so far behind other Montana cities and counties in growth and economic development and what do you plan to do about it as a legislator?

Part of this issue is the lack of attracting new business to our area. I have lived here all my life and not much has changed since we lost the smelter and its job force. We use to be one of the largest cities in Montana. We really need to ramp up our efforts to attract tourist. We need to be aggressive in attracting or enlarging existing business. We need to have a business mind set which I have gained in my 42 plus years in business. This again needs to be an across the board effort in the community.

4. Do you think we need some form of a sales tax or other solution in Montana to help offset property taxes and why or why not?

I never have been a fan of sales tax. It creates a whole new bureaucracy , that has to be fed just to collect and administrate it. It has a negative effect on low income and retired fixed income folks, as they can least afford it. Montana is known as the treasure state for a reason! We need to responsibly develop our natural resources to the benefit of Montanan’s. We need to utilize our existing tax base to create an inviting atmosphere to create new and grow existing businesses. We need to enhance our tourism attractions. We can achieve this by applying principled efforts and incorporating a coordinated effort statewide .

Having spent some time during the last legislative session visiting my wife Representative Lola Sheldon Galloway from House District 22, it became clear to me she was making a difference. I came away feeling we could use more business experienced COMMON SENSE representation. This is why I decided to run for Senate District 12 , I want to apply the knowledge and experience the Lord has blessed me with in running 4 businesses, raising 6 kids, serving in church leadership positions, boy scouts, coaching multiple sports, caring for aging parents till they passed, and dealing with my sister being murdered in 1982. My parents taught me to work for what we have. I don’t give up, I will work hard for you. I would love to hear what issues are on your mind and important to you!

Respectfully

Steven E Galloway

Candidate for Senate District 12

www.stevenformontana.com

galloway@stevenformontana.com

406-727-4963

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As part of E-City Beat’s continuing effort to help our readers make informed decisions as voters, last month we sent questionnaires to all local legislative candidates in the upcoming general election informing them that we would publish their responses without editorial comment.

Here are the four questions we asked:

1. What do you see as the top two issues facing Montana and Cascade County in the next 5 years and why are you the best candidate for the district you’re running in to tackle those issues?
2. Identify at least one issue you see as an opportunity to work across party lines on and describe how you will do that to accomplish what’s best for your constituents.
3. Why is Cascade County/Great Falls so far behind other Montana cities and counties in growth and economic development and what do you plan to do about it as a legislator?
4. Do you think we need some form of a sales tax or other solution in Montana to help offset property taxes and why or why not?

Democrat Jasmine Krotkov and Republican Jeremy Trebas are the candidates in House District 25.  Krotkov did not respond to our request.

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Jeremy Trebas

The top two issues facing Montana and Cascade County in the next 5 years (and the past couple decades) has been slow income growth and a lack of diversity in jobs and industries. In Cascade County especially we are relatively isolated geographically from larger markets and our largest industries and employers are government funded. To my knowledge, the three largest employers in Cascade County are Benefis Health System, Malmstrom Air Force Base, and the Great Falls Public School’s system. This provides stability in funding, in that government budgets are somewhat more isolated from economic storms, but it also means that as a community we don’t capture as much of the upswing in the good economic times. As I’ve said in other forums, this means we don’t have the boom and bust type cycles that places like Bozeman and Missoula have, which are both more tied in to the national economy due to their diversification of industries with the universities as their base.

On this front then, I feel I am the best candidate because I’ve been paying attention to and analyzing the local economy for about a decade, and am best informed as to what needs to be done generally. We need to support existing and new value producing industries, which export their goods and services to other locales, and subsequently bring new dollars and jobs into our area. There are opportunities for this in the agricultural, manufacturing, and professional services arenas here, due to efforts by organizations like the Great Falls Development Authority, local business owners, and others as individuals.

The best issue with the potential for the most impact on people’s everyday lives here in Montana is managing health insurance, healthcare, and pharmaceutical costs. There is much about this issue that is more in the federal government’s realm, but there are things we can do at the state level to work on affordability. In the last session for example we passed House Bill 233, titled, “Establish the Montana drug product selection act”, which is a long way to say that pharmacists may now choose to substitute a less expensive interchangeable biological product for a specific prescription. That one passed unanimously through the legislative process. We also passed House Bill 276, titled, “Revise reimbursement for pharmacies”. This one had a few dissenters but was largely bipartisan. It allows another simple but drastic change, which is to allow pharmacists to discuss reimbursement criteria with a patient, whereas they would have been under a gag order not to do so prior to passage of this bill. I’ll continue to support common sense bills that are good for the consumer, that give consumers more information and choice regarding their health decisions, so that they are able to be cost conscience in their health spending.

