Great Falls Candidates: Paulick (D) vs Nikolakakos (R)
Editors note: Candidates on the November 5 ballot for Great Falls/Cascade County HD22 are Republican George Nikolakakos and Democrat Ronald Paulick.
Ronald K Paulick
708 56 St So
Great Falls, MT
Democratic Candidate House District 22
Born near Trenton, NJ. College education MSU 1970-74 and Penn State 1974–76. Married 1975 to a Fort Shaw sweetheart met in MSU chemistry class. After various jobs, bought a home in Great Falls where we still live since 1980. This house is located in House District 22. Raised three children. All having attended Great Falls public schools and state universities. Now retired after twenty plus years of self-employment in an accounting field.
Three important Great Falls functions influenced my desire to run for HD-22:
Being a member of Great Falls Chamber of Commerce’s Leadership Great Falls program. Which gave me a foundation for understanding how our city functions.
Participation in Great Falls Centennial’s Lewis and Clark Portage Reenactment as Captain William Clark. Which gave me leadership skills and abilities for working with people. I have also mean president, vice president and treasurer for Great Falls and Montana non-profit organizations.
Lastly, being an active member of the once Great Falls Native American Art Show for over 20 years. Which, as a helper, I gained many Native friends, and respect for Native People and thus other people in the world.
Reasons for running in the 2024 general election are many. Primarily relating to representation, respect and rights:
A good legislator is one who speaks less, listens more, thinks before acting, and desires to hear the public’s voice. A House Representative’s task is to represent every citizen equally in their district. Doing such achieves middle of the road laws. Laws which all people gain benefits from.
Solving legislative issues starts with all political parties presenting their ideas, shaking hands in a good faith gesture of respect for the ideas and the person presenting it, then having a civilized discussions for achieving laws agreeable for all Montana citizens. Political, personal, religious, and any other ideologies should be off the table. Laws should be crafted to help all Montanans equally.
Montana and US constitutions sets forth rights for all citizens.
These rights can be challenged. This is proper for democracy to work. However, only people have the right to modify those laws. Political parties should respectfully handle the proper legal execution of the peoples laws tied to properly passed Constitutional Initiatives’.
Answering the question regarding my three top issues and how to fix them.
I have no top issues. I continue to ask HD22 residents “What are your concerns?” Return postage paid questionnaires builds my understanding of HD22 citizen concerns. So far I am finding there are many more than three. Thus my job would be to express and find solutions for all of their concerns as best I can.
Fixing issues absolutely requires legislators to work together in such a way to achieve “Middle of the road” solutions. Legislators are paid by the people. Legislators should thus work for the benefit of all people.
In closing, I love Montana, I respect all life living on its fertile lands and waters, and I want this job representing all people in House District 22.
___________________________________________________________________
Name: George Nikolakakos
Office Sought: House District 22
Occupation: Businessman, U.S. Air Force (Retired)
Age: 44
Family: Wife (Melissa) Daughters (Story, Reagan, Melody, Abigail)
Education: BA, Excelsior College (U.S. History)
Military Experience: 20 years (Active USAF/Montana Air National Guard)
Organizational affiliations: NeighborWorks Montana (Director) Great Falls Development Alliance (Director) Veterans Treatment Court (Mentor)
Political Experience: Representative, House District 26 (Taxation, Human Services Committee)
It was the honor of my life to serve Montanans over the last legislative session. I’m running for re-election because I believe serving a cause greater than self is central to a well lived life and a healthy society. I was proud to pass seven bills over my first session cutting property taxes for low income seniors, boosting 2A rights and, as well as multiple bills cutting red tape for business. In the legislature I will continue to work hard at finding conservative solutions that address problems for hardworking Montanans.
Last session was marked by conservative achievements. We met our duty to balance our budget and set the example for fiscal responsibility by bolstering our rainy day/fire funds. We paid down all existing state debt and established smart long-term trusts that will leverage and invest hundreds of millions in infrastructure, roads, firefighting, housing, and more. We shrank government and passed the largest tax relief in state history (over a billion dollars) both via long term income tax reductions as well as income/property tax rebates.
I am especially proud of the 300 million dollars we invested toward mental health infrastructure and the 40 million dollars we invested towards a health insurance trust supporting our teachers. From cutting taxes for military retiree pensions and enhancing service member spousal employment opportunities to investing in additional trades career & technical education space prohibits a full outline of the many legislative victories for Montana.
We still have work to do. Knocking doors in my district I continue to feel the pain inflicted by our broken property tax system. I am grateful to our Governor for appointing a task force of the brightest minds in our state to address the need for meaningful property tax reform. It is the most important responsibility facing our next legislature.
We must focus on rebuilding our shrinking industrial tax base. A generation ago industry (mining, gas/oil, timber etc.) made up about 50% of our tax base. Today, as Montana has become a “scenery state” that burden has shifted to residential properties that now make up approximately 75% of the tax base. Long term solutions and pushing back against federal over-reach can resurrect our industrial base but in the meanwhile we can move on creative solutions like a homestead exemption (or something similar) for primary residences that would shift tax burden to the more than 1/5 homes in MT that are non-primary residences often owned by out of state folks. We should also boost sources of revenue that capture out of state tourist dollars as well as e-commerce and use them to pay down property taxes while boosting “circuit breaker” programs for those most in need.
Our state is also still running a surplus and we owe it to hardworking taxpayers to return it while also addressing critical mental health needs and the school funding formula.
In the legislature I will never forget that I have taken a step down to serve under people, not over them. I will work tirelessly to be of service to our community and always show up to listen and learn from people. I hope to earn the opportunity to continue serving Great Falls to the best of my ability.