Monetary issues are becoming contentious
Janna Taylor
Representative, HD 11
It was an honor to have Polson High School junior Kellan Mills here at the legislature as a page last week. He did a fantastic job. Thanks, Kellan. And another great Polson student, Jenny Tiskus, is scheduled to serve.
There are two issues I'd like to cover: the state pay plan and the Governor's budget. The state workers pay plan is a contentious situation. I sit on the House Appropriation Committee, so I get to hear this first hand.
Last week we listened to the plan negotiated between the Governor and the state unions. The people who spoke in favor of the bill all alluded to the fact that our lower classification employees are seriously underpaid. In fact, many told about employees that have to work two or even three jobs to make ends meet. Our Governor said the same in his state of the state address.
So what does the Schweitzer plan do? His plan gives the $7,000 raise to the employee earning $63,000 and a $3,198 raise to the employee earning $13,000. It would have been more honest to admit right up front that this favors the high end.
The plan proposed by Representative Dee Brown in HB268 gives all employees the same raise, $4,368. Of the 9,000 state employees covered by this agreement, 72 percent receive more money under the Republican plan than the Schweitzer plan.
Even worse, the Democrat chair of appropriations has held back the Republican plan so we can't even vote on it in committee. She has scheduled many bills that have been introduced more recently than HB268.
I do not think that any of the proponents who spoke for the Schweitzer plan are part of it. The university presidents, state staff, and union officials are exempted from it.
The only working person there, a snowplow operator, did not like the plan. After the hearing the press concentrated on interviews with MFT-MEA President Eric Fever, no one asked that worker anything.
On to the Governor's budget. Here are just some of the additional items he wants of the next biennium:
1. $500,000 for an office in Washington, D.C.,
2. $500,000 for marketing Montana nationally and internationally,
3. an increase of $189,000 for office staff and expenses,
4. $380,000 for engine overhaul on the state plane, which will be needed sometime between now and 2012,
5. $150,000 for a part-time pilot, training and additional flight hours,
6. and $400,000 for an efficiency study.
The efficiency study money establishes another commission. You would not believe how many commissions we have in this state. The Judiciary alone has 20 commissions, some have not met for years.
We need a commission to study commissions. Just kidding, of course.
I'm glad our President is going to visit Great Falls. Many legislators are going to try to be there, but I think I'll study instead.
Please call 406-444-4800 and leave me a message; write to me at: Representative Janna Taylor
Capitol Station
PO Box 200400
Helena, MT 59620-0400
or email jannataylor@montana.com or visit my website jannataylor.com