I’ve answered this one to some degree in answering question number one above. We are geographically isolated, and our largest employers are government funded entities. We need to diversity our economic base and support value added agriculture, manufacturing, and professional services industries. The more we create value and export out, that will lead to increased import of new dollars and job/wage growth. A large part of this will be recognizing our competitive strengths and weaknesses, and developing local businesses accordingly. One thing I can do as a legislator is to not let income, property, and things like gas taxes get out of hand. As a Republican, I support low and broad based taxes so that everyone pays a little, and no one pays a lot relative to their income.

A sales tax is a touchy issue in Montana. I’ve heard arguments for and against, but mostly against. The three main arguments I’ve heard are that people don’t trust politicians to enact a sales tax and subsequently lower property tax. They also like the simplicity of knowing what something is going to cost. The price is the price. Lastly I’ve heard some people say we should do it to lower property taxes, which would be fine, but if we do that it would have to be by a citizen’s ballot initiative in my opinion.

Thanks for reading,

Sincerely, Jeremy Trebas

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As part of E-City Beat’s continuing effort to help our readers make informed decisions as voters, last month we sent questionnaires to all local legislative candidates in the upcoming general election informing them that we would publish their responses without editorial comment.

Here are the four questions we asked:

1. What do you see as the top two issues facing Montana and Cascade County in the next 5 years and why are you the best candidate for the district you’re running in to tackle those issues?
2. Identify at least one issue you see as an opportunity to work across party lines on and describe how you will do that to accomplish what’s best for your constituents.
3. Why is Cascade County/Great Falls so far behind other Montana cities and counties in growth and economic development and what do you plan to do about it as a legislator?
4. Do you think we need some form of a sales tax or other solution in Montana to help offset property taxes and why or why not?

Democrat Keaton Sunchild and Republican Fred Anderson are the candidates in House District 19.  Sunchild did not respond to our request.

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Fred Anderson

Two of the top issues facing Montana and Cascade County in the next five years are Medicare Expansion and the ability to grow our economic base. Both issues need to be addressed by legislative action rather than through initiatives. Both I-185 and I-186, as presented, carry the potential for significant negative impact to our state.

A cloud of opioid and other addictions cover our state. As Attorney General Tm Fox has stated, the addiction challenges facing our state is a primary focus. I will certainly work across party lines to find solutions to this crisis. Medical Expansion is also an area which will provide ample opportunity for me to work across party lines. It, like the illegal drug use, is a “hot button” issue that will have significant social and fiscal impact on Montana’s residents well into the future.

I believe that a key reason that Cascade County and Great Falls trail other Montana cities in growth and economic development is that we have not only enjoyed the blessing of the economic impact of Malmstrom Air Force Base and the Air Guard, but have also become dependent on them. If we are going to grow our economic base, we must actively recruit and attract a broad base of business. We must actively strive to build a dynamic and diverse economic base. As a Legislator, I will work with city and county leaders to help attract diverse economic growth to Cascade County/Great Falls and will serve as a strong advocate for our community.

In the past, the people of Montana have been very clear on the fact that they did not want a sales tax. Given that, it is interesting that some of our Montana cities currently have a form of sales tax known as the Local Option and Resort Tax. The Business Equipment Tax is also another form of sales tax on a select segment of our population. I believe Montanan’s citizens oppose a general sales tax because they are not confident that it will replace either property taxes or income taxes on a long-term basis. If there was sufficient trust that a sales tax would replace either property or income taxes, I believe it would be more acceptable to the general public. A key advantage to a general sales tax is that the tourist industry would more actively contribute to Montana’s revenue needs.

The recent U.S. Supreme Court decision on Wayfair VS South Dakota changes the game in terms of our state having a mechanism for collecting taxes from on-line purchases. In terms of leveling the playing field for our state’s local businesses, I believe that we will need to develop a mechanism for capturing revenue from on-line purchases.

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As part of E-City Beat’s continuing effort to help our readers make informed decisions as voters, last month we sent questionnaires to all local legislative candidates in the upcoming general election informing them that we would publish their responses without editorial comment.

Here are the four questions we asked:

1. What do you see as the top two issues facing Montana and Cascade County in the next 5 years and why are you the best candidate for the district you’re running in to tackle those issues?
2. Identify at least one issue you see as an opportunity to work across party lines on and describe how you will do that to accomplish what’s best for your constituents.
3. Why is Cascade County/Great Falls so far behind other Montana cities and counties in growth and economic development and what do you plan to do about it as a legislator?
4. Do you think we need some form of a sales tax or other solution in Montana to help offset property taxes and why or why not?

