House District 7 race a study in contrasts

By JOHN STANG

The Daily Inter Lake

Dale McGarvey and Jon Sonju present dramatically different agendas in their bids for the Montana House District 7 seat.

Sonju, the one-term Republican incumbent, pushes a tax-cutting, pro-business agenda.

Meanwhile, Democrat McGarvey - who served two terms in the Montana House from 1957 to 1961 - pushes insurance reforms, seniors issues, ethics reforms, and tax cuts only if the state's school-funding obligations are met first.

Sonju pointed at an predicted $500 million state government surplus in 2007, saying that a significant amount of that money should be returned to taxpayers through some type of tax relief. He argued that such relief would spur commerce in the state.

He also opposes Montana's tax on business-related equipment and wants to abolish it, contending it penalizes businesses for locating in the state.

Sonju believes the state's school-funding formulas should be revamped, saying they favor Eastern Montana where enrollment is declining. He also wants local school boards to be given more leeway in whom they can hire as teachers.

Sonju also said the state should create more vocational-technical schools. He was active in Flathead Valley Community College installing its industrial wing.

On the other hand, McGarvey believes tighter reins are needed on insurance companies to ensure they help provide their obligations on providing long-term care to clients - especially the elderly. He also wants insurance companies to pay interest for the periods they delay on making payments - if those disputes go to court.

McGarvey opposes raising property taxes. But he also opposes cutting them before the state's schools can be fully funded, saying education provides long-term benefits to Montana.

Another McGarvey issue is tight controls on lobbyists. He contended they should be required to file weekly electronic reports on the money they spend to influence legislation. He also wants to bolster public access to lobbying reports, forbid lobbyists' gifts to legislators, and prohibit former legislators and executive branch employees from lobbying for the first two years after they leave the government.

McGarvey has criticized Sonju's votes in some newspaper ads.

He pointed to Sonju's "no" vote on a bill to increase Montana's minimum wage from $5.15 an hour to $6.15 an hour. McGarvey said minimum-wage earners don't get the chances to improve their lives as much as people getting higher wages do.

Sonju said he opposed that bill because it did not account for people earning tips - such as waitresses and waiters. He contended that a restaurant - under that bill - would have pay cooks and other non-tip-receiving employees higher hourly wages to make up for the food servers getting tips on top of their wages. He contends that would put an extra financial burden on restaurant owners and other similar business people.

However, Sonju said he expects Initiative 151 - which would raise the minimum wage to $6.15 - to pass on a Nov. 7 referendum.

McGarvey also criticized Sonju for voting against a bill that would eliminate property taxes for 13,000 small businesses. Sonju countered that was a poorly written bill that would also keep taxes on business equipment frozen at 3 percent, while Sonju wants to eliminate that business equipment tax.