Democrats see progress in Helena

Legislative Democratic leaders came to Kalispell Thursday with a sense of accomplishment at work done so far and optimistic about the second half of the legislative session.

Rep. Dave Wanzenried, the House Democratic leader from Missoula, and Senate President Jon Tester, a Democrat from Big Sandy, said the session has been and will continue to be focused on three major themes: a more productive economy, quality education and accessible health care.

"The proposals we've moved forward in the first half of the session are really a testament to how the tone has changed for the better in Helena," Wanzenried said. "The parties are working together with each other and the governor's office to get things done."

Tester said "civility" has prevailed in the Senate, where Democrats hold a 27-23 majority and have successfully advanced much of the party's agenda. But, there have been numerous bills from Democrats that have died in the Senate, he noted.

And Wanzenried characterized relations in the House, divided with 50 Democrats and 50 Republicans, as being "workmanlike."

"We've been forced out of necessity to work things out on a fundamental level," he said.

From press accounts, Wanzenried said, the public often gets "the impression that everything in Helena is partisan," when in reality lines are drawn on only 5 percent or 6 percent of the bills that come up.

But the House is where divisions are most likely to crop up. So far, 62 bills have been tied along party lines and tabled in the House's evenly divided committees.

"Those bills represent ideas and concerns of Montana citizens that won't be advanced this session," Wanzenried said.

Wanzenried and Tester said Democrats have shown restraint in fiscal matters and will continue to do so.

"We've gone to the mall and gone shopping and now we have to prune down what we bought," Tester said, referring to the budget-balancing burdens of the session's latter half.

With Democratic Gov. Brian Schweitzer setting the tone with his pledge to oppose new taxes, most Democrats have resisted new taxes.

So far, tax proposals for box stores, electronic gambling and beer sales have all died in committee.

Meanwhile, the governor has pledged an additional $80 million in spending for K-12 education, largely to meet the requirements of a Supreme Court ruling requiring the state to define and deliver a "basic system of quality education."

That additional money "should take the pressure off" local school districts to raise local property taxes, Tester said.

While the Senate has passed a bill that intended to define a quality education, a House Select Committee on Education will weigh that proposal and other, more conservative proposals.

"We've got a good cross-section on that committee," Wanzenried said, noting that committee members represent different views and geographic areas. Recommendations from the committee, evenly divided with four Republicans and four Democrats, will likely reflect that diversity, he said.

The Flathead is represented by Rep. Tim Dowell, D-Kalispell, and Rep. Verdell Jackson, R-Kalispell.

Meanwhile, a House-Senate joint committee has been charged with the task of revising the state's school funding formula - another ingredient required by the school funding ruling.

Both men expect there will be considerable bipartisan support for a series of measures aimed at making health care more affordable and accessible for Montanans.

"I think, in the mainstream, people understand that we can't turn a blind eye to it and hope that we're going to solve this nationally," Wanzenried said. "We can do things at the state level."

The Legislature is considering a bill that would create tax credits and other incentives for small businesses to pool together for insurance coverage. Chambers of commerce, economic development organizations and other business groups have expressed strong support for the bill, Wanzenried said.

The Senate has advanced a bill that would provide affordable prescription drug benefits for the elderly and disabled.

Another bill would allow 3,500 qualifying children currently enrolled in the state's Children's Health Insurance Program to switch to Medicaid Coverage. That would allow an equal number of uninsured children to get CHIP coverage.

Tester and Wanzenried said the Legislature will define and deliver "a basic system of quality education," as required by a Supreme Court ruling last year. A special session will not be needed to get that job done, they said.

Legislation that would allow cities or counties to adopt a local-option sales tax has cleared the Senate, but Wanzenried said it may have trouble in the House.

"It will be one of those things that won't follow party lines," he said. Instead, opposition will come from legislators representing rural areas where people are reluctant to pay sales taxes when they visit particular towns, he added.

"If it gets out of the House, I'd be surprised, frankly," he said.

Reporter Jim Mann may be reached at 758-4407 or by e-mail at jmann@dailyinterlake.com