The New House Budget Process Is Illegitimate
by: Rep. Art Noonan
Beginning on Monday morning, the House Republican majority will begin deliberation in the Appropriations Committee on its six budget bills that fund the needs of Montana for the next two years. These six bills, which have come to be known as the “six-pack budget,” are substitutes for the traditional state funding bill, House Bill 2. It is a reckless and unnecessary approach that could easily result in bad consequences for Montana families.
Long before the 2007 Legislature opened, I had a plan for the state’s historic budget surplus. I planned to do everything possible to ensure that all children in Montana go to bed safe, well, well-fed, warm, well-educated and unafraid. This goal is both attainable and worthy. But you can imagine my sadness in finding the “six-pack” budget bills take us away from even what we’ve done in the past to reach these goals.
Why have Republicans sunk the traditional unified state funding bill which has served Montana well for 30 years? I believe the move intends to isolate unfavored parts of the budget like public education and health and human services to make it easier to send more tax give-aways to the wealthy corporations and landowners who subsidize their political agenda. It also serves to hide shifts in the tax burden from these same entities onto the backs of ordinary working families. (more…)
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Reducing voter turnout is not an option
by: Rep. Art Noonan
Recently, there has been a difference of opinion on the value of same day voter registration. Since all of the House Democrats support the current law that allows it, we thought it was important to be clear about our position.
Since the beginning of our democracy the political process has focused on franchising every citizen entitled to vote. Fundamentally the more people who participate in an election, the clearer the direction of our government. This principal is a baseline issue for all political parties and there have been several national efforts to increase registration including motor/voter registration and increased absentee ballots.
There is no litmus test to vote in America. We don’t attempt to correct social issues through voter registration and we don’t demand any intellectual threshold to have the right to vote. If a person registers and is a citizen then they vote.
Nonetheless, the House Republicans forced a bill through the House on a party-line vote that will take away same-day registration. (more…)
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