Democrat Lynelle Melton and Republican Wendy McKamey are the candidates in House District 19.  Melton did not respond to our request.

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The top two issues facing Montana and Cascade County in the next five years are the budget and funding. The battered budget our current governor has left us will be a huge challenge. Using tax dollars is necessary in the operation of the state, but it is not a blank check. Our number one priority next session will be state spending.

As co-owner and operator of a business in production agriculture for over 40 years, I have the skills and experience to evaluate finances with the goal to sustain and prosper, build reserves and establish practices for the long haul. It is important you know I bring no agenda other than helping you, our citizens be safe and able to prosper when I consider any legislation.

It is from a sense of duty to serve to my community, my state and my country I seek to continue working for you and this great State of Montana in the People’s House of Representatives.

Working for the good of my constituents as well as all Montana is my goal. No one ideology has a corner on the market of good ideas. It is important to listen and evaluate every proposal presented.

The work of continuing what we have accomplished in both securing our voting franchise and making the process as secure, efficient, transparent and accessible as possible will be one area I will be working on with the House as a whole. My constituents and my colleagues in the House know I respect them and I care about what they have to say. It is my pledge to continue to do so.

We all normally resist stepping out of our comfort zone. At times we avoid the risk of taking the unknown path over the familiar one. The pace of Great Falls growth is slower than some other cities for probably several reasons and I have possibly hit upon one. It is perhaps the biggest, too as I have heard in conversation how people “don’t want Great Falls to change.”

To say change is inevitable is stating the obvious, but I am of the mind-set we either affect change or it affects us. It is better to be pro-active, plan and implement a change than to have to deal with it on a random basis.

As a Legislator, I will support processes and policies that foster growth and do not present stumbling blocks to either citizenry or entities as they seek to progress and grow.

As a Legislator, I will support processes and policies that foster growth and do not present stumbling blocks to either citizenry or entities as they seek to progress and grow.

No one wants to pay more tax. Consequently, before we have a discussion of “should or shouldn’t have a sales tax?”, we need to closely examine where we can bring tax relief. In the 2017 session a bill eliminating all property tax for a 2% state-wide sales tax excluding necessities and providing a five-week tax holiday was proposed and failed. We will give thorough consideration to each and every idea. To unilaterally be for or against any proposition at this point is premature as the bill language has not been written and we need to read the proposal to try to understand the consequences for ourselves and for future generations. To do otherwise would be irresponsible.

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As part of E-City Beat’s continuing effort to help our readers make informed decisions as voters we have sent questionnaires to all local candidates in the upcoming general election and will be publishing their responses starting today.

First up are the candidates for Cascade County Treasurer & Superintendent Of Schools. Here are the three questions we asked each of them:

1. Why are you the best candidate for the position you’re running for?
2. Please identify three specific goals you want to achieve if you are elected and how those outcomes will benefit Cascade County citizens.
3. What is the biggest challenge facing Cascade County generally and the biggest challenge facing the specific department you are seeking to lead and how will you address that challenge?

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Diane Heikkila (R)

I have been working in the Cascade County Treasurers office as a clerk for three years. I listen to the customers’ needs and wants daily and would like to help make any changes necessary to the department to make it easier to perform the variety of transactions that we provide daily.

Prior to working in the Treasurers office, I worked eight years in retail, two years supervisory, six years with the City of Great Falls Finance Department and Municipal Court. I completed a one year business course through Great Falls Vo-Tech and have completed many business training seminars/workshops. I owned and operated a home daycare while my children were young and substitute taught K-12.

The Cascade County Treasurers department provides services for motor vehicle, property tax and schools. Each section has multiple needs that need to be addressed. Right now I believe the main focus needed would be more training for the clerks. I also believe we need to have separate lines for single and multiple transactions. I believe the customers should be able to come in to pay property taxes and renewals in a separate line from the new vehicle purchases that require more time to process. I also believe that the break and lunch times need to be addressed and separated out to leave more clerks at the counter, with other office staff filling in during these times. All this would mean better efficiency within the office.

Right now we have eight service windows. One of these windows is specific for the handicapped. I would like to see two more windows along with the handicapped window used for single transactions and questions. When there are no customers meeting the criteria, then these windows will accept new vehicle purchase title work. The other five windows would be for the new vehicle purchase title work and would take single transactions if no title work is needed. My main objective would be balance of time and great customer service.

