Tight times quicken pace - County representatives seeing intense session

HELENA — Freshman District 12 Democrat Rep. John Fleming began his Wednesday last week with a 7 a.m. committee meeting. By the time he reached his desk on the House floor around noon, it was flooded with yellow. Scooping the constituent message flyers up, all, he said, that come from his district will get a response.

Fellow Lake County representative, District 11 Republican Rep. Janna Taylor, stops for a short minute next to Fleming in the aisle, continuing a committee discussion that finally ended at 9 p.m. the night before. Earlier, Taylor sat on the House Taxation committee that passed a state revenue estimate $251 million less than November projections.

That afternoon the agenda is full again, with a 1 p.m. address to the chamber by U.S. Sen. Max Baucus, who spoke of the more than 70,000 Americans laid off the week before - then floor session and a full Education Committee hearing set to begin at 3 p.m.

Fleming, a longtime educator from St. Ignatius, thinks about his bustling day, and the 30-some before it, and is still able to easily smile after the first half of his first session. But there’s still 45 days to go.

“It’s like a train,” he says. “If you don’t jump on, it’s not going to wait for you.”

Stimulus plan complicates budget work

The entire 61st Legislature is feeling the rush of the situation. The economic unrest of falling state revenue estimates and the announcement of the $626 million dollars of federal stimulus funds have mixed up a intricate set of ingredients for the politicians to consider.

Those belonging to the nearly 6 percent unemployed in Lake County are wondering what, really, will be done with the billions of dollars pledged from Washington D.C. to help at home. Everyone is wondering how state programs can survive doing more and more with less and less.

According to estimates from Montana’s U.S. senators, large chunks of the more than $626 million coming to Montana from President Barack Obama’s recently-signed stimulus package will be set aside for things like local government stabilization and education projects.

For now, no one knows for sure what amounts will go where, or if Lake County will be a direct project beneficiary of the money.

District six Republican Sen. John Brueggeman said the stimulus will offset major cuts to programs like Medicaid and other low-income assistance programs, and will also help supplement strained unemployment benefit programs, which affect everyone in the state.

Lake County could “see a pretty big chunk,” of stimulus funds, but the amount “changes daily,” and will be fluid until mid-April, he said.

Sitting in his senate office stuffed with a rack of bills awaiting his attention, the Senator said that “for the most part, the Legislature will oversee the (stimulus funds) allotment,” and that the stimulus and budget issues will take the most time in the final 45 days of the session. As of Monday, it will likely be separated from the House budget bill.

The Montana Constitution stipulates that the budget must be balanced during the 90-day session. In the past, special sessions have been called to continue budget negotiations, but going over costs money. Taylor, serving her second term as District 11 representative, said “we have to” balance the budget in 90 days. Adding to worries though, is how stimulus-funded projects will be sustained.

“The problem with the stimulus is that if we spend it . . . how are we going to keep it going?” she said.

With money tight, Legislators see bills fall

The situation this session also means Legislators are primarily fighting cuts, putting bills asking for nonbudgeted funds in deeper jeopardy of being tabled, cutting the chance of a costly special session along with improvements representatives were hoping to make.

Brueggeman, who has been at every session since 2000, said he’s seen fewer bills introduced this session, and that many others have been tabled.

“Things look like we’ll actually adjourn early,” he said. “As far as workload wise, we’re far ahead of schedule.”

For Fleming, a goal of adding infrastructure and support for Montana’s agricultural producers, through his proposed House Bill 583 that would fund a set of six food and agricultural development centers will most likely take a back seat.

“We’re going to make a good pitch for (HB 583),” Fleming said. “I’m really fearful it’s going to get cut, and we’re not going to get that money.”

Brueggeman is hoping the benefit he sees to all Montanas in two bills he’s nearly ready to introduce will outweigh the extreme need this year to cut spending.

The senator’s bill to address uninsured motorists would fund a new system at the Montana Department of Motor Vehicles to interface the vehicle registration with insurance companies.

“If you’re uninsured, you can’t get registered,” Brueggeman said. “The online database is immediate and updated.”

He said the proposal may increase the registration fees by $1. His other bill proposes a property tax cap at 1.5 percent of an individuals income. This is an issue that affects Lake County more than any area in the state.

Because of revenue aspects, both bills are exempt from this week’s transmittal deadline. Brueggeman hopes to introduce the bills in the coming week.

The representatives in both chambers this week have been on the floor debating hundreds of bills for transfer today. The transmittal break is Friday and Saturday.

If the hundreds of millions of stimulus dollars and a balanced budget are finalized, 61st Legislator train will pull into its final stop on April 25, the session adjournment date.