Next I would like to see updates to the Cascade County Treasury Department website. I believe a person should be able to access our website to see what is necessary to bring to our office to help ease the registration or property tax process. I also believe once the customer is waiting in line, we should have better information available on reader boards, so they know the basics of what is needed before reaching the counter.

While working in this department I have watched the equipment consistently fail. One of the biggest challenges would be working with the State of Montana to get this equipment updated. Motor Vehicle is run by the State of Montana. We are Cascade County employees. I would like to see better communication between the State and the County. I would like to see a printer to every two computers if possible to help avoid errors and missed signatures on credit card receipts and forms. I would like to see the phone system updated to help avoid missed calls.

I have many ideas on how to improve the efficiency of this department and am asking the voters to please elect me as your next Cascade County Treasurer.

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Mary Swenson (D)

When most citizens think of the Cascade County Treasurer and Superintendent of Schools, they think of motor vehicle registration and property tax payments, but it is so much more than that. Not only is this office responsible for doing banking for the county but also for the rural school districts, Great Falls Transit, volunteer fire districts, water districts, Greenfield Irrigation, Sheriff’s Office, Clerk of Courts, and even more. The Treasurer’s Office oversees and reconciles approximately thirty six bank accounts, is responsible for reporting and distributing funds to the City of Great Falls, Township of Belt, Township of Cascade, and the State of Montana, while reporting to the Office of Public Instruction and Cascade County Commissioners. The Treasurer’s Office is responsible for making investments and then distributing interest from those investments.

The Treasurer’s Office has to ensure the accounting system is balanced to the property tax system and motor vehicle system. The Superintendent of Schools is tasked with registration of all teachers as well as home schooled students throughout the county. They are instrumental in organizing transportation for students in all school districts.

During my employment as the Revenue Accounts Manager for the Treasurer’s Office, I have performed all of these tasks. I worked closely with county and school auditors. I was instrumental in getting the bank reconciliation portion of the accounting software up and running for the county. I also was aware of, and pointed out, that the function of this portion of the program was only to reconcile the bank to the accounting system. I reviewed the set-up of the property tax system and made modifications to ensure cohesion with the accounting system. I reviewed our organization of the school districts accounts and restructured them to ensure accuracy between our records and theirs. I reorganized the Treasurer’s Accounting Office so it was easier to access information. I participated in the request for proposal (RFP) to find a new bank as well as implementing the conversion. I have an accounting and a business administration degree, am certified in governmental accounting, and have worked collectively for Cascade County for over fifteen years.

My first goal is to raise moral and provide training to all staff members, including cross training to help cover other areas. This would decrease wait time for citizens and help with staff retention. This office has a history of high staff turn-over and by increasing training with new staff, I think this can change. Training staff adequately will improve moral by empowering employees to have the tools they need to assist citizens. Staff who are well trained and feel valuable are happier, which would help improve the customer service aspect of the department.

My second goal would be to improve response times. Right now phone calls, emails, and mail, go unanswered for long periods of time if they are answered at all. This office should be able to respond to citizens or any other entity right away, even if it is to let them know that we are researching the issue.

My third goal is to inform the citizens of Cascade County that they can pay their property taxes or motor vehicle renewals online or by mail. This offers alternatives to standing in line and waiting. There is also a drop box at the office for payments.

One of the biggest challenges facing Cascade County is making sure it has the finances to cover its expenses. The Treasurer’s Office is responsible for receiving the funding for the county as well as banking and investing. This office has to properly record funds to the correct department or fiduciary as well as track investments and earned interest. The Treasurer’s Office also has a responsibility to answer to the citizens of Cascade County. This includes issues like wait times to get license plates, pay property taxes, or get answers to questions. My goals are to try to find solutions to these issues and make the office more efficient by improving the skills and morale of staff.

The combination of my education and experience qualifies me to take on these responsibilities. I am dedicated to meeting requirements, improving services, solving problems, and achieving goals within approved budgets.

Together we can do this.

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As part of E-City Beat’s continuing effort to help our readers make informed decisions as voters we have sent questionnaires to all local candidates and will publish their responses starting the week after Labor Day.

Here’s the list of local state legislative candidates on the ballot this November and the four questions we asked:

1. What do you see as the top two issues facing Montana and Cascade County in the next 5 years and why are you the best candidate for the district you’re running in to tackle those issues?
2. Identify at least one issue you see as an opportunity to work across party lines on and describe how you will do that to accomplish what’s best for your constituents.
3. Why is Cascade County/Great Falls so far behind other Montana cities and counties in growth and economic development and what do you plan to do about it as a legislator?
4. Do you think we need some form of a sales tax or other solution in Montana to help offset property taxes and why or why not?

Senate District 11 – Tom Jacobson (D) vs. Adam Rosendale (R)

Senate District 12 – Carlie Boland (D) vs. Steven Galloway (R)

Senate District 13 – Brian Hoven (R) vs. Bob Moretti (D) vs. Kevin Leatherbarrow (L)

House District 19 – Wendy McKamey (R) vs. Lynelle Melton (D)

House District 20 – Fred Anderson (R) vs. Keaton Sunchild (D)

House District 21 – Ed Buttrey (R) vs. Leesha Ford (D)

House District 22 – Lola Galloway (R) vs. Laura Dever (D)

House District 23 – Brad Hamlett (D) vs. Will Smith (R)

House District 24 – Barbara Bessette (D) vs. Mike McNamara (R)

House District 25 – Jeremy Trebas (R) vs. Jasmine Krotkov (D)

House District 26 – Casey Schreiner (D) vs. Michael Cooper (R)

Stay tuned for their responses.

Coming up we’ll list the candidates for Cascade County offices and the questions we asked them.

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Editor’s note: This is another in our series of profiles for local Cascade County candidates. Each county office candidate was given the opportunity to submit, in their own words, a brief profile outlining why they’re running, what party they represent and why they are the best candidate for the position. 

Here are the County Treasurer & Superintendent Of Schools profiles. Republican and incumbent Jamie Bailey is the other candidate and did not respond to our request for a profile.

Diane Heikkila

I am running for the position of Cascade County Treasurer and Superintendent of Schools as a Republican because I believe this department is in desperate need of strong leadership and integrity.  I believe in fairness for both the customer and the employee.  I do not believe it should be so difficult to register a vehicle in Cascade County.  It is rumored to be the most difficult county to register a vehicle in, within the state of Montana.

I was born and raised in Cascade County and am proud of saying so.  I was born in Great Falls, went to junior high and high school in Cascade and have raised two very successful children in Belt.  I have been married to my husband Paul for 33 years.

I am looking to make some very big changes to the Treasurers department if elected. I would like to see two windows as you enter the door for handicapped and single transactions including vehicle renewals, tax payments and questions.  The phone lines  will be answered.  Right now, two people are responsible for not only answering the motor vehicle phone lines but also checking in titles and backing up the clerks at the counter.  Needless to say many calls do not get answered.  I would like to see an additional employee added to the other two and all unanswered calls answered by the Supervisor and the Treasurer if need be. If possible, the employees we have now will be shifted into this position so all employees can fill in when needed.

I would like to see a reader board with updated information added to the waiting area so people don’t stand in a long line to find out they are missing pertinent information.  I would like to see the mail desk moved into the main office instead of in the customer waiting area.  This will give room for two separate lines for customers, single transactions and multiple.  That person will also be able to assist with answering phones.  Employee breaks mandated by the union will be adjusted so half the employees do not go at the same time. Clerks from the back office along with the Supervisor and the Treasurer will fill in for breaks and lunches more readily when needed.

The Motor Vehicle Department is run by the State.  We need consistency on rules according to the State Title and Registration manual.  Right now many rules are inconsistent making it difficult for both the clerk and the customer to complete the new vehicle registration process in one visit to the department.

I have worked at the motor vehicle counter for 2 ½ years and listen to the concerns of the public and the employees.  I am in this race to make a difference for everyone.  We need leadership to achieve efficiency and I believe we can get that without adding new employees to this department.  Please vote for me for Treasurer and help me to make a difference.  Thank you for your support.

Mary Swenson

To see that the office is equipped with well trained employees and is able to remain fully staffed. This will help with citizens wait time and ensure the lines are moving at a more efficient pace. I know there are times this is unavoidable but I would like the people to see that there is progress being made. It has been a problem in this office for a while but I would work to find the solution to cut it down or eliminate it.

I am running as a Democrat because of the party beliefs and I looked at the candidates I know to see what party they belong to.

I have an accounting and a business administration degree. I also have a certificated in governmental accounting. I have a work history with Cascade County for 15 plus years with almost three of those in the Treasurer’s Office. I know the real estate tax software and how the coding works with the accounting software. I assisted with the banking RFP and part of the transition to the new banking. I organized the accounting department of the Treasurer’s Office along with solving other numerous issues that had come up. I take my job seriously and am dedicated